Guy Wire Inspections

What is a “Guy Wire”?

If you have ever passed a large broadcast antenna and have seen the wires anchoring them to the ground but do you know what they are called? Just so you know, these wires are known as “guy wires”.

Guy wires are used to secure and also to stabilize free-standing structures. Professional tower erecting companies use guy wires to install towers in the utility, antenna, and communications industries.

Other Names for Guy Wire

Guy wires are known in many names. These wires are also called guy cable, guy anchors, guy strand, and guyed wire or guy wires. On occasion, people mistakenly call them to guide wire. Guy wire is a name derived from the word guy and is defined as a cable, cord, or rope used to secure guide or steady something.

Description of Guy Wire

Guy wires are tension cables that are strong and lightweight. The galvanized finish of guy wires protects them from the different weather conditions and outdoor elements to some degree. Guy wires have been designed to work with various components and fittings that make them ideal for numerous uses and purposes.

The hardware of Guy Wires

The big grip dead ends or also called preforms to come in handy for high tensioning, usually for transmission, antenna, and communications towers.

Drop forged rope clips are the ones used for clamping the wire rope’s loose end after an eye is formed.

End sleeves or also called ice clips are required when big grip dead ends are being used. These are used to ensure that unraveling won’t take place.

Shackles are the ones used to connect wire rope, slings, and chains. Bolt-type anchor shackles are commonly used in those projects that involve guy wires.

Turnbuckles are tools used for pushing apart or pulling together the guy anchors.

Thimbles are used for protecting the loop or eye of wire rope.

Broadcast Tower and Flare Stack Guy Wire Inspection – How Does It Work?

Infraspect uses proprietary technology for flare stack guy wire inspection from the inner core to the outer strands to the entire length from where the wire is attached to the grown to where this ends several feet high above the ground.

The wire rope cabling can be inspected with ease with the use of the electromagnetic inspection process. The rope can be scanned inside out to identify any defect or corrosion. If there is any broken strand, this can be detected right away. If corrosion is present, this, too, will be identified easily.

In fact, the entire length of the flare stack guy wire cable could be analyzed. The technicians who are in charge of the flare stack maintenance can then take note of these details and come up with a report that will spell out all the issues that have been found and identified throughout the wire and even note the exact locations of the said defects.

Guy wires may look strong and durable but just like any other type of wire, these also need inspections so they can serve their purpose longer.

Infraspect offers professional robotic guy wire inspections during flare stack inspections, with the whole process done through nondestructive testing.

When To Replace Your Wire Ropes

RopeScan is a portable, wireless robotic inspection device that climbs ropes and cables. RopeScan peers through any HDPE sheathing to locate loss of metallic area and corrosion. The robot can even photograph the exterior anomalies.

By monitoring deterioration progression over time, you can better budget for maintenance and repairs.

Save millions in untimely replacements call (888) 423-2136 Ext.24 with your wire rope project today!

Replacing guy wires and wire ropes too soon can be just as costly as waiting too long. If you would like the most comprehensive data on your wire ropes contact us today.