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Re: [TowerTalk] Insulating towers

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Insulating towers
From: Jim Lux <jimlux@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 13:41:47 -0800
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 12/26/13 11:39 AM, Patrick Greenlee wrote:
Any thoughts on insulating a tower?  I have some Rohn 25 that I want to
use to make a home brew version of a Hy-Gain Hy-Tower multi-band
vertical.  I am considering two approaches:

1.  Buy a plastic cutting board to cut up for material to home brew
insulators to be electrically between the tilt base and the tower
proper. (I have a friend with MS Mech Eng and 35 years hands on
experience who will, if asked, consult on this or help me design it.)

2. Pay the $ and buy 3 insulators from Hy-Gain as replacement parts for
a HY-Gain Hy-Tower antenna.

Any thoughts on item 1 or other ideas to git 'er done.



Cutting board (HDPE) is a great insulator. You're probably not looking at more than 10 kV, so almost any thickness will work, as long as the surface creepage path is long enough.

HDPE is NOT a great structural material, though. You could use fiberglass bolts to clamp HDPE in between layers.

You can also buy fiberglass tubing (Extren is one brand): McMaster-Carr has a lot of it in various shapes and sizes. Again, creepage path is your primary thing to worry about, breakdown-wise.



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