Big Dish blown over in storms - Canaries

[iceman]

No disrespect to anyone, but i wouldn't dream of installing a dish (specially a large one) on a block of concrete or whatever!!
Is there no way of securing the main pole to the roof with rawl bolts?

 

[powel000]

Iceman, I tend to agree with you 100%. Makes no sense to install a large dish with being secured with bolts.

 

[powel000]

I posted these pictures just for help purposes on securing your dish.

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

I will try to post soem photos. I have no idea what size my base is!

 

[DishDick]

powel000, your base looks smaller than mine. Did you rawl bolt to roof then make cement base? Seems to be two schools of thought about bolting to roof (where is a structual engineer when you need one).

Iceman do you think bolting to roof and larger base would surfice or do you think the single storey route would be better?

 

[powel000]

@DISHDICK, Yes, it was rawl bolted to roof and then cement base was pored on. Also, since the dish is in fixed position, it was also secured from the back by two poles from the back. I think in your case a bigger cement should be used due to higher winds at your location. Iceman can help more maybe. As for the cement base, I think you should consult someone about that.

 

[DishDick]

Unfortunately I did consult someone, someone with 30 years experience of fitting dishes here. Won´t be listening to him again. When I told him, he dismissed me with "base too small" until I pointed out that was the size he had told me!

 

[iceman]

Iceman do you think bolting to roof and larger base would surfice or do you think the single storey route would be better?

multi point bolting to roof is the safest option in my opinion..wider the contact area bolted to roof surface, better the weight distributed.
What is your roof made of?

 

[DishDick]

Well I don´t know but common method is, reinforced concrete beams (triangle shapped) filled with hollow blocks, then 30cm of reinforced concrete.

Though Iceman, could you comment of my line of sight question in earlier post in this thread. Cheers.

 

[iceman]

Though Iceman, could you comment of my line of sight question in earlier post in this thread. Cheers.

use this calculator to work out if your location has clear line of sight to the satellite you want to align your dish..

_www.satlex.de/en/elobst_calc.html

 

[iceman]

This little application also claim to do do same calculation
_www.al-soft.com/saa/satinfo.shtml

 

[DishDick]

Thanks Iceman. Will get tape measure out tomorrow.

 

[DishDick]

Right spent all day checking. Not easy as one would think. Obviously have to measure to make sure dish is positioned on roof so it can point towards satellite. I worked out centre point of pole. Then measured to depth of bottom of dish (where it sticks out due to bracket, tilt and curve of dish). Then got small dish out and aligned to satellite, marked on roof straight line along lnb arm. Measured to where left hand of dish would come, allowed for curvature of dish. Placed small dish there aligned and again marked straight line on roof along lnb arm, couldn’t do same with right hand side as dish will stick 65cm over side. I then measured from the left, middle and (guessed) right side following the drawn lines to neighbors’ wall. Each measure was different due to the angle of the dish to house and the fact that the wall itself is staggered. I then had to allow for other additions such as pitched roofs (setback from wall), a chimney, another dish and a stairwell wall. I used the calculator Iceman mentioned and calculated for each part of dish whether it would clear the corresponding obstacle. It looks like I am going to be lucky and it will just work (outside chance of part of the chimney blocking extreme right of dish).

So going ahead, have ordered new bolts for dish and 2100kg of concrete and reinforcing for my 215cmx135cmx40cm base. And an RSJ to add support in the roof.

Will take pictures of work and post when done.

 

[hexah]

I think the RSJ is a very good idea, it should distribute the weight well.

Sounds like an interesting install. Good luck with the build. O-Ha

 

[DishDick]

Well broke up base today. Two of us with mini kangos. Boy that base was well made. All come to a halt now as I need to obtain written permission from the Community President then Local Council approval as I have one ar*ehole neighbour on the next complex who complains about everyone and everything and I know he has been moaning to my President about my dish. So will have paperwork in order (that I can then shove up his Ar*e).

Sad, everyone here is ok, we all get on apart from this one person. Sad little man. He called the Police on me when I did some repair work to house (Police were really nice and helpful, no problems with them), he called the Police when his neigbour put up a toldos (awning) and the Police on another neigbour when they laid a patio. What a sad individual. I am sure you will be surprised when I tell you no one likes him!

 

[powel000]

@dishdick, some people are just born retards. You cant change people behaviour, becuase they are born with that defficieny. Your neighbour needs to go to shutter island ward 6

 

[DishDick]

Ok,

Got written permission so have started work. Unable to get pictures to load in order I want so sorry they aren´t in order.

Pic 1 (18) RSJ installed today under where new base is going (roof of utility room), Pic 2 View infront of where dish is going, hence all my calculations to ensure 100% of dish was iluminated by satellite, Pic 3 a neighbours 80cm dish warped in the same storm that knocked over my dish. Pic 4 Showing the same size dish (80cm) next to the damaged one, which is amazingly undamaged. Pic 5 shows the low sloping roof where dish is going. Pic 6 showing wall being chopped into for rsj to sit in.

Going to leave it all to dry and harden now. Will build plywood retaining structure on Monday, then on Tuesday will fill with concrete and reinforcing and fix metal stand (going ro use 14mm bolts resin bonded into existing roof and also tied to reinforcing rods). Should be ready to put dish back up a week on Monday. Horay!

 

[makum101]

Hi DishDick

My 3 Metre Prime Focus is located in a very similar situation to yours. Im right up the top of a steep hill In Torviscas Alto in Tenerife.

Like you my dish survived the 2005 storms and we didnt get hit as hard this time round (thankfully).

Our installers rawl bolted the frame to the roof - but used extra nuts that left the frame about an inch and a half above the roof surface then made a concrete block round the lot.

Eg they drilled the roof and inserted 4 thick bolts into it then partially screwed a nut on so that it sat an inch and a half above the roof surface. Then they sat the dish mount onto the bolts and it rested on the nuts leaving a inch and a half gap between the mount base and the roof surface. they then screwed a second nut on to tighten it up. Finally they used planks to make a square shape round the mount and filled it with concrete (not cement).

They told me they did it like this so that the frame becomes encased (above AND below the mount base) and the bolts are firmly in the roof.

PS. i am a swallow these days and worry about my dish all the time I'm not in Tenerife.

 

[DishDick]

Well makum101, these dishes are a worry. I know of about six big dishes blown down in that storm. Have decided that if I get notice of another storm I will probably take dish down for duration of storm, or I will spin it round so the wind hits it side on.

Well have drilled roof and resin bonded the 8, 14mm bolts, made the retaining box and got the approx 2,000kg of materials. Have hammerited the metal base. Ready to mix and lay concrete tomorrow. Knackered, now off to bed.

 

[ralphmagno]

hello dish dick and all here,
i am sorry to hear about the one guy.
naples italy are full of these guys.
they spend 1 million euro on a new house and rent it to american fammilies for 2.5 thousand euro a month and don't put a decent pole doe a sat system.
some won't even let an american have a system installed and had one move out and the house was blacklisted.
some have a weak pole and expect you to mount a dish there, some land lords want you to use the existing old antenna line were there are inductive spliters and the lnb voltage can not flow, and some had a electrition who knows nothing about satellite systems install a dish with a single lnb one line running to 6 satellite outlets ( non scr) and expect 2 or 3 boxes to run with no problem.
out of 100 systems we find 2 new houses done correctly.
looks like those trouble makers are everywhere
ralph