In copper installations, how deep must connections to ground rods be placed?

For copper installations, connections to ground rods must be placed a minimum of 1 foot below grade. This depth is essential to ensure adequate conductivity and to protect against corrosion and environmental factors that could impact the reliability of the grounding system. A depth of 1 foot provides a balance between ensuring the connection is below frost line in some regions, which is important for grounding effectiveness, while also being shallow enough to facilitate installation and maintenance.

Ground rods must also be driven deeply enough to reach the soil conditions conducive to good electrical conductance, but this is typically satisfied with the 1-foot minimum requirement. In contrast, deeper placements, such as 2 feet or more, are not standard requirements for grounding connections and may not offer significant advantages in typical installations. The choice of 1-foot below grade is widely accepted in industry standards for grounding requirements in copper installations.