Grounding a tree mounted light fixture?

Question

I want to mount a Metal Halide Flood Light above one of my horse shoe pits. The circuit is being wired into a GFCI (Single pole 110V AC) breaker in my house. I am concerned that the installation should be grounded as protection against lightning strikes.

I was planning on driving a 4' copper rod into the ground near the base of the tree for the lightening protection. My question: Should I run a separate ground wire to the copper rod, keeping the power line unbroken from the light to the breaker? Or should I do it some other way? What is the correct way to provide lightning protection without s******g up the GFCI?

Answer 1

You need to be careful here to avoid something called a "ground loop". Your electrical panel is grounded via a grounding rod near your house, and if your tree light is far enough from the house the ground potential there could actually be different, resulting in current flowing in your ground system!

I would do this: forget about your idea of a local ground rod. Rely on the grounding system in your home so that the GFCI will work properly. HOWEVER, in order for this to be effective you need to be sure to use a large enough wire so that voltage drops in the lines do not lead to the possibility of a above-ground potential at the light.

Caveat emptor: consult a licensed electrician in your area if you want to be absolutely sure.

Answer 2

You could run a separate gound wire from the fixture to the rod. Don't change the wiring to the GFCI. Wire it as the instructions call for. The main reason for the GFCI is to stop the flow of electricity as soon as it detects a difference between the current levels between the hot wire and neutral wire (black and white). It's supposed to trip when it sees the current difference, and hopefully protect you from electrical shock. The amperage of the breaker acts the same as a regular one, for over current protection situations (like pulling too many amps). You should also ground to your breaker box, like normal. You can't have too many grounds, safety.

Answer 3

Your panel is already grounded through a rod outside the home. And a gfci will trip if a strike occurs because it will unbalance the neutral. adding another ground should only be done to the frame or gem box of the light not the wiring powering the light as this would give the  ground 2 paths but it is not going to save the light anyhow i would relyon the ground in the romex. the tree is still there isnt it?

Answer 4

Consult an electrician because if you do it wrong and the tree catches fire and falls on the house insurance will not cover it.

Mark my words if the tree catches fire and falls on the house the insurance is going to have a field day not paying you. A guy down the street did the same thing he did the wiring himself to a tree we had a dry spell and the tree caught fire and fell on the house when the Insurance investigated they found that a non licensed electrician did the work AKA him and refused to pay. Thumbs down me all you want. Your the one who will be screwed not me.

Answer 5

*****Ground rods will do almost nothing in the event of a lightning strike and adding extra ground rods away for from your house will only create a Shock hazard*******

The make lightning rods along with many other types of surge protection for protection from a lightning strike

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Mathew C has enough school in electrical theory to understand trust his answer too

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Fishing6 is so far off he should be banned from answering questions on electrical

"you can never have too many grounds"

that is some of the most confused uneducated info on electrical i have ever seen