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Subject - uffer wire
ShooterQ Will some one please describe what the uffer wire is? Iam trying to convince another electrician that it does exist. I worked for quite some time in Arizona and this is what they called it.
nfsus Ive heard of UF wire..........hmm.
stedder Uffer . named after Dr, Uffer , who did extensive testing of different
grounding systems in Arizona.
(Arizona being one particular place where they have : a- lots of
lightning and b- poor soil conductivity conditions)
Uffer .. Slang for ' Concrete Embedded Grounding Electrode '
Typically a uffer is a #4 copper conductor placed approx. 2" above the
bottom of a concrete footing at a minimum of 20' long
Naturally the purpose of the 'Grounding Electrode " is for lightning
protection.
According to the National Electric Code ....metal buildings or structures
are to be bonded to a grounding electrode conductor . Even if they are
solidly embedded in concrete . Bonded means you connect the metal frame to
the grounding electrode (uffer) conductor .

I did a search and found this and a WHOLE lot more but this looked like igood description. Now I know what to call it when I'm doing a bond on my next steel bldg. (about 2 weeks) can't wait to cough it up uffer.
lctrc789 I may be wrong but are you misspelling this EUFER ground.
A concrete encased grounding system, it is widely used in sandy conditons and to me is one of the best grounding systems you can get if properly installed.
ShooterQ
quote:
Originally posted by stedder

Uffer . named after Dr, Uffer , who did extensive testing of different
grounding systems in Arizona.
(Arizona being one particular place where they have : a- lots of
lightning and b- poor soil conductivity conditions)
Uffer .. Slang for ' Concrete Embedded Grounding Electrode '
Typically a uffer is a #4 copper conductor placed approx. 2" above the
bottom of a concrete footing at a minimum of 20' long
Naturally the purpose of the 'Grounding Electrode " is for lightning
protection.
According to the National Electric Code ....metal buildings or structures
are to be bonded to a grounding electrode conductor . Even if they are
solidly embedded in concrete . Bonded means you connect the metal frame to
the grounding electrode (uffer) conductor .

I did a search and found this and a WHOLE lot more but this looked like igood description. Now I know what to call it when I'm doing a bond on my next steel bldg. (about 2 weeks) can't wait to cough it up uffer.
Wirenutz here's a quick google on [url=http://www.psihq.com/iread/ufergrnd.htm]Ufer systems[/url] which i see the '05 is slowly evolving to with it's desire to bond any rebar

the theroy is simple, more earth contact, does anyone here really thing a G-rod's surface area can compete?

~W~
ShooterQ You guys are great and on the ball! Its nice to know there are still true craftsmens out there. Well Done
lctrc789 Wirenutz, I think that the Ufer ground system is one of the best their is . Why/... Well you have a #2 ground wire cadwelded to a piece of re bar 20 feet long under the surface of the building, in wet cement and the weight of the building is cocnstantly pushing this cement in to the ground. Cement as we ll know is a good conductor and this is the best ground systaem i have ever checked when i have done ground tests.
The simple ground rod tests with a water pipe as a secondary or vice versa has had some higher ohms of resistance then the Ufer ground alone.
In Sandy areas the Ufer ground is one the best ever used IMO.
Wirenutz 10-4 Pat, the nfpa 780 guys have known this for years, yet our trade is still ify on it, and the concrete guys? , i really wish they'd get it, they think we're nuts wanting in before the pour...

~W~