Tilt up light tower design

[(unknown)]

Hello,have a question if you think this type of tower will stand up ok in a cat 1 wind area,I got this design off internet but cant find any one that used it.the first pic is the design found:

second pic is my tower converting to tilt up.held  for 2 years as stationary with a few real good storms that blew away my blades,I Modified the design a bit,changed the flat steel to 1/2 inch by 3 1/2 inch.

and  1/2 inch grade 8 bolt to 3/4 inch.

and dropped  a schedule 80 galvanized pipe inside the 2 inch pipe to pivot on.

do you think 3 5 gallon buckets of concrete (reinforced)per guy anchor is enough?soil type is good compactable silt loame and elioak.

waiting on concrete to dry  for anchor,s to put up tower.generator type is amtek.with 1 meter swept blade area.top guys 3/8 galvanized and bottom guys 3/16 galvanized wire rope.plan on tinkering with gearing and tired of going up ladders.thanks for any feed back.

you guys are the BEES knee,s

Made your photos display in the post. TW

[DanB]

I guess it depends what size machine you're putting on it - but I wouldn't put anything on 1.5" pipe unless its pretty small, with guy wires.  Without guy wires I don't think it stands a chance.

Class 1 or whatever 'wind zone' doesn't mean much either in my opinion,  you need to design it for the rare event when you have really high winds.  It only takes once....

I  also don't see the advantage in having the pivot 10' in the air.

[tanner0441]

Hi

Look through earlier posting by woof he has a photograph of a 2" pipe bent over nearly touching the roof of his shed. I use a scafolding pole plus two of the sections that came with my Chinese turbine it is has cables fitted as close to the turbine as is safe you can see it pulling at the guys.

Remember your pivot point is not where the mast folds.  When the mast is straight it is at ground level.  4ft in the ground 20ft in the air 5 to 1 mechanical advantage.

Brian

[pmurf1]

I think your design would hold an Ametek or other small generator, especially if you attach a bunch of guys to it. It's definitely gonna bend a little in high winds. I have a 17' 1.5" mounted tilt up to my trailer and I've seen it 1-2' out in 40+ mph winds. I would consider 3/8" plate and 3/4" bolt minimum for the pivot, looks like you've got that covered. I would also probably put two "lockdown" tabs near the bottom and middle of the stationary pole to lock the upper tilt section in place too.

[hayfarmer]

thanks for the info added a clearer pic side view,plan to add a bolt threw lock down as you suggest when its up.

http://www.fieldlines.com/images/scimages/16067/tilt_up_tower.jpg

also prefabbed top part of anchor,s in basement (too cold out side for setting concrete)plan to pour 2 more 5 gallon buckets per anchor thursday, and set the prefab on top,or do you guys think I should add more?

I went with this design because I had the 2 inch pipe concreted in ground from my stationary tower and wanted the flexibility to tinker with gearing amtek,s.

http://www.fieldlines.com/images/scimages/16067/PICT0016.JPG

[wooferhound]

That wasn't my posting but

here is what you are talking about

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/6/20/04423/6376

[hayfarmer]

stood her up today just before winds started.It went up well using a worm gear winch and 1/2 drill,(think I will look for a better winch than the harbor freight model it was straining even with this light tower)

http://www.fieldlines.com/images/scimages/16067/amtek_tilt_up

I do agree with the guro,s here that even for a small amtek mill a 1.5 inch fly section is too small for a tower.was bending while going up but was rigid with the guy lines adjusted.

ready to work on a 9 footer for my home and think I will go 3 inch pipe for that 30 foot tilt up.will be using the tilt at ground level.