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I've not personally seen any pole mount pipes that were bent or
broken. Has anyone seen this? How common is it? What
sort of damage to pole mount arrays is common? <br><br>
<br>
At 05:25 PM 7/26/2011, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">I can confirm that quite a bit
of water builds up inside the pipe. <br>
A few times on rewiring old systems, we used self tapping screws to
attach conduit and combiner boxes to the existing pole, and we've had
water start running out the hole when it was close to the ground. This
was in a dry climate (New Mexico) This was with a rack that didn't cap
the pole, but I was still surprised how much water was in there.
(gallons)<br>
Filling with concrete does seem to be a good idea, but I'll point out its
not as easy as it sounds.<br>
The concrete just pours out the bottom into the footing, as you keep
filling it from the top. Pouring in a foot of gravel in the bottom first
would help, or filling the pipe after the footing dried some would do it
too.<br><br>
No free lunch,<br><br>
R. Walters<br>
ray@solarray.com<br>
Solar Engineer<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
On Jul 26, 2011, at 2:08 PM, Dave Palumbo wrote:<br><br>
> Roy, <br>
> <br>
> I have heard that the small amount of water from condensation will
be absorbed by the concrete itself. Don't know for an absolute fact that
this is true though.<br>
> <br>
> Dave<br>
> <br>
> -----Original Message-----<br>
> From: re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" eudora="autourl">
mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] On Behalf Of Roy
Rakobitsch<br>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 3:17 PM<br>
> To: RE-wrenches<br>
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] pole mounts<br>
> <br>
> I would think that adding concrete partially up the pole would cause
water<br>
> and condensation to collect near the bottom and not drain properly.
This<br>
> could possibly lead to freezing and the pipe being blown out or
damaged,<br>
> even if the top is completely capped. I would think that you should
either<br>
> completely fill the pipe, or leave it empty with a good layer of
gravel at<br>
> the bottom to allow it to drain properly. I also have no studies to
back<br>
> this up, but it was just a thought.<br>
> <br>
> Roy Rakobitsch<br>
> NABCEP Certified Small Wind Installer®<br>
> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer®<br>
> NYSERDA eligible Small Wind installer<br>
> Wind/PV Design Engineer<br>
> Windsine Inc.<br>
> 631-514-4166<br>
>
<a href="http://www.windsine.org/" eudora="autourl">www.windsine.org</a>
<br>
> <br>
> On Tue, July 26, 2011 3:05 pm, Dave Palumbo wrote:<br>
>> Todd,<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> We add concrete inside of our steel pipe masts, up to grade
level, in the<br>
>> interest of having more weight below ground level. I wouldn’t
say that<br>
>> it made the pipe stronger (that better be strong enough as is)
but more<br>
>> weight down low will help keep it rooted in a big wind
event.<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> Dave<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> From: re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org<br>
>>
[<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" eudora="autourl">
mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] On Behalf Of<br>
>> toddcory@finestplanet.com<br>
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 2:50 PM<br>
>> To: RE-wrenches<br>
>> Subject: [RE-wrenches] pole mounts<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> Wrenches,<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> Fact or fiction: Adding concrete to the inside of a pole mount
pipe makes<br>
>> it stronger.<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> Thanks,<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> Todd<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> Sent from Finest Planet WebMail.<br>
>> <br>
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