[TowerTalk] stretched EHS

[Steve Maki]

You're right that the difference between a few inches stretch over the 
whole length and the same stretch over a short length is vast. There was 
no grip slippage. The tower is now perfectly straight rather than S 
shaped. Close visual inspection at all three anchors did not reveal any 
other problems. After conversing with Grant Saviers I'm thinking that 
there may have been partial unwinding of the wire after we disconnected 
it which could easily explain a few inches of stretch.

We were hired to eliminate the emergency situation, which we did, and 
make recommendations for further remediation. The tower is due for it's 
first P&T since construction a few years ago, so I'm going to recommend 
a wire replacement to be on the safe side, and then a P&T a little later 
to give the new wire a chance to relax.

-73, Steve K8LX

On 10/13/2022 1:17 PM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> That is a very minimal stretch if it was evenly over the whole EHS cable, I
> assume that you checked to see that it did not just pull out of the
> termination. Perhaps the EHS stretched from a single spot instead of evenly
> across hundreds of feet of cable which could severely weaken it.  Is it
> possible that the other two guy cables at that level were also compromised?
> Did you check it with a transit level after re-attaching and tightening the
> damaged cable? I think that you made a good recommendation that they replace
> the cable.
> 
> GL,
> John KK9A
> 
> 
> Steve Maki wrote:
> 
> I have a question for the materials crew here. I'm writing up a job report.
> 
> Our crew went to a site where a huge tree had fallen on the two lower
> guys of a 360' tower. We carefully (well as carefully as we could)
> slacked off & disconnected one wire at a time, threw it over the tree,
> and reconnected it. At that point the site was ready for the tree crew
> to come.
> 
> It was obvious that one of the wires (3/8" EHS) had stretched a few
> inches. There were enough unused threads in the turnbuckle to enable a
> good snug wire again.
> 
> I'm recommending that the guy wire be replaced, but was wondering how
> much strength in roundabout numbers is lost in this scenario?
> 
> TIA
> 
> -Steve K8LX
> 
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