Getting ready for tower

[SmoggyTurnip]

I ordered 160 ft of steel tubing .134" wall thickness.  Should be here tomorow.

Dan I am going to build a tower similar to yours.  Now that yours has seen some wind is there anything you would do different?  Are you satisfied with the joints.

Your posts say you used 4" inch pipe over 3" sched 80 pipe for the hinge, did you use sched 80 for the 4" pipe?

 

[DanB]

no, the 4" stuff is just sched. 40.  Yours should be nice - its a bit thicker than mind, that will make it a good bit stronger.  (and heavier)

Mine has been fine but the vibration that goes through it from the alternator worries me a little bit.  Ill probably take it down soon and try to damp that somehow.

[willib]

Dan do ya think the vibration is from the alt , the blades or the wind on the guy wires?

you are talking about the new one right?

[wlcoldiron]

Dan

Your description of the flutter of the tower is probally normal. I have a 120' guyed latice tower and I have the same thing. My turbine is inclined 10 degrees. I'm not sure but I think the flutter comes because the upwind blade passes in front of the tower. The tower decreases the force of the wind and the blade load decreases. This is transfered to the tower and you get this resonance atthe tower base and to some degree on each of the guys. I have had mytower up about 9 years and I hav not adjusted the guy cable tension. I have 1 yd. of cement at the base. Each of the guy anchors have about 3 2/3 yds. and the top of the concrete is about 5' below the ground. Each of the anchors are about 4' by8' in size. I have encountered several winds above 100mph and its still up.  Weldon  

[SmoggyTurnip]

When the tower is raised how do people adjust the guy wire tension?

Should they be tight - loose - inbetween?

Does the tower base need to be below the frost line so that frost heaving will not increase tension in the wires?

...So much to think about.

Thanks in advance for any input.

.

[jmk]

 If your footings are on wet soil, or wet ground within the frost line you will need to dig them down below the frost line. If your on rocky, sandy, or gravel you shouldn't have to wory about it. The tension on the guys shouldn't be real tight. You dont want it to loose either. I set mine so the weight of the tail doesn't make the tower sway any more than 2" at 54'. They sag just a little when you site them. If there isn't any sag you have them to tight. This will all come to you naturaly once you have it all up. When you see the tower sway, or you see a big sag in the guys you know to tighten them. If they are tight and you can barely move them with your hand loosen them. Raise your tower one section at a time if your ground is not to level. Set that section plumb, than lower it and add anouther section and so on. If your base is higher than the guy footings your guys will tighten up as you raise the tower. You will need to watch them as you raise it. You may need to adjust it. It should never get harder to raise. If you notice an increase of force to lift it stop and check everything to make sure binding or guys are not getting to tight. If you keep going the tower will probably start to bend. If you break a guy wire it can sling back at the footing with great danger to anyone by that footing, or most likely the winch. It's not wise to stand right behind the winch.