Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

[TowerTalk] Corrosion Protection of Tower Base

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Corrosion Protection of Tower Base
From: n3rr@erols.com (Bill Hider, N3RR)
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 16:05:41 +0100

--------------828E295E51F69B3C70329B11
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Well, I wasn't going to coment on this thread, until this message.

Be careful with the advise below.  Coating the interface  between the tower leg
and the concrete is fine.  But you should do only the interface, say, 12 inches
into the concrete and 6 inches out of the concrete.  You shouldn't bury the
concrete in any event (see a previous post).

The reason for not embedding the entire steel tower base in "tar" is because 
that
would electrically insulate the tower from the concrete. While you must add
external ground rods/wires to the tower, the tower itself and the highly
conductive concrete add to the grounding of the installation.  If you
electrically isolate the tower from the concrete, you loose that capability.

I used the 6 inch "out" and 12 inch "in" when applying roofing tar to my tower
legs.

In addition, you shouldn't bury the legs anyway.  Inless you are one of those
guys who takes apart his tower every 3-5 years (and I assume that means digging
up the base and re-installing it), I recommend you keep the concrete 6 inches
above ground level and crown it appropriately to drain any standing water away
from the legs.  That way, your tower will last far longer than you will.

Bill, N3RR


SavageBR@aol.com wrote:

> I don't use zinc anodes. But before I put my tower in the ground I have it
> coated with auto undercoat. I also have used the spray-on bedliner normally
> applied to pickup truck beds. I use several coats in both cases. You can take
> your bottom section to a pro and have it applied or you can buy two cans of
> spray-on undercoat at an auto parts store.
>
> Te manufacture of the spray on undercoat stated it should work fine. Be sure
> to wash down new galvanizing with a good detergent.
>
> Bruce, AA4Z
>
>
>
> --
> FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
> Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm



--------------828E295E51F69B3C70329B11
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<HTML>
Well, I wasn't going to coment on this thread, until this message.

<P>Be careful with the advise below.&nbsp; Coating the <U>interface</U>&nbsp;
between the tower leg and the concrete is fine.&nbsp; But you should do
only the interface, say, 12 inches into the concrete and 6 inches out of
the concrete.&nbsp; You shouldn't bury the concrete in any event (see a
previous post).

<P>The reason for not embedding the entire steel tower base in "tar" is
because that would electrically insulate the tower from the concrete. While
you must add external ground rods/wires to the tower, the tower itself
and the highly conductive concrete add to the grounding of the 
installation.&nbsp;
If you electrically isolate the tower from the concrete, you loose that
capability.

<P>I used the 6 inch "out" and 12 inch "in" when applying roofing tar to
my tower legs.

<P>In addition, you shouldn't bury the legs anyway.&nbsp; Inless you are
one of those guys who takes apart his tower every 3-5 years (and I assume
that means digging up the base and re-installing it), I recommend you keep
the concrete 6 inches above ground level and crown it appropriately to
drain any standing water away from the legs.&nbsp; That way, your tower
will last far longer than you will.

<P>Bill, N3RR
<BR>&nbsp;

<P>SavageBR@aol.com wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>I don't use zinc anodes. But before I put my tower
in the ground I have it
<BR>coated with auto undercoat. I also have used the spray-on bedliner
normally
<BR>applied to pickup truck beds. I use several coats in both cases. You
can take
<BR>your bottom section to a pro and have it applied or you can buy two
cans of
<BR>spray-on undercoat at an auto parts store.

<P>Te manufacture of the spray on undercoat stated it should work fine.
Be sure
<BR>to wash down new galvanizing with a good detergent.

<P>Bruce, AA4Z
<BR>&nbsp;
<BR>&nbsp;

<P>--
<BR>FAQ on 
WWW:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<A 
HREF="http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html";>http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html</A>
<BR>Submissions:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
towertalk@contesting.com
<BR>Administrative requests:&nbsp; towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
<BR>Problems:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
owner-towertalk@contesting.com
<BR>Search:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<A 
HREF="http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm";>http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm</A></BLOCKQUOTE>
&nbsp;</HTML>

--------------828E295E51F69B3C70329B11--


--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>