> This seems to be a constant question for those of us who have crank-up
towers. How can you tell when it is time to replace the cable? Some say
that
it's too late when rust appears as the cables weaken from the inside out.
Is that true? Others say if you lubricate the cable twice a year it will
last forever? Is that true? Does anyone know the truth?
You bet. There is an excellent chapter in UP THE TOWER on crank-ups
and their related topics.
There are 3 conditions that determine whether the cables need
replacing. 1) Excessive broken strands. Out of a 7x19 typical wire rope, you
can
have up to 6 broken strands and 3 in the same bundle and still be within
spec. 2) Damage where the cable has been flattened or kinked. 3) Excessive
rust. Not everyday simple surface rust but the real cancerous kind.
My experience has been that I've only seen one crank-up with cables
that genuinely needed replacing so if you are a crank-up owner, chances that
you have to replace the cables are slim to none.
I've seen really mature crank-ups (20-25 years+) where the cables were
just fine and didn't meet any of the aforementioned replacement criteria.
Replacing cables that don't need it (besides being time-consuming) is
analogous to folks who buy chromoly masts when they don't need them. Both
are basically a waste of money.
Cheers,
Steve K7LXC
TOWER TECH
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