[HCDX] More on Bentonite Ground Rods

["Guy Atkins" <dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard Jary so wisely intoned:

>I just did a search for "Bentonite" in Australia, and apparently it is used
to
>make kitty litter.That's a cheap way of getting it - I will have to have a
look
>at the kitty litter bags and see if they say what they are made out of.
>Apparently look for "clumping" litters - bad for cats if they eat it, but
good
>to tip into the ground :-)

>Richard
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Many thanks for mentioning this source, Richard! I had forgotten that the
"clumping" litters are Bentonite. The brand we buy for our Siamese cat says
that it's "a natural clay product...". That's the Bentonite! Jon Oldenburg's
information about Bentonite availability from well service companies is also
useful information.

A tip on working with Bentonite: When this mineral becomes wet, it is
*extremely* slippery if you step on it... rather like greased banana peels.
In fact, in the Wyoming Bentonite mining regions, the State Patrol keeps a
careful watch over the roadways used to transport raw Bentonite from the
surface strip mines to the refineries. If any Bentonite spills from the
trucks, which happens occasionally, a little bit of rain turns the road into
a hazard similar to an oil slick. Serious accidents have happened because of
the wet Bentonite on the highway.

So, watch your step when adding Bentonite to your ground rod installations.
Also, the wet Bentonite will really cling to your shoes and is tough to
clean off.

In my opinion, enhancing a ground system with Bentonite means that you do
not have to create the 8" or larger hole to be as deep as the ground rod is
long. Even a 2-3 foot deep 8-inch+ hole filled with the mineral (and the
ground rod installed in the middle) creates a much greater surface area
exposure-to-ground than a 10-foot long, 3/4" diameter ground rod.

Remember to thoroughly soak each layer of Bentonite before adding the next
layer. You want to allow time for the product to become saturated before
adding more. A couple of minutes is sufficient if you're adding just 1 to 2
inches of dry Bentonite at a time.

--Guy Atkins
Bonney Lake, WA USA



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