[TowerTalk] Cadwelding to Rohn 45G and 55G

[TexasRF at aol.com]

You need not be concerned with the ground clamp loosening or damaging the  
galvanized finish on the tower leg. A regular ground clamp is likely just  
fine.
 
I only mentioned it as an alternative to cadwelding directly to the tower  
leg. ! agree with your concern about doing that.
 
73,
Gerald K5GW
 
 
 
In a message dated 2/12/2016 1:58:47 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
lwloen at gmail.com writes:

 
That may be a nice alternative, but what advantage does it offer over  
simply connecting a regular ground clamp?  

It seems like a very  nice idea, but I need to understand what I gain 
versus just clamping and  having done with it.  If I did the "classic" thing and 
cadwelded to the  tower legs, I would not be depending on bolts.


On the other hand, I'm already (arguably) depending on six sets of bolts  
"above" me to connect the top sections to the bottom tower section  anyhow.  
You could argue:  What's one more set of  bolts?


Anyone know what I would be trading-off here?




WO7R


On Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 12:44 PM, <_TexasRF at aol.com_ 
(mailto:TexasRF at aol.com) > wrote:


Larry, can you connect some tinned copper lugs to the lower set of  three 
(or six) leg bolts using the existing bolts? For added security, you  could 
add six locking nuts. The ground wires would then connect to the lugs  of 
course.
 
73,
Gerald K5GW
 
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 2/12/2016 1:39:10 P.M. Central Standard Time, 
_lwloen at gmail.com_ (mailto:lwloen at gmail.com)  writes:



 
I am in the process of putting in two new towers on my  property (yes, I am
blessed).

I'm a little nervous about  Cadwelding to the legs.  I suppose you'll all
tell me it has been  done dozens of times, but I have visions of blowing a
hole through one  of the legs near the bottom of my tower.

The alternative, I  suppose, is to get a set of quality ground clamps, clamp
it maybe three  times (I assume this would help the impedance a bit) and the
inspect it  over time.

I also plan to have an extensive "ground ring" around  the tower.  On my
current crankup, I cadwelded to all three "legs"  except it was easy to
Cadweld to a nice thick base and not to the  tower, proper.  Effectively
required, in fact.  So, I  Cadwelded to stuff that wasn't a big deal,
structurally.  Here it  would be.

1.  Do I Cadweld anyway?  How to be sure the  tower leg isn't weakened?

2.  Do I do it to a single leg or  all three?  I could "feed" my ground ring
from a single leg, I  suppose.

This is all in excess of what Rohn shows, which is a  single, clamped line
from the tower, but I've always taken it for  granted the smart thing to do
is have a more extensive network.  I  plan on three rods, connected as a
ring, and then copper "lines" out  from each of them to another rod, a total
of six in all.  That's  all easy and been done (by me) before.  Question is,
what's the  best way to connect to the tower itself?  I have the "buried
tower  section" type of base.  We will be pouring concrete late next  week.
So, I have about a month to plan and execute my ground  system.


Larry  WO7R


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