How to verify existing parking lot light pole height

[LarryFine]

Climb to top of pole carrying tape measure of sufficient length.
Don't fall off pole.
Extend tape measure to bottom of pole.
Don't fall off pole.
Read number on tape.
Don't fall off pole.
Climb back down pole.
QED

Alternate:
Climb to top of pole carrying stopwatch.
Fall off pole and start stopwatch.
Stop stopwatch when you land.
Calculate height from fall duration.

 

[kwired]

Alternate:
Climb to top of pole carrying stopwatch.
Fall off pole and start stopwatch.
Stop stopwatch when you land.
Calculate height from fall duration.

Hold onto a bunch of helium balloons to get yourself to top. Once there let go and start timing simultaneously.

 

[hillbilly1]

You could use a UAV using the altimeter. At my previous company, one of my guys built custom drones for law enforcement. He built one that looks up, so he could see what type and wattage of lamp was in the heads.

 

[electrofelon]

Sawzall pole at base, let fall
Measure length of pole
rent manlift to lift pole back into place
weld pole back together
While you have the lift, measure pole in case you lost or forgot the measurement from step #2

 

[electrofelon]

shoot out light with pellet gun
wait for person to come to replace bulb
have them get measurement for you

 

[Joethemechanic]

Fill the pole with water, and measure the pressure at the bottom in psi. Multiply by 0.433 to get the height

 

[qcroanoke]

Climb to top of pole carrying tape measure of sufficient length.
Don't fall off pole.
Extend tape measure to bottom of pole.
Don't fall off pole.
Read number on tape.
Don't fall off pole.
Climb back down pole.
QED

No no no no
Send apprentice to perform above task

 

[qcroanoke]

Alternate:
Climb to top of pole carrying stopwatch.
Fall off pole and start stopwatch.
Stop stopwatch when you land.
Calculate height from fall duration.

Make sure stopwatch is shock proof.....

 

[retirede]

This has turned in to quite the “yuk-fest”

 

[PaulMmn]

Fill the pole with water, and measure the pressure at the bottom in psi. Multiply by 0.433 to get the height

Does if matter if the pole is not a cylinder, and has a nice taper?

 

[PaulMmn]

This has turned in to quite the “yuk-fest”

I still think the 'felling stick' method is easiest.

 

[ggunn]

Does if matter if the pole is not a cylinder, and has a nice taper?

Nope, not if I remember my HS physics class correctly.

 

[Joethemechanic]

Does if matter if the pole is not a cylinder, and has a nice taper?

No, it can be any shape or at any angle. only the difference in elevation between the surface of the water and where you measure the pressure matters

 

[letgomywago]

The way they figured this out was in the mountains with a barometer and hiking down and up and checking various elevations and corresponding with others at others in europe at their elevations using their own self built equipment.

 

[topgone]

The way they figured this out was in the mountains with a barometer and hiking down and up and checking various elevations and corresponding with others at others in europe at their elevations using their own self built equipment.

If the numbers needed are not expected to be very precise, I'd use my phone and let someone stand beside the pole and take a picture from a decent distance. I'd ask the man's height and bingo, I have the pole height!

 

[kwired]

Does if matter if the pole is not a cylinder, and has a nice taper?

For water not moving it does not matter.

If you have a municipal water system and make a 3/4 inch tap from a six inch pipe the pressure is same in both pipes as long as there is no flow. However that 3/4 pipe will begin to see pressure loss as flow increases long before you will see any noticeable pressure change in the six inch pipe.

 

[xformer]

Measure known distance from base of pole. Use Speed Square with string and weight to measure incline angle to top of pole. Use trig to calculate height of pole. Add vertical distance from ground to sight level. No shadow required.

 

[kwired]

Measure known distance from base of pole. Use Speed Square with string and weight to measure incline angle to top of pole. Use trig to calculate height of pole. Add vertical distance from ground to sight level. No shadow required.

Speed square is 45 degree angle, you can use trig and calculate it out but result is going to be same as distance to the pole base with that angle.

 

[anbm]

It’s on iPhone 7 and newer, here’s the app in the store.

That app is hard to use and won't work well as the dot won't show up most of the time. Indoor maybe...

 

[steelbuster]

An Arborist determining tree height: hold rake at arm’s length’s so the end touches face at eye level, keeping arm straight allow rake to pivot to vertical, with head steady gaze at top of handle and walk forward or backwards until tip of handle aligns with top of tree. Height is equal to distance you are from tree plus your height. ( practical application of trigonometry)