Concrete base size

ccar2000

I am interested in finding out how to calculate what size of a concrete base do I need for a small homemade wind generator I have a 60 foot old antenna tower that's free big and heavy and I want to put it on the concrete base and anchor it but I don't know how big to make it. If there are some links or something like that that I can review I would appreciate some redirection or some advice directly thank you

BB.

You should probably contact a local civil engineer to do the soil testing/review and based+tower design. If you need building permits in your area, a civil engineer's "wet stamp" is probably required anyway.

-Bill

mike95490

The wind genny should have a "Frontal Area" number, which is also a number present on Ham Antennas (or it was 30 years ago) and many towers have specs for Frontal Area Load with and w/o guy wires.   Almost certain you will have to use guy wires that don't intersect the blade tips

jonr

> contact a local civil engineer

I agree.  Also for the guy wire design.

ccar2000

Thank you for your replies. I will have to see if I can find some nameplate data and take some actual measurements. This base is triangular shape with three telescoping sections and heavy as heck. Looks like has a pivoting base plate and a cable winch to raise and lower it. I think is is a solid candidate for a tower.

Dave Angelini

Look up the Bergey wind gens. They use to have very good info on mounting and I have used them for over 20 years in some apps.
Good old American company and they use to be in the store here. Since you are DIY look up Chris Olson in Wisconsin as he was into manufacturing wind gens.

ccar2000

I have yet to figure out it the tower has a nameplate for frontal loading area information. It is too heavy to move on my own power. Will have to wait until I can get the tractor over to it to try rolling it. Started looking over the Bergey Site, excellent recommendation, thank you for that.

Dave Angelini

You are welcome!  Power of the wind and cube of the wind speed is always respected here!

cow_rancher

ccar2000 said:

Thank you for your replies. I will have to see if I can find some nameplate data and take some actual measurements. This base is triangular shape with three telescoping sections and heavy as heck. Looks like has a pivoting base plate and a cable winch to raise and lower it. I think is is a solid candidate for a tower.

Sounds like a Ham radio telescoping antenna, how about some pictures, we may be able to identify it from it's construction.

Rancher

dennis461

You will also need soil data for the location, a tower and base can 'tilt' if the square footage of concrete sides does not grab enough strong material,  This is why you see so many utility poles leaning, if not driven deep enough there is not enough resistance for leaning over. (Even with guy wires, the soil structure is important.) Settlement was the problem at Pisa Italy.  

Vic

Yes a photo or two of the tower,  especially its base,   where it attaches to a base plate,  or bolts to the concrete base,   etc.   A photo of the raising fixture  might also help.  If you measure the face dimension from the outside of each pipe that will be vertical when the tower is erect,  and its diameter will help.

Many/most towers that I've seen have absolutely NO name plate on them,   so a pic or two will really help.

Vic