[TowerTalk] Corrosion Protection of Tower Base

[Breon, Roy]

Whoa!   Dry concrete is a very good insulator!

Roy Breon

========================================================

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Bill Hider, N3RR [SMTP:n3rr@erols.com]
> Sent:	Sunday, October 11, 1998 11:06 AM
> To:	SavageBR@aol.com
> Cc:	w5ku@iamerica.net; towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject:	Re: [TowerTalk] Corrosion Protection of Tower Base
> 
> 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 
> 	  
> 	  
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