UL Warns of Counterfeit Ground Rods

NORTHBROOK, Ill., - July 16, 2007 - Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is notifying electricians, regulatory authorities and consumers that certain ground rods sold at various hardware and home improvement stores bear a counterfeit UL Mark for the United States. The ground rods in question have not been evaluated for safety by UL and are not eligible to bear the UL Mark. It is unknown if the mechanical properties and dimensional tolerances of the ground rods are suitable to ensure an adequate ground path over time.

 

Name of Product: Ground Rod, Catalog Number PWC 588

Units: Unknown quantity

Manufacturer: Unknown

Date of Manufacture: Unknown

Identification: The counterfeit ground rods are similar in appearance to ground rods Listed by UL for Priority Wire & Cable. The following description illustrates the distinguishing characteristics of a typical UL-Listed ground rod:

 

Priority Wire & Cable Listed ground rods bear the UL Listing Mark consisting of the following:

 

Counterfeit Ground Rod

The counterfeit ground rods are marked only with the following information:

 

 

 

What you should do: If you suspect a counterfeit ground rod was installed on your premises, contact a qualified electrician and have it replaced with a UL-Listed ground rod. If you have in your possession a ground rod bearing a counterfeit UL Mark that has not been installed, UL recommends that the counterfeit ground rod be returned to the place of purchase.