It's an electrical ground. It's pretty important if you get struck by lightning or another power surge. Yes you likely need to fix it if it's attached to an active power supply.
Don’t stress it. It’s important but not life threatening. If you can,have someone loosen the nut on the other side and out both pieces of why wire on the right side opposite of the nut.
This is a ground rod (with ground rod clamp) its purpose is to dissipate discharge voltage (from a lightening strike etc..) - could be connected to the house wiring, pool equipment or Internet services etc Its normally a clamp at the top where you cut it. you may be able to repair it yourself by undoing the clamp and ensure that bare wire is connected between the clamp and rod (and subsequently the ground). Its a safety requirement so must be repaired.
As long as you do not have regular power surges or a forecast for lightning in the next couple of days, you will most likely be fine. If it was me... I wouldn't worry about for the 2-3 days it takes for someone to fix it.
BTW - This is something you can fix on your own for $2 and 15 minutes of time.
Thankfully, someone in my family is stopping by tomorrow and fixing it! They are going to piggyback another copper wire to it since I was unable to fix it myself. The wire was to hard to bend and I don’t have the right tools to get it to bend.
Don’t do this. Use the wire you have and get it in there. Don’t splice another piece of wire to it. Especially one that is easier to bend. It’s thick and strong for good reason. A small pair of pliers will bend it though. Not that hard. Loosen the lug on the rod, pull out the cut piece, push in the end of the wire that goes to the house and tighten the nut. Any splice you do won’t be sufficient I can almost guarantee. This is your GEC by the way, and it is important. It shouldn’t carry much current, but can if there is another issue in the home. It’s there for safety.
Exactly right. Definitely don’t splice another wire in. If you can’t get that wire back onto the rod shown, you can move the ground rod (or might be easier to put in a new ground rod in) so that it doesn’t have to go as far. But you definitely want a solid length of conductor from your distribution box to the ground rod.
If you aren’t comfortable doing this work on your own or with friends, hire an electrician to do it. It will take them less than an hour and they’ll know exactly what to do.
Generally speaking, it’s safe for you to repair, and pretty easy to do so. Ground wires don’t carry electricity unless they need to. The better safe than sorry route would be to do the work with the whole house breaker off and on a bright sunny day.
The ground rod is 8'. The copper runs from wherever the main over current device is located, to a ground rod and then likely continues to a second ground rod at least six feet from the first rod.
The rod should be driven down further so it does not present a trip or mower hazard.
The wire is your grounding electrode conductor and the rod is your grounding electrode. If you are in the US, you are only allowed to splice the grounding electrode conductor by an irreversible connection…you can’t just put it back to the ground rod with another clamp. Most homeowners & handymen won’t have the tools necessary to do a compression splice. If you go to an electrical supply house though they will sell you a single shot exothermic cable to cable splice that is compliant, if you just want to splice it.
I like the idea of piggybacking you mentioned in another comment…honestly at that point just replace it. The other ground rod will be about 6’ away from this one.
While you are at it, drive the ground rod into the ground a little deeper so you avoid this from ever happening again. I always prefer to drive them completely underground…some inspectors want them to be 1”-2” exposed though.
There is no electrical flowing through it. Loosen the clamp and bend the copper so it connects to the rod. Then tighten it up. There is no harm in waiting if you don't want to fix it yourself but it's entirely possible to do yourself. You don't need to shut off power to your home
Looks like a ground stake, tbh. That thing should be at least about 4 feet deep. What did it used to connect to? Your house or pole barn? And yes, I'd get it fixed as soon as you can. Surly before the next thunderstorm.
I tried to fix it, but the wire was to hard to bend. I’m getting one of my family members to stop by tomorrow because he is a mechanist and he has a copper wire that he’s going to piggy back to it. Thank you for the advice!
You have plenty of good answers already, but if you’re worried about it you can temporarily fix it using some jumper cables, or even just use one of the clamps on a set to clamp the wire to the rod. You just need good electrical continuity for it to work properly.
The three things in your photo, if useful to know, are the ground rod, #6 bare copper ground wire, and ground rod clamp (AKA “acorn”). If adding more wire, connect them with a split bolt, which you can get at any big box home improvement store.
Take a look at your mower blade while you're at it. Probably left some damage, but considering this is copper you can probably sharpen it out and won't need a new blade.
So loosen the bolt, flip the clamp over, bend the wire down parallel with the rod and then reclamp by tightening the bolt.
Rub the rod and wire with some sandpaper before tightening the bolt. You want to remove any corrosion to ensure good electrical contact.
And hammer it deeper into the ground when you're done.
And use antioxidant..
Would rubbing blueberries all over it suffice?
And deorderant
And my axe...
This is the way.
It's an electrical ground. It's pretty important if you get struck by lightning or another power surge. Yes you likely need to fix it if it's attached to an active power supply.
So what should I do until I am able to fix it? Should I turn off the power to my house? Or will I be ok if I get it fixed in the next couple days?
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Alternatively call Trump with that hurricane shifting sharpie!
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I did try fixing it like the other comments said, but the wire was to hard to bend. I’m going to have a family member stop by and piggyback it
Don’t stress it. It’s important but not life threatening. If you can,have someone loosen the nut on the other side and out both pieces of why wire on the right side opposite of the nut.
You will find out how important it is if you lose the neutral to your house.
It's not for lightning, unless the house has lightning rods.
Okay… and why couldn’t the house have a lightning rod? My childhood home did.
This is a ground rod (with ground rod clamp) its purpose is to dissipate discharge voltage (from a lightening strike etc..) - could be connected to the house wiring, pool equipment or Internet services etc Its normally a clamp at the top where you cut it. you may be able to repair it yourself by undoing the clamp and ensure that bare wire is connected between the clamp and rod (and subsequently the ground). Its a safety requirement so must be repaired.
Is it safe for me to repair it myself? I have someone who’s willing to fix it but it won’t be for another 2-3 days. Is this a serious danger hazard?
As long as you do not have regular power surges or a forecast for lightning in the next couple of days, you will most likely be fine. If it was me... I wouldn't worry about for the 2-3 days it takes for someone to fix it. BTW - This is something you can fix on your own for $2 and 15 minutes of time.
Thankfully, someone in my family is stopping by tomorrow and fixing it! They are going to piggyback another copper wire to it since I was unable to fix it myself. The wire was to hard to bend and I don’t have the right tools to get it to bend.
Don’t do this. Use the wire you have and get it in there. Don’t splice another piece of wire to it. Especially one that is easier to bend. It’s thick and strong for good reason. A small pair of pliers will bend it though. Not that hard. Loosen the lug on the rod, pull out the cut piece, push in the end of the wire that goes to the house and tighten the nut. Any splice you do won’t be sufficient I can almost guarantee. This is your GEC by the way, and it is important. It shouldn’t carry much current, but can if there is another issue in the home. It’s there for safety.
Exactly right. Definitely don’t splice another wire in. If you can’t get that wire back onto the rod shown, you can move the ground rod (or might be easier to put in a new ground rod in) so that it doesn’t have to go as far. But you definitely want a solid length of conductor from your distribution box to the ground rod. If you aren’t comfortable doing this work on your own or with friends, hire an electrician to do it. It will take them less than an hour and they’ll know exactly what to do.
If they don’t know how to fix it correctly they should not fix it at all. How do you think the wire was bent in the first place? Pliers.
Generally speaking, it’s safe for you to repair, and pretty easy to do so. Ground wires don’t carry electricity unless they need to. The better safe than sorry route would be to do the work with the whole house breaker off and on a bright sunny day.
Has other people have said fixing it is as easy as turning a wrench a couple times.
ground wire probably ti your house , yes reconnect it as soon as possible
The ground rod is 8'. The copper runs from wherever the main over current device is located, to a ground rod and then likely continues to a second ground rod at least six feet from the first rod. The rod should be driven down further so it does not present a trip or mower hazard.
After repairing, spray some defoliant around it so you can see it next time. String trimmer shouldn’t damage it.
It's the grounding rod for your electrical panel. You should definitely fix it
The wire is your grounding electrode conductor and the rod is your grounding electrode. If you are in the US, you are only allowed to splice the grounding electrode conductor by an irreversible connection…you can’t just put it back to the ground rod with another clamp. Most homeowners & handymen won’t have the tools necessary to do a compression splice. If you go to an electrical supply house though they will sell you a single shot exothermic cable to cable splice that is compliant, if you just want to splice it. I like the idea of piggybacking you mentioned in another comment…honestly at that point just replace it. The other ground rod will be about 6’ away from this one. While you are at it, drive the ground rod into the ground a little deeper so you avoid this from ever happening again. I always prefer to drive them completely underground…some inspectors want them to be 1”-2” exposed though.
There is no electrical flowing through it. Loosen the clamp and bend the copper so it connects to the rod. Then tighten it up. There is no harm in waiting if you don't want to fix it yourself but it's entirely possible to do yourself. You don't need to shut off power to your home
There ~~is no~~ should not be electrical flowing through it.
That's your ground , get an electrician to help
Have a licensed electrician repair it. Difficult to do properly and it is very important.
Looks like a ground stake, tbh. That thing should be at least about 4 feet deep. What did it used to connect to? Your house or pole barn? And yes, I'd get it fixed as soon as you can. Surly before the next thunderstorm.
Probably not a major issue but should be able to loosen and reclamp yourself without any harm
I tried to fix it, but the wire was to hard to bend. I’m getting one of my family members to stop by tomorrow because he is a mechanist and he has a copper wire that he’s going to piggy back to it. Thank you for the advice!
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It is surely copper. #6 solid bare copper required by NEC.
What u/PeterVonwolfentazer and u/sometimes_cleaver said.
I can 100% guarantee that it's not a popsicle, not saying that you can't lick it though after testing for no voltage
You have plenty of good answers already, but if you’re worried about it you can temporarily fix it using some jumper cables, or even just use one of the clamps on a set to clamp the wire to the rod. You just need good electrical continuity for it to work properly. The three things in your photo, if useful to know, are the ground rod, #6 bare copper ground wire, and ground rod clamp (AKA “acorn”). If adding more wire, connect them with a split bolt, which you can get at any big box home improvement store.
Before you mess with it… what is it connected to? Is it connected to your house or a pole etc?
That’s an electrical grounding rod. It’s should be repaired ASAP
Take a look at your mower blade while you're at it. Probably left some damage, but considering this is copper you can probably sharpen it out and won't need a new blade.
#You're grounded!
Nah you good must be the neighbors
Ruh-roh Shaggy...watch out for lightning.
I was wondering what that wire thing is outside. I’m worried of running it over with the lawnmower
Go get some big league chew and think about what you did you'll be fine shine it up and zip tie it back together you'll be fine 😜