How to Test a Ground on a Grounding Rod

Learn how to make sure a grounding rod is really grounded.

A grounding rod protects an object from power surges by balancing the charge of electricity running through it to that of a ground charge. However, in order for the grounding rod to function properly, you need to test the resistance of the ground in OHMs before you can actually connect to the device you want to ground with it. This is an easy but crucial test that requires only a few minutes of time to complete.

Things You'll Need

• Ground resistance tester with clamp leads

Instructions

1. Drive the C1 and P1 testers into the ground in a line with the grounding rod. The testers and the rods should be at least 17 feet apart. The furthest apart you really need to place them is 33 feet.

2. Connect the green wire lead clamp to the grounding rod you are testing. Run the yellow lead clamp to the P tester and the red lead clamp to the C tester.

3. Insert the plug ends of the wire leads into the ports in the tester of the same color (e.g., the green plug goes into the green port, etc.).

4. Adjust the measuring unit into ohms and set the range to the range of resistance that you need for the ground.

5. Press the power button to turn the tester on and wait for the immediate test results. Press the power and timer button if you want to perform a full three-minute test.

Tips & Warnings

• Many resistance testers retain the results of several past tests so you can keep the results for reference.

• Do not use faulty electrical equipment or you may hurt yourself.

References

• Ex Tech Instruments: User's Manual
• Ex Tech Instruments: User's Manual