guy tensioner [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Clearwater]

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Hi Guy,

Perhaps I am missing something, but I have put up several wind towers 
and cannot imagine why anyone would want guys without turnbuckles.  I 
have found that "tuning" a tower is very important to guard against 
resonance failure and that turnbuckles are a must for this process.

It's an easy process to install turnbuckles - all you need is a 
come-along, some "big grips" and a few folks.  They cost about $30 
depending on cable size.  Once you do, you can then tune your tower 
in such a  way that the next wind storm doesn't bring it down.

If you go that route, (and perhaps this is the tool you are talking 
about) you'll also need a tension gauge.  I recommend the Loos 
Tension Gauge from West Marine (the pro model).  It costs about $60 
and is well worth the investment.  You can also measure tension with 
a "resonance chart".  Basically you count the freguency of the 
standing wave you can establish by rocking the guy back and forth and 
knowing the length and cable size and type it tells you the tension. 
I find it good for rough adjusments but the Loos gauge takes the 
guess work out.

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

Jeff




>Hello,
>
>Any one out there know where I can find a tool to easily tension tower
>(turnbuckle-less) guy wires? I remember some in Home Power selling them, but
>can't find the issue or person's name.
>
>thanks,
>
>Kirk
>
>
>Vermont Solar Engineering - a Trace Certified Dealer
>Kirk Herander
>PO Box 697
>Burlington, VT. 05402
>www.vermontsolar.com
>800.286.1252 - 802.863.1202
>fax 802.863.7908
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Ecovillage Design Associates
2525 Arapahoe Ave, Suite E4, #280
Boulder, CO 80302
Community and Village Scale Renewable Energy Systems
303-546-0460, clrwater at earthlink.net

Council Member - Ecovillage Network of the Americas 
http://www.gaia.org/secretariats/ena/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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