The use of "3-bolt clamps", the flat plate system that Tom mentions in the
second paragraph below, should be avoided. These clamps
need to be checked regularly for proper bolt tension.
We have had several AB-105 towers in PVRC collapse in two different incidents
when these plates gave way. In one case that I saw
(W3FA), two towers were lost due to guy failures. The plates were installed on
guy terminations on normal insulators -- not even
the case of two live guy wires bolted together! Under severe stress (a
microburst through the site), the dead end of the guy
slipped through or out of the clamp.
With other better choices available today, I'd toss out any 3-bolt clamp
systems right away.
-- Eric K3NA
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
[mailto:owner-towertalk@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Tom Rauch
Sent: 2001 May 10 Thu 04:29
To: Mikael Schad
Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Joined Guys
> Tower installation is not my area of expertice,but I hope someone can
> help with a concern I have. The company I work for recently had three
> guyed towers installed. I noticed that a large portion of the guy
> wires are actually two pieces that have been joined together. I some
> cases they are bolted together and in others simply spliced and
> wrapped together. The installer claims that this is normal, common
> sense tells me it can't be.
There are some clamps that can be used to join two sections of
guylines, but they are special and not commonly used. Look at
utility wores, and you might see a few examples of these clamps.
Some are like two flat long plates with multiple bolts, and some are
like a large solid sleeve.
If the fellow used normal saddle clamps he is lying through his
teeth.
Splicing just by wrapping is a definite no no. It is not correct, and it
is very unreliable.
Personally, I've never seen a tower with spliced guy lines w except
in an emergency repair. It sounds like the fellow is making up
stories to justify using scrap lengths of line. It certainly is NOT
normal, and almost certainly is asking for problems. If he did that
with the guy lines, you can bet he screwed up the rest of the
installation.
I'd get it inspected by a real professional.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
List Sponsor: Champion Radio Products - We'll be at the Dayton Hamvention
with all of our safety equipment and other products. Stop by booth #559 and
say hi.
<A HREF="http://www.championradio.com";>www.ChampionRadio.com</A>
-----
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
List Sponsor: Champion Radio Products - We'll be at the Dayton Hamvention
with all of our safety equipment and other products. Stop by booth #559 and
say hi.
<A HREF="http://www.championradio.com";>www.ChampionRadio.com</A>
-----
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
|