Galvy in Concrete Was:aluminum in concrete [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

William,

I always cut tabs in mounting pipe that bend out facing up. This allows
concrete to fill the pipe, prevent rotation and not to rely on possibly
poorly welded pieces of rebar. I recently visited one of my first
installations (circa 1980) and found the mounting pole, which is
non-galvanized sch. 40 steel) and concrete to be virtually like new. The
only maintenance ever done on the installation was to paint the pole with
house paint.

At the time we installed this system I asked several pipeline engineers
about galvanized versus black steel in concrete. Their comments suggested
that galvanized steel was better in wet soil and salt air conditions but no
better in concrete or open air. I've done it both ways many times and have
yet to see any visible difference in the long-term survivability between the
two. (Of course, these installations are all in areas that never freeze
below 3" in the soil). I would also strongly suspect that un-galvanized pipe
performs better as a ground-path than steel with zinc oxide on it's surface.


Cheers,
Matt T
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William Miller" <wrmiller at slonet.org>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 9:52 PM
Subject: RE: Galvy in Concrete Was:aluminum in concrete [RE-wrenches]


> Friends:
>
> I've noticed that one tracker manufacturer or another recommends a section
> of re-bar through the bottom of a pipe mast. I always assumed this was
> intended to keep the mast from loosening in the concrete and rotating
under
> heavy wind loads.   Is this possible?  If I sleeve my masts, or wrap them
> in foam sheets or vinyl, are they more likely to rotate?  Should I cap the
> bottom of the pipe so no concrete to steel contact is posssible?
>
> (These are rhetorical questions.  There would have to be strong evidence
of
> a problem before I would change practices that are tried and true, not
just
> by myself, but apparently by many others on this list.  I feel that
> galvanized steel in concrete is a good practice.  I've seen it extensively
> in RE and communications for structural uses.)
>
> William Miller
>
>
> __________________________________________________________________
> William Miller
> Miller Power and Communications
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