Service ground is the copper rod driven into the ground, typically right beside the house and very near the meter.
Nope. The Service Ground is the Powerline transformer neutral. The copper rod is for lightning protection. Many homes do not have a copper rod. They rely on the foundation rebar mesh [Ufer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ufer_ground] or tie to the cold water inlet. Multi family building are an entirely different kettle of fish.
The 3rd wire ties in the panel to the Mains transformer Neutral [Center Tap] - the wider terminal. It is the earth safety.
NO current flows in the Lightning Earth Safety rod when a fault trips a breaker.Have a look at the drawing
http://ielogical.com/assets/M-125/PTPolarity.jpg . It shows how ground currents can flow from transformer induced currents and poor inter-stage grounding. The lower section shows operation with power transformers in phase and a Loop Breaker installed. See
https://sound-au.com/earthing.htm#s9 on Rod Elliot’s "Earthing Your Hi-Fi - Tips, Tricks and Techniques." UNLESS YOU ARE TRAINED AND 200% KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, DO NOT MODIFY YOUR EQUIPMENT. The life you safe may be your own!
"
teaching the Tubes4HiFi / VTA M-125 to sing" was an exercise in getting rid of ground loop hum.
http://ielogical.com/Audio/VTA_M-125.php/ The amps are 40db quieter than delivered.
Adding a copper rod can make a system unsafe as the potential between the copper rod and the original earth can create a battery and eat away the rod. Acidic soils eat away copper unless there is a sacrificial less noble anode.
Additional rods must be placed based on their length
and the effective length of the existing earthing scheme. Placing a rod willy nilly may increase the impedance and reduce the effectiveness of the earth lightning safety connection.
@millercarbon: Please do not pontificate on things that may make a system lethal.