Is it possible or advisable to use a lake as a ground?

[tom1356]

I'm thinking of upgrading my ground when I put in dedicated circuits.

[gootee]

Why? What kind of circuits? Where are the circuits located? What size lake?

- Tom Gootee

http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/index.html

[Hartono]

"Is it possible or advisable to use a lake as a ground?"

If you want to install lightning rod on your boat, yes.

[Hartono]

By the way, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to install lightning rod in boat

[tom1356]

I was going to run dedicated electrical lines for my stereo. I've read about improving the ground by burying a copper mesh covered in salt to get the best possible ground. I was wondering if I couldn't get the same or even better results by running the ground right into the lake. It's a pretty big lake.

[Hartono]

Is that on a boat or lakehouse ?

[gootee]

I think that, usually, in a stereo, the earth ground is basically only used for electrical safety (i.e. to make sure the case etc never has AC Mains voltage on it), and the internal "audio ground" is usually either not connected to it at all or is at least partially isolated from it. So I don't think it would usually affect the sound, at all, to have a better earth ground. But "your mileage may vary".

- Tom Gootee

http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/index.html

[Speedskater]

Just how close to your house is the lake?
Water by itself is not a good ground, but the lake bed would be a great ground. A long ground wire will defeat any advantage though.

[Ron E]

IF you want a REALLY good ground, do what builders do:
Make a nice deep concrete encased electrode (or several in a grid), or bury a ring of #2 or bigger bare copper wire all the way around your house.

[tom1356]

The lake is about fifty feet away from the electrical breaker box.