[TowerTalk] She's Comin' Down! No.. its not...

[Allan W. Schlaugat]

On Sun, 21 Nov 1999 06:43:47 -0600, "Mike Bragassa"
<bragassa@hal-pc.org> wrote:

>
>...Or any one of the sections below the  split could have become plugged w/
>dirt while on the ground.
>I would put 50-gazzillion of those stainless steel radiator clamps on, above
>and below the split(s).
>
>Mike Bragassa, K5UO
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Stan or Patricia Griffiths <w7ni@teleport.com>
>To: Allan W. Schlaugat <n9isn@arrl.net>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Sent: Saturday, November 20, 1999 9:14 PM
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] She's Comin' Down!!!!!!
>
>> Hi Allen,
>>
>> Is there any chance that water could have built up to the level of the
>> splits and frozen in there?  That is the only reason I have heard of for
>> tower leg splits of the kind you describe.  On a warm day, you could drill a
>> very small hole in the tower leg right at the bottom where it comes out of
>> the concrete base and see if a stream of water comes out . . .  Let us know,
>> will you?

Here is the ending of this saga.

Yes, it was water freezing in the tower leg. 33 feet off the ground!
Go figure! Apparently there was a hornet/yellow jacket infestation and
they used mud to build their 'home'. With the aid of the tower bolts
at one of the joints and that dammed up the debris enough that the
water couldn't pass. Using stiff 6 gauge wire we poked the obstruction
clear feeding it down from the tower leg split. There wasn't much of a
blockage and there was no water found in the leg anymore.

I got many messages from others who have seen this same type of
damage. While it is serious, one message from a Rohn engineer put my
mind somewhat at ease.
While the tower section that took the damage may have other stress
damage from the splitting, he pointed out that the sleeves of Schedule
80 1.25 i.d. pipe clamped with 4 1 5/8" muffler type U-clamps will
repair it enough until that section is removed. How he put it is that
what I am doing is making a end joint like on a Rohn 45 section but it
will be stronger. He recommends removing the section anyway because of
the unseen damage due to the stresses on the metal. He is also curious
to see if it was a manufacturing defect of some sort. Very responsive
company!!

The repair was done by the professional tower installer. He taped up
the split with thick wide tape to prevent major moisture from creeping
in the split. Then he applied the pipe sleeves and clamped down with
those 4 'muffler' clamps. Then he gave the whole repair a good dose of
thick spray paint type 'Klein' Zinc Cold Galvanize. 

>>
>> If your professional installer did not take care to make sure the tower legs
>> would drain the water out the bottom, I think he owes you a new free tower
>> installation and free replacement of the bad tower sections.

He did not think it was 'serious' enough to take it down immediately
but he will be doing the work in removing the tower in the spring
because of my concerns and the concerns of the Rohn engineer.
Everything will be made 'good'.

But for now, thanks to the tips and help from this reflector and the
reassuring words from Rohn and my tower installer, I can look towards
the winter winds without much worry.. unless we have one of those
Edmund Fitzgerald type storms (70+ MPH winds, snow, sleet, ice) here
in Wisconsin.

Thanks to everyone for their input.. 

73   Al  N9ISN


--
Allan W. Schlaugat       * APS #186089 *            Albertville, WI  USA
Amateur Radio: N9ISN  * Member of the Lumber Cartel (tinlc) Member #1390

#33#33#33  WISCONSIN BADGERS 1999 Big Ten Football Champions  #33#33#33 

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