Top of pole mount conduit routing

Re: Top of pole mount conduit routing

Macaw wrote: »

Item # 2
"do you want us to weld a cap in the top of the pipe so it does not fill up with water?"
That is what they do with all (most?) of their big signpost installations. Good idea I figure so I present it to the forum.

(I replied to this once, but I guess I failed somehow to post it.)


I would.

I have opened up junction boxes at the bottom of parking lot lighting poles and had a gallon of water pour out - so I know that water gets in somehow. Condensation? Dunno. Maybe your welder guys can answer that question. Either way, a properly welded cap has GOT to be better in the long term than a plastic plug.

If it were me, I would also hole-saw and tap for a 1/2" pipe plug - as low as possible and still be above grade - and then goop up the plug with Led-Plate before installing it so I could take it out easily later. I would use one of the pipe plugs with a square head:

http://doitbest.com/Pipe+plug+and+caps-Mueller+B++K-model-511-803BG-doitbest-sku-422746.dib

Then add an item to the annual maintenance list: R&R Drain Plug.


EDIT: As to the welded on cross-pieces...

I've seen gate guys placing poles to hold the hinges for some great huge wrought iron gates in Beverly Hills. Since I had to place conduits before the concrete was poured, I got a good close up look at them.

The poles they set had rebar welded to the bottom sections (the 6' or so that was in the concrete). The poles were (IIRC) 8" and the chunks of rebar were something like 1" dia. x 18" long. The rebar stuck out all over the pole like a Christmas tree. I would say in the bottom 6' of the pole there were maybe 30 or so sticking out. They also had a grid of rebar welded to the bottom, in a pattern like this: # Those 4 bars were probably 6' long themselves.

So, again if it were me, I would say thanks to the welders for the extra cross pieces and be glad to have them. Maybe not required, but it can't hurt so what the hey.

EDIT 2: I just remembered another time. I had a buddy who worked for a sign company. They were installing an enormous sign at an auto dealership and one day I passed by and saw his truck there so I stopped in to check it out.

There were two poles for the sign. They were round and in 3 sections. The sections looked like a telescoping antenna - each fitted into and welded into the one below.

The poles were probably...oh 36" dia. x 120' long, of which I guess maybe 20' was in the ground. The footing was gigantic - something like 30' deep by 40' x 60'. Huge. And it was filled with a thick fat rebar assembly. The round poles were welded to that rebar assembly.

Re: Top of pole mount conduit routing

"But if there is no vent then will the Oxygen run out after a while so oxidization stops on the inside of the pipe?"

good question and i'm not qualified to answer that one.

"(the thread that goes on, and on, and on...) "

that bunny's got nothing on us in any way.:p

Re: Top of pole mount conduit routing

Lack of oxygen does not necessarily stop corrosion - İn the iron ore business we found that in an atmosphere with no available oxygen but with moisture available, iron would react with the moisture to make hydroxides. A slower reaction but very much there. Still corrosion potential