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Re: [TowerTalk] grounding quesitons: Ufer, strap, exothermic welds

To: Robert Harmon <k6uj@pacbell.net>, towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] grounding quesitons: Ufer, strap, exothermic welds
From: Bill Aycock <baycock2@centurytel.net>
Reply-to: baycock2@centurytel.net
Date: Tue, 01 May 2012 17:36:59 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Bob--
I don't know how the call got messed up-- it's a pre-done Sig (?)  I am 
W4BSG.
Of course I will accept that lightning can explode concrete, under the 
proper conditions. That goes along with the premise that it is 
impossible to prove a negative.
My experience includes working for 38 years in what is classed as an 
explosives plant, with real UFER grounds on every building in a 1000 
acre plant. The only lightning damage we had was to trees (away from 
buildings) and to a chem lab that had had some Copper cables cut by 
painters.
On a proper Ufer ground, there is never a point where rebar crosses a 
soil-to-concrete interface. Such a situation will often cause cracks in 
concrete, without any lightning; it's a matter of the expansion of rust 
on steel. Copper penetration is OK.
Enough, we will neither convince the other.

Bill--W4BSG


On 4/17/2011 10:50 PM, Robert Harmon wrote:
>
>
> Bill,
>
> I knew there was a risk of my post evolving into a long, long thread. :-)
> I provided historical data from past projects I have managed which 
> involved lightning strikes
> and documented in our engineering files.
> I sense that evidence of actual documented information about this 
> "urban myth"
> is unsettling to you.  To relieve me of spending the time pulling the 
> engineering files and
> then to relieve you of the need to defend your belief (and on and on) 
> let's see if we can find closure.
>
> Would you accept the fact that a lightning strike can crack/explode 
> concrete under the right
> circumstances ?
>
> Bob
> K6UJ
>
> what is your call Bill ?  It shows as W4BDSG at the end of your message.
>
>
>
> On Apr 17, 2011, at 6:54 PM, Bill Aycock wrote:
>
>> Bob--
>> Despite what you said, it IS still an Urban myth. Your own statement 
>> includes information claiming that this was NOT a proper Ufer system, 
>> and you provided no descriptions of the circumstances.
>> Bill--W4BDSG
>>
>> On 4/17/2011 3:55 PM, Robert Harmon wrote:
>>> Dave,
>>>
>>> Wow, did I hit a nerve ?  Didn't mean to stir up deep rooted
>>> feelings on this subject.
>>>
>>> Lets take one thing at a time.  Our local building code does not specify
>>> connecting the tower to the rebar cage.  It is also not required in 
>>> the national
>>> Uniform Building Code or the NEC.
>>>
>>> In building department inspections I have seen three separate 
>>> instances of cracked concrete tower footings caused by lightning 
>>> strikes.  Two common denominators in each of these was the lack of 
>>> tower grounding to a ground rod(s),
>>> and a required building permit was not attained (which would have 
>>> prevented this)
>>>
>>> Urban myth ?   hihi
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Bob
>>> K6UJ
>>>
>>>
>
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