I recently installed a 30' Universal tower. Before pouring the concrete
into the appropriately sized hole, I added several inches of crushed rock
to the bottom of the hole for drainage of the base legs. Sometime after
pouring the concrete, I noticed that two of the three bases legs (which are
largely embedded in the concrete) were not draining. I could see water in
the legs nearly up to the top, just below where the hinged base attaches to
the bottom tower section..
I'm assuming that in pouring the concrete, the contractor and I somehow
managed to get some of it under the legs, even with the several inches of
drainage rock, thus preventing adequate water drainage.
My question is whether anyone has a feeling of how serious a problem this
lack of water drainage is. Will this prolonged exposure of the steel legs
to water likely cause any structural integrity problems?
Richard Eckman KO4MR
Hampton, VA
ko4mr@arrl.net
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