Is my DIY grounding rod setup safe enough for a shipping container?

The short answer is that while you've got the right idea with the depth, a loose wrap of wire isn't going to handle a lightning strike or even a major surge effectively. If lightning acutally hits that container, the massive current is going to jump or melt that connection instantly because of the high resistance in a loose wrap. Right now, you've mostly created a path for static discharge, wich is better than nothing for small electrical noise, but it won't reliably protect your equipment from a direct hit.

The bigger long-term issue is the **galvanic corrosion** between the copper wire and the galvanized rod. Since you're in a damp area in Florida, those two different metals are going to react and build up oxidation fast. That oxidation eventually acts as an insulator, and your ground will basically stop working within a few months. You really need to use a bronze "acorn" clamp to keep the connection tight and minimize that chemical reaction between the steel and copper. Given you're working with one arm, look into getting a **split bolt** connector or a heavy-duty lug. These are often easier to manage than standard ground clamps because you can sometimes get them started more easily with one hand. If you can't get a proper clamp immediately, at least get some antioxidant joint compound to slather on the connection before you wrap it as tight as possible. It’ll help fight the corrosion and keep the metal-to-metal contact cleaner for a little longer.

One bit of relief is that a shipping container is essentially a giant **Faraday cage**. As long as you aren't leaning against the bare metal walls during the storm, the electricity genrally wants to stay on the outside of the steel skin. Grounding the chassis is mainly about preventing the shell from becoming "hot" if an internal wire chafes, and helping to bleed off static. If you can eventually get a second rod driven in about ten feet away and bond them togehter, you'll have a much more reliable setup for that Florida limestone.

The Faraday cage thing makes me feel a bit better, but does that still apply if I have my electronics plugged into outlets inside? I’m worried that if the container gets hit, the surge will just go straight trough the wiring to my fridge or computer before it even hits the ground rod. Also, since you mentioned the second rod, how far apart do they relly need to be? If I can only manage to get one more in, does the distance between them change how well they work in that limestone? I'm just trying to keep things simple while I'm still figuring out this setup.

Regarding your gear, the Faraday cage only protects what's inside—it doesn't stop a surge from coming through the service lines. You need a decent Type 2 surge protector at your main panel to keep your fridge from frying.

For the rods, stick to at least 6 feet apart. The 'rule of thumb' is to space them at least the length of the rod, so 8-10 feet is ideal if you have the room. Since you're in limestone, if you hit a ledge, you can actualy bury them at a 45-degree angle. Just make sure that chassis-to-ground bond is solid, or the whole shell could stay energized during a fault.

If you’re struggling with that limestone, look into a grounding plate instead of a second rod. You can bury those in a shallow trench, wich is way easier to manage with one arm than trying to sledgehammer a rod deep into rock. One thing to watch out for is making sure your container's steel skin is acutally bonded to the ground bar inside your breaker panel. Without that bond, a strike can cause a massive voltage difference between the walls and your appliances, which is how you get internal arcing that fries electronics even inside a Faraday cage.

One thing to be careful about with that single rod in limestone is the step potential if it actualy takes a hit. Since limestone isn't the best conductor, the voltage gradient on the ground surface around that rod can be huge during a strike. If you're standing near it outside with one foot closer to the rod than the other, that's how you get a shock trough your legs.

Try to keep the area around the rod clear of any foot traffic, especally during storms. Once you get that second rod or a plate in, it helps flatten that gradient out, making the immediate area a bit safer.