What is typically used as an additional electrode in grounding systems?

In grounding systems, a driven rod or pipe is typically used as an additional electrode due to its effectiveness in providing a low-resistance path to earth ground. This method involves driving a rod or a conductive pipe deep into the ground, which enhances the overall grounding system by improving its ability to dissipate fault currents, providing protection against electrical shock, and ensuring safety against lightning strikes.

The driven rod or pipe is specifically designed to achieve better conductivity with the surrounding soil, taking advantage of soil moisture content and composition to ensure efficient grounding. This is crucial in electrical installations where grounding is vital for safety and equipment protection.

While capacitors, insulated wires, and transformer coils have specific roles in electrical systems, they do not serve the primary function of a grounding electrode. Capacitors are typically used for energy storage and filtering, insulated wires are for conducting current without safety hazards, and transformer coils focus on voltage transformation rather than establishing ground connections. Thus, the use of a driven rod or pipe is the most effective method in grounding practices.