ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion Question on Flagpole Risers

Personally guys,
I'm not sure about you, but I reckon this set-up just looks plain rough.
Just as an aside, what actually takes the wieght of that cable drop, after the struts break, ie:what's on the end of that pipe?.

Probably the meter socket

Not arguing against the use of struts - just the lack of proper fitting. B-Line makes a bunch of fitting that are pre-fab, or can adjust to virtually any angle.

Check here for some samples.

Strut to angle fitting to minerallac? OK.

Strut 'field expedient engineered" by cutting? not a chance.

Call it the equivalent of the Code's "as designed" language.


[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 01-30-2005).]

John....err, I mean reno.
What type of material was used for the bracing in your picture?

I've seen plenty of these made from angle iron. The strut (anybody notice it's the oval holed type available at Home Depot?) is not only ugly, but I think it's overkill.

In my mast support, I used a "mast kit", available from the electrical supply house. This kit consisted of a piece on metal bent to fit around the 2" RMC, and four pieces that were designed to accept 3/4 RMC at one end, and be anchored at the other. The single bolt that went through the strap around the mast also served as a pivoting anchor/attachment point for two of the other pieces. The other ends were bolted to the roof, using supplied lag bolts (probably 5/16"). The 3/4 RMC was purchased separate from the "kit."

Is that an aluminum folding ladder in the fourth picture? That strut brace in the first picture is sloppy "workmanship" at best.

No, that's not an aluminum ladder.

What it is is a 16 ft Louisville 300 Lb class 4-way Fiberglass folding ladder. Originally orange in color, it has been painted a grey-blue. The hardware on the ladder (pivots, braces, steps) are aluminum, but the rails are fiberglass.

Wooden ladders are prohibited from being painted. Are fiberglass ladders permitted to be painted?

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Charlie Eldridge, Indianapolis, Utility Power Guy

I see absolutely nothing in the appropriate UL standards to preclude painting any ladder.
The instructions DO caution that certain solvents, etc, may damage the ladder.
Yirtually all fiberglass tools, including ladders, have an outer layer of pvc, or other plastic, to "seal in" the ends of fiberglass strands- so any outer surface coating is unlikely to even reach the load-bearing parts of the material.

More to the point, painting of ladders and other equipment is a common method of identifying them. I am sure that we can all agree that making things harder for theives is a good thing. In that respect, "ugly" is beautiful.