6" poles [RE-wrenches]

Tom Simko tom at skylinesolar.com
Tue Apr 29 21:41:33 PDT 2003


 I just bought a 30' length of sch 40 12" dia  30' long for $225.00 at the
local salvage yard. I always hit the yards before buying new, way cheaper
and just as good for the light duty job of holding a few, or a lot, of PV
panels. I've pulled pipe that was direct embedded in concrete over 20 yrs
ago by me and it was as good as the day it was installed. AND, it was used
pipe when first installed!

Tom Simko   
Skyline Solar 


on 4/29/03 3:33 PM, Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection at
econnect at snowcrest.net wrote:

> Yo Allan,
> I can't believe it's cheaper to go with the rigid. I just called my
> electrical distributor and came up with $289.00 per 10' stick.
> Yikes!! I buy Sch 40 black pipe, plain ends, in 21' sticks from a
> plumbing wholesaler who will deliver it for free. Costs me $121.00
> per stick. I burn it in half and blow a hole in the lower two-three
> feet somewhere for an "anti-spin' device. Rebar works good, so does
> that last two feet of ground rod that you just CAN'T pound in
> sometimes! I like having the 10.5' pieces. You can stick it in a
> 4.5'-5' hole and still have plenty above ground. If the client needs
> it painted, I ask what color and buy him a can of Rustoleum. Schedule
> 40 has got a 1/4" wall thickness. Maybe on the coast it would rust
> away in my lifetime, but in the desert? No way.
> Best, bob-O
> 
>> Wrenches,
>> Sometimes I come across something so obvious that I feel stupid for never
>> having realized it. Maybe someone else is just as adept at overlooking the
>> easy answer as I can be. Here's one:
>> 
>> We prefer pole-top arrays where possible. We order in 6" Sch. 40 steel and
>> weld rebar to it, and it's expensive and a hassle to deal with. Thanks to
>> John Leibendorfer of UniRac for this:
>> 
>> 1. 6" rigid conduit is Sch. 40 pipe, it's way cheaper, it's galvanized, and
>> the electrical wholesaler will deliver it for free. Weight is still 179
>> lbs., so careful!
>> 
>> 2. Don't bother with a fancy rebar cage, and for sure don't bother welding a
>> cage to the pipe, it's not necessary. I'll still make a 18" square of #4
>> rebar to drop in around the pipe near the top, but that's a whole lot easier
>> than welding.
>> 
>> Allan, recently enlightened at +E
>> 

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