Electrical ground rod cap

Abstract

A ground rod cap is provided. The cap includes a body that fits around a ground rod, ground rod clamp and ground wire at their point of connection. The body retains a filler material within an internal cavity. In some embodiments, a portion of the body acts as a barrier to retain the filler material. In some such embodiments, the filler material is positioned within the body prior to installation of the cap on the ground rod connection components. In some embodiments, the filler material is located in an airtight cavity until installation. In some such embodiments, a shrink-wrap material is placed around the body to make the cavity airtight. In other embodiments, the filler material is retained within at least a portion of the cap by an internal barrier that breaks as the cap is installed to allow the filler material to flow around the components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective cap comprising a body, the body defining:
 an inner cavity; and   a first opening in communication with said inner cavity, said first opening being configured for selectively receiving a first portion of a first elongate member,   wherein said inner cavity includes a diameter substantially greater than 1 inch to accommodate a connection component coupled to the first elongate member, and   wherein said first opening is sized so as to prevent the connection component from passing through said first opening when the connection component is coupled to the first elongate member.   
     
     
         2 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filler material located within said inner cavity of said body, wherein said filler material changes from a generally liquid state to a generally solid or semi-solid state within said cavity; and   a breakable barrier configured to break and expose said filler material to the connection component as the connection component is positioned within said inner cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , wherein the first elongate member is a ground rod having a diameter of at least 0.5 inches and the connection component is a ground rod clamp that includes a main section for surrounding the ground rod and a bolt for electrically securing a ground wire to the ground rod. 
     
     
         4 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , further comprising a lid coupled to said body and moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein said body defines a second opening opposed to said first opening, said lid being in communication with said second opening when said lid is in the closed configuration such that said lid prevents air from entering or exiting said inner cavity through said second opening when said lid is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The protective cap of  claim 4 , wherein said lid is hingedly connected to said body. 
     
     
         6 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , wherein said body includes a first body portion and a second body portion that mates with said first body portion. 
     
     
         7 . The protective cap of  claim 6 , wherein said body portions are connected together via a hinge that is located in a plane that is spaced apart from a vertical axis of the first elongate member; and wherein said first opening is located generally at a bottom of the protective cap and said hinge is located generally along a side of the protective cap at a location generally higher than said first opening. 
     
     
         8 . The protective cap of  claim 6 , wherein said cavity is at least partially located in said first body portion, and wherein said second body portion is moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration such that the connection component may be placed within said cavity when said second body portion is in the open configuration and retained within said cavity when said second body portion is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , wherein said first opening defines a hole extending into said cavity for placement of the first elongate member. 
     
     
         10 . The protective cap of  claim 9 , wherein said first opening further defines a channel extending into said cavity for placement of a second elongate member. 
     
     
         11 . The protective cap of  claim 10 , wherein the first elongate member is a ground rod having a diameter of at least 0.5 inches, the connection component is a ground rod clamp, and the second elongate member is a ground wire, and wherein the connection component includes a main section for surrounding the ground rod and a bolt for electrically securing the ground wire to the ground rod. 
     
     
         12 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , further including a barrier that creates an airtight state within said cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The protective cap of  claim 12 , wherein said barrier comprises a shrink-wrap around said body. 
     
     
         14 . The protective cap of  claim 12 , wherein a filler material is maintained in a fluid state within said cavity while said barrier is airtight, and wherein said filler material changes to a generally solid or semi-solid state after said airtight state of said barrier is broken. 
     
     
         15 . The protective cap of  claim 1 , further including a barrier, and wherein a filler material is maintained in a fluid state within said cavity while said barrier is closed, and wherein said filler material changes to a generally solid or semi-solid state when said barrier is open. 
     
     
         16 . The protective cap of  claim 15 , wherein said change from a fluid state results from exposure of said filler material to air. 
     
     
         17 . The protective cap of  claim 15 , wherein said filler material is a particulate. 
     
     
         18 . A method of reducing the risk of corrosion at a point of connection between a connection component and a first elongate member, the method comprising:
 moving a second body member of a protective cap away from a first body member of the protective cap such that the protective cap is in an open configuration;   positioning the protective cap around the connection component; and   moving the second body member of the protective cap towards the first body member of the protective cap until the protective cap is in a closed configuration such that the connection component is positioned entirely within an inner cavity of the protective cap,   wherein a first portion of the first elongate member extends into the inner cavity of the protective cap through a first opening of the protective cap;   wherein said cavity includes a diameter substantially greater than 1 inches to accommodate said connection component, and   wherein the first opening is sized so as to prevent the connection component from passing through the first opening when the connection component is coupled to the first elongate member.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 holding a filler material within the cavity with a breakable barrier; and   breaking the breakable barrier during the positioning step to expose the filler material within the cavity to the point of connection.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the two body members are connected together via a hinge that is located in a plane that is spaced apart from a vertical axis of the first elongate member; and wherein the first opening is located generally at a bottom of the protective cap and the hinge is located generally along a side of the protective cap at a location generally higher than the first opening.