One important point that I learned the hard way is the difference between
Phillystran and EHS grips is the direction that the strands are wound. I put up
a Rohn 45 tower for a friend and he ordered grips for EHS, which is what we
were using for guys. The tower was completed and after the first big wind storm
I got a panic call from him that the guys were all loose - the guys had slipped
in the grips!!! Not living close to him, I advised him to get some good old
cable clamps to cinch the grips down until I could get there and determine what
happened. After examining the grips, they actually had a small label on them
stating they were for Phillystran ONLY, but since I had never used Phillystran,
I didn't know what the difference was. We called the place where we got the
grips from and to their horror, they shipped us the wrong ones. After many
apologies, they shipped the correct ones, I replaced them and all is well but
it could have turned out much different.
So when you look at EHS, the strands are twisted together to form the overall
diameter (1/4" in this case) and the grips have to be wound or twisted in the
same direction to grip properly. Phillystran must be wound the opposite
direction or by design the grips are wound opposite and after comparing the two
it is quite evident the difference.
I guess the moral of the story is NEVER take anything for granted. I guess if
we had read the labels when we installed them, we would have known; but after
installing hundreds of grips over the last 35 years without a single issue, it
was a shock.
TowerTalk mailing list