We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into
an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of
earth rods).

Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under
the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it
must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?


Tim
--

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On 28 May 2025, John R Walliker wrote

On 28/05/2025 14:11, tim+ wrote:

We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into
an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of
earth rods).

Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under
the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it
must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?

It is probably less dry than you imagine. You will avoid the risk
of damage to an external earth rod and its neater as well.
A good suggestion I think.

FWIW, I was under the impression that the soil under the house was an
extremely common position for an earth rod; I'd probably assume that's
still the case.

--
Cheers, Harvey

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On 28/05/2025 15:10, HVS wrote:

On 28 May 2025, John R Walliker wrote

On 28/05/2025 14:11, tim+ wrote:

We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into
an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of
earth rods).

Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under
the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it
must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?

It is probably less dry than you imagine. You will avoid the risk
of damage to an external earth rod and its neater as well.
A good suggestion I think.

FWIW, I was under the impression that the soil under the house was an extremely common position for an earth rod; I'd probably assume that's
still the case.

Mine is simply pounded into the clay 2 inches from the wall where the electricity supply comes in

--
"I guess a rattlesnake ain't risponsible fer bein' a rattlesnake, but ah
puts mah heel on um jess the same if'n I catches him around mah chillun".

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On Wed, 28 May 2025 14:11:55 +0100 (GMT+01:00), tim+
<timdownieuk@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into
an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of
earth rods).

Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under
the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it
must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?

Excuse my igorance but why are earth rods needed? Could the ordinary
electrical earth not be used? Is it because the emergency could
involve damage to the neutral/earth outside?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> Wrote in message:r

On 28/05/2025 14:11, tim+ wrote:> We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into> an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of> earth rods).> > Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under>

the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it> must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?>It is probably less dry than you imagine. You will avoid the riskof damage to an external earth rod and its neater as
well.A good suggestion I think.John

Thanks, that's reassuring.

A follow question regarding the practical aspects of installing.
Our understairs cupboard has limited headroom. A nearby cupboard
has plenty of headroom but lots of pipes in the subfloor space.
All visible but not much room to work if width is needed. Which
would be better?

Tim

--

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Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> Wrote in message:r

On Wed, 28 May 2025 14:11:55 +0100 (GMT+01:00), tim+<timdownieuk@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:>We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into> an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of> earth rods). >>Our battery fitter has

suggested fitting them into the soil under> the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it> must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?> Excuse my igorance but why are earth rods needed? Could the ordinaryelectrical
earth not be used? Is it because the emergency couldinvolve damage to the neutral/earth outside?

Yes, exactly this.

Tim
--

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On 28/05/2025 14:11, tim+ wrote:

We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into
an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of
earth rods).

Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under
the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it
must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?

I think the usual reason for an outside earth is that most modern houses
are built with a solid ground floor, or with a concrete "raft" as he foundations. There should be a barrier membrane, so you can't drill
through it without affecting the membrane.

If you have plain soil underneath It would seem the logical place to put
it. The moisture content under the house is likely to be more stable, so
once a value has been measured, whereas one outside would experience and
so perhaps get too high in a drought

Tim

Dave

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Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:

Excuse my igorance but why are earth rods needed? Could the ordinary electrical earth not be used? Is it because the emergency could
involve damage to the neutral/earth outside?

John Ward explains what the possible problems are and the options

https://youtu.be/gZVx7GbAwlg?si=mIFPnNb7QEPtdvhR

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On 28/05/2025 16:40, tim+ wrote:

John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> Wrote in message:r

On 28/05/2025 14:11, tim+ wrote:> We were looking into getting our home battery set up turned into> an emergency power supply (which will require the fitting of> earth rods).> > Our battery fitter has suggested fitting them into the soil under>

the house (which seems counterintuitive to be given how dry it> must be). Is this okay (as long as the resistance is low enough)?>It is probably less dry than you imagine. You will avoid the riskof damage to an external earth rod and its neater as
well.A good suggestion I think.John

Thanks, that's reassuring.

A follow question regarding the practical aspects of installing.
Our understairs cupboard has limited headroom. A nearby cupboard
has plenty of headroom but lots of pipes in the subfloor space.
All visible but not much room to work if width is needed. Which
would be better?

Tim

As a matter of interest where are the batteries to be installed, or
are installed?

I was under the impression they could no longer be installed in a loft
space or under stairs for fire access and safety concerns. If installed
indoors fire safety and methods of exit in the event of a fire must also
be considered. If fitted on an outside wall there is a minimum distance
to any window or door.

Would modification to an existing battery fitting also have to consider
the above.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

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alan_m <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote:

On 28/05/2025 16:40, tim+ wrote:

John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> Wrote in message:r

On 28/05/2025 14:11, tim+ wrote:> We were looking into getting our home
battery set up turned into> an emergency power supply (which will
require the fitting of> earth rods).> > Our battery fitter has
suggested fitting them into the soil under> the house (which seems
counterintuitive to be given how dry it> must be). Is this okay (as
long as the resistance is low enough)?>It is probably less dry than you
imagine. You will avoid the riskof damage to an external earth rod and
its neater as well.A good suggestion I think.John

Thanks, that's reassuring.

A follow question regarding the practical aspects of installing.
Our understairs cupboard has limited headroom. A nearby cupboard
has plenty of headroom but lots of pipes in the subfloor space.
All visible but not much room to work if width is needed. Which
would be better?

Tim

As a matter of interest where are the batteries to be installed, or
are installed?

Loft

I was under the impression they could no longer be installed in a loft
space or under stairs for fire access and safety concerns.

No, it’s just an advisory. As they’re lithium iron phosphate batteries I have no concerns.

https://www.pretapower.com/lifepo4-battery-fire-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=They%20are%20known%20explicitly%20for,have%20extremely%20minimal%20fire%20risk.


Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

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On Wed, 28 May 2025 15:58:07 -0000 (UTC), Tricky Dicky
<tricky.dicky@sky.com> wrote:

Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:

Excuse my igorance but why are earth rods needed? Could the ordinary
electrical earth not be used? Is it because the emergency could
involve damage to the neutral/earth outside?

John Ward explains what the possible problems are and the options >https://youtu.be/gZVx7GbAwlg?si=mIFPnNb7QEPtdvhR

I like John Ward. He is a clear communicator. He would make a good
expert witness,

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