Grounding the meter socket protects personnel and equipment in the event of an external line surge, lightning strike, or accidental contact between phase and neutral conductors.

Attach a ground wire to the neutral terminal at the meter socket. Use a minimum No. 6 copper wire (or No. 4 aluminum wire) to connect the terminal to a rod driven into the ground. If soil conditions are unfavorable, install two ground rods separated as far apart as feasible. If two rods are installed, the NEC requires at least 6 feet of separation. Above all, follow the requirements of the NEC.

After installation, leave the connection to the ground rod visible for electrical inspection.

For safety, the top of the ground rod should be flush with or below ground level.

Factors which affect the ability of the ground rod to dissipate power surges include:
       ▪ The type soil at the site. Examples: Clay soil has high conductivity which is good, gravel has low conductivity which is bad.
       ▪ The condition of the soil. Damp is good, contact with the water table is very good, high salt content is good, frozen soil is bad.
       ▪ The size of the ground rod. The longer the rod and the larger the diameter, the better.
       ▪ The ground rod material. Copper is better than steel. Copper-clad steel is better than steel alone.
       ▪ The resistance across clamps and connections. Note: The integrity of these connections tends to deteriorate with time.