Parking Lot Pole Bases

[iwire]

I only set my "tube" about 6" below grade. This allows the concrete to be poured into the hole, not into a tube in a hole. This way it is stable. You don't have to rely on the backfill around the tube to hold your pole base stable. Not to mention that the conduits enter the pole base well below the bottom of the tube. for a base that is 6' tall (4' in the ground 2' above ground) the tube is cut 30" long.

In my opinion you are over thinking it.

The company I work for does 100s of site poles a year, the majority of them are installed on precast bases that have been lowered into the hole. They do not tip over.

I think that we may be forgetting that 6000-8000 Lbs of concrete in the ground has no problem controlling 500 lbs of pole and fixtures.

 

[kwired]

In my opinion you are over thinking it.

The company I work for does 100s of site poles a year, the majority of them are installed on precast bases that have been lowered into the hole. They do not tip over.

I think that we may be forgetting that 6000-8000 Lbs of concrete in the ground has no problem controlling 500 lbs of pole and fixtures.

A tall pole has a lot of leverage on the base even in moderate wind. Around here the wind seems to blow a lot and often it is over 30MPH especially in the spring months. We also get frequent thunderstorms with high winds. In a nearby town they have some roadway lighting that is in sandy soil that happens to be flooded frequently. Several of these light pole bases are leaning. Probably should have had wider / deeper or both base in this area

 

[cowboyjwc]

Some of you guys are doing your own concrete? Without a concrete contractors license? Hope some guys on another forum aren't hollering about a bunch of hacks out there pouring their own, engineered, light pole bases.:roll:

 

[TxShocker]

How deep does the concrete usually go beyond ground level? Assuming a 24" burial depth for the PVC, just wondering how they come in afterwards and set the tube forms without disturbing the conduit?

As others have stated, the tube does not go the whole depth of the hole. We will notch the tube, if the hole is drilled at say 48" and the pvc is at 24" I will do a tube that is about 36" and notch the tube where it will slide over the pvc.

 

[220/221]

BE SURE PVC IS WELL GLUED, A SLIPPED COUPLING MEANS A CONDUIT PLUGGED WITH CONCRETE.

That's one of the reasons I do them myself. The concrete beats the hell out of the conduit. I want to be there when they are poured to keep an eye on the conduit so I might as well do it myself.

If you have a questionably loose fitting, tape it tight to the conduit. If you have a really loose one, get rif of it.

Some of you guys are doing your own concrete? Without a concrete contractors license? Hope some guys on another forum aren't hollering about a bunch of hacks out there pouring their own, engineered, light pole bases.

Believe me, I'd much rather have concrete guys do them. Concrete is hard, dirty work. Generally, for the jobs I get, it just doesn't make sense to have me standing around watching them. Besides, it's not rocket science like the electrakill stuff.

 

[iwire]

A tall pole has a lot of leverage on the base even in moderate wind.

Of course it has some leverage, yet our poles still stand straight.

Many of our areas we have to plan on a design wind speed of 110 MPH.

Around here the wind seems to blow a lot and often it is over 30MPH especially in the spring months. We also get frequent thunderstorms with high winds. In a nearby town they have some roadway lighting that is in sandy soil that happens to be flooded frequently. Several of these light pole bases are leaning. Probably should have had wider / deeper or both base in this area

Yeah it sounds like it was not designed.

In many cases we have to give engineered site pole base drawings to the inspector in order to get a permit.

Often the base is 8' to 10' overall length with 24" above grade, or in other words 6 to 8 feet in the ground.

 

[kwired]

Some of you guys are doing your own concrete? Without a concrete contractors license? Hope some guys on another forum aren't hollering about a bunch of hacks out there pouring their own, engineered, light pole bases.:roll:

Someplace there is a concrete contractor placing conduit in his forms expecting us to use it later. Or making up our CEE incorrectly instead of contacting us to let us know he is there to do the footings.

 

[btharmy]

In my opinion you are over thinking it.

Of course, I say this with all due respect. Yes, you are correct. I have thought about it alot. It seems to save on material (less tube to buy), labor (don't have to fight conduits into tube, they are below the bottom edge of the tube), less excavation ( 24" hole for 24" base, it doesn't have to be oversized to allow for back fill around the tube in the hole) and peace of mind knowing the stability of the pole doesn't rely on back fill. I have also been using the same excavator for years. He has been doing pole bases since before I was in the trade. He digs, cages (if required) and pours the concrete. I take care of the conduits and anchor bolts.

 

[jmellc]

That is why there is 2x4's screwed around it in post 13, I also do this, landscaped mounts I go from flush to 6" out of the ground, but in parking lots where or trucks can hit them, larger bases and 3' out of the ground, I have also done square form bases 4' high so stone can be put on them, looked nice.

I see a lot of pedestals finished with a grainy looking coating, I think it's called surface bonding cement. Apparently brushed on. Usually painted yellow around here. I like the way it looks.