Grounding Rod

Actually, when you go to the home big box store, ask for an
AC voltage sensor. If the guy/gal working in the electrical department has done any industrial work before, they'll know a 'prox' from a 'ticker'.

To enable a breaker to trip, fault current has to flow back to the source (the power company transformer) via the incoming neutral, not the earth. The impedance of the earth by itself is too high. The main purpose of the earth ground is for lightning protection and to stabilize the supply voltage. IMO the use of the term "ground" when referring to the protection against fault current is a misnomer, because in reality, it is the return of this fault current via the service neutral that affords the protection.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/191557/circuit%20%20load.JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/191557/ground_fault.JPG

Gbart
I'm pretty sure the subject "ground fault protection" was never addressed before in this thread concerning where to place the ground rod, either on the equipment or on the outlet, nor am I sure it applies. Regardless, the subject "ground fault protection" should be explained further.
Please continue...

Heyraz,

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1193750975&openusid

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1230050616&openusid

Jea48,
Thank you. Very illustrative explanation as to why it would be a such a bad idea to have an outlet connected to it's own ground rod. That's a ground fault easy to understand. Some folks may poo-poo the NEC rules, but they're in place to guard against those "perfect storm" situations and should not be considered subject to interpretation. Thanks again.