The beauty of the American living scape is that we can show off the aesthetics of what we want to see on the outside while hiding away the unsightly but necessary guts underground or behind the façade.

In every home, building and high-rise, electricity plays a vital and substantial role that we have grown used to and could not live without. When we move electricity into our homes and offices through wired means, these services typically enter from overhead or underground.  

And we all know that, for safety, all electrical systems must be grounded. The integrity of these grounding systems can be a life-or-death matter, so reliability is paramount. The necessary connection must be made to a grounding electrode (often a water pipe) via a grounding electrode conductor (copper wire). Of course, there are critical factors to consider related to material selection for the connector, especially where this connection is buried directly in earth or concrete. The soil beneath our feet contains more chemical components than just dirt or concrete and it’s up to us to make informed decisions as to what materials will do the intended job and last the longest. Greaves Corporation has a long history of proudly supplying the best materials to maximize safety and reliability of grounding systems.

Direct-Burial Pipe-Grounding Clamps

Years ago, zinc was a common material due to its low cost. Unfortunately, even plated zinc has poor corrosion resistance. Later, brass (copper-zinc alloy) was introduced to the market.  But this material showed the importance of choosing material based on the environment. Under common environment and moisture conditions, the zinc content of the brass alloy slowly migrated to the surface of the brass and degraded the integrity of the metal deeming it unsuitable for any underground or exposed applications. The variety of differing environments within our landscapes is a testament to the job of finding great materials.  While a dry environment in open air seems benign, condensation and impurities on pipes and wires (sweating) can create a corrosive situation. And a dry mountain desert’s solution may be useless in the semi-tropical mine site or an agricultural site with manure or fertilizing chemicals. If chemicals or moisture were factors, brass was a no-go.

Damp or Direct Burial installations require the most corrosion resistant materials available. The go-to materials emerged as bronze (copper-tin alloy) and stainless steel. Bronze has been proven time and again as the best material in this regard. Although, bronze is usually best for both clamp bodies and screws, stainless steel screws or bolts are now often used with bronze clamps to save costs. Greaves is proud to have been manufacturing bronze clamps and providing America and beyond with corrosion resistant grounding clamps. Like most manufacturers, we designate direct-burial connectors with a “DB”. Safety and utility go hand in hand. We are proud to keep you informed, safe and satisfied with the electrical connectors you need.

About Greaves Corp

Greaves has been supplying electrical connectors to the electrical construction trades since 1947. A trusted partner, we have been continually evolving and innovating to provide only the best to our customers. Located in beautiful Centerbrook, CT we pride ourselves in quick manufacturing, extensive inventory, and customer service as we currently stock over 4000 different items.

Please visit our website for additional info and do not hesitate to contact us with any question or query.