[BC] AM Grounding and Bonding

[Mike McCarthy]

Agreed. While I didn't suggest otherwise, I was simply answering a 
question. It is something which the SE who sealed the design SHOULD review 
and concur.

And that's the reason why I use the butt weld to the base plate side 
surface.  It's an area which is not under any stress, even when standing. 
So it makes a great retrofit for those towers already standing.

MM

At 02:21 PM 4/9/2007 -0400, Robert Meuser wrote
>Mike:
>
>One caution, you should always work in conjunction with the manufacturer 
>before welding to any structural member whether it be pilings of the tower 
>legs themselves. You can put yourself in a situation where if something 
>happens to the tower the manufacturer has an out.  I would spec the buss 
>bar or any other welded attachment as part of the structure.
>
>R
>
>
>
>
>Mike McCarthy wrote:
>
>>Hi Andy,
>>
>>I would exothermally weld 4/0 copper wire and bring one or two leads up 
>>to the base pier for bonding to the RF ground.  The pilings do 
>>little/nothing for the AM signal, but will provide one great lighting 
>>ground system. I would also install conventional ground rods in addition 
>>to the pilings so that you are not relying on structural steel for the 
>>lightning ground.
>>
>>As for the bridging the gap to steel for strap...simple. I exothermally 
>>weld a piece of copper bus-bar to the steel, then sliver solder a piece 
>>of strap to the bus bar.  In some cases, you will need to add a tab to 
>>the base plate (butt welded to our circumference surface of the plate) 
>>for the  exothermic weld.
>>
>>If you have Brian from NorthStar there, ask him what we did at the 
>>project he assisted me here.
>>
>>MM
>>
>>
>>
>>At 09:32 AM 4/9/2007 -0700, Andrew Skotdal wrote:
>>
>>>We're driving steel pipe piles 55 feet down to support some new AM
>>>self-supporting radiators.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>1.      If there are nine piles below the foundation, do you ground to
>>>one of them or to all of them?
>>>2.      What type of attachment from your ground system should be bonded
>>>to the pile(s)?
>>>3.      Do you use 6 inch strap?  If so, how do you avoid electrolysis
>>>between the steel pipe and copper strap, and how do you avoid the
>>>calcium in the concrete eating your copper strap?  (Is the lack of air
>>>enough so you can run the copper through the cement without protecting
>>>it?)
>>>4.      Or, do you use some kind of lesser coated copper wire similar to
>>>a heavy gauge wire you might use in connecting studios to your frame
>>>room?
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