Guy Wire & Stay Wire
Guy Wire Manufacturer
TTF power manufactures and supplies hot-dip galvanized guy wire for overhead power transmission and distribution systems. A guy wire is a tensioned cable that was originally called “gei” from the Dutch who used it to fix ships masts. It is now called guy wire, stay wire, guy strand, guy cable, guy anchors and sometimes guide wires. It is a tensioned cable, wire or rope that is used to steady, guide or secure all structures like ship masts, electric poles, radio towers or wind turbines. All these structures are of some considerable heights that are not self-supporting. The guy wires work by distributing some of the structures weight to the ground.
The electricity systems, telecommunications, and broadcasting industries can all employ man wires. It is positioned at an angle along a diagonal line that is anchored to the ground. It is fastened to a concrete ground anchor that serves as a support for multiple guy wires.
Due to the wind force in the location, guy wires are typically needed when the construction is higher than 20 feet. They aid in preventing these tall buildings from toppling, twisting, or breaking. Every city and nation has its own requirements for installing guy wires, thus seeking professional advice before installation is advised.
Construction of guy wire
The guy wire can be divided into various divisions that help to describe the best guy wire. These are as discussed below. Other features of a good guy wire state that it should be lightweight, have good design, have a little stretch, should be durable and have high break strengths to withstand great tension.
- Material — the materials used to make the guy wires are important in assisting them to be durable by resisting different weather conditions. The materials should be pure and quality steel and should be coated by zinc.
- Stranding — the wire strands should be covered in the wires known as 7-wire of 19-wire strands.
- Tension and design — the guy wire should have a high tensile strength that helps it to prevent breaking and be resistant to all weather conditions that allow it to increase the service life of the guy wire.
- Weight of the coating — the guy wires should be coated in zinc per ASTM A475 standard, and the weight is determined by the evaluation based the various test methods.
- Finish — the zinc-coated wire is free of flaws that are not in consistent with industrial standards. The zinc coating is constant and of reasonably uniform thickness.
Applications of guy wire
The guy wires as previously stated can be used in power systems, telecommunications, broadcasting and ship masts. The various ways they are used are as discussed below.
- Power systems — power systems use utility lines that run for long distances with many utility poles which need to cross many places. These connections cause a lot of tension between the different poles, guy wires are connected from the pole to the ground to support the unstable loads and make sure the structures are straight and prevent the ground from moving. A guy wire is used with guy set, which is insulated to avoid shock in case of contact with the human skin.
- Telecommunications and broadcasting — the guy wires can be used to support the telephone pole or antenna mast. They are similar to the ones used for the power systems.
- Sailing — the guy wires can be used to support the masts of the ship for easier sail. The guy wires are made of stainless steel that helps it resists rust especially from frequent contact with water.
Functions of guy wire
The guy wires basically support the height of the poles or structures that are high standing to add stability and prevent falling, bending or breaking of the poles. This also offers safety by keeping the structures erect from the strong winds or storms that may affect the structures. The guy wires also help construction to use higher limits which may be lower due to the absence of the guy wires. They are used in a diagonal line from the post or tower to provide maximum stability and they are made from galvanized stainless steel that helps to reduce corrosion and rust while also preventing electrocution.
Guy wires are tensioned cables, ropes or wires that are used to steady, guide or secure all sorts of tall buildings and structures that are not self-sustaining. The use of the guy wires provide stability and prevent bending, breaking and even falling of the tall buildings. They can be used on the power systems, telecommunications and broadcasting. They were initially used in providing support to the ship masts to help in sailing. They are installed at an angle far from the post or tower in a diagonal line which helps to distribute the unbalanced load in the overhead lines.
The guy wire is also known as guy rope, guy strand, or stay wire. They are made from galvanized steel, or stainless steel which helps them to resist the harsh weather conditions such as rain, storm, winds and high temperatures. Insulated guy wires are made of a finish that helps them to prevent electrocution in case of contact with the human skin. Braided guy wires have high tensile strength that prevents them from breaking and other physical stresses. They are also used in electric systems, radio towers, wind turbines and in ships masts for sailing.
Fittings used with the guy wire
The guy wire is used with other various fittings to complete the proper installations and to provide stability to the antennas, towers and other utility structures. These fittings help to secure and brace all the overhead installations to prevent loose connections. These structures are as discussed below.
Dead end grip
For use with Extra High Strength (EHS) guy wire on guyed structures including communications, transmission, and antenna towers, dead end grip, often referred to as preforms, are constructed. They are utilized to establish a termination point at the strand’s end.
Guy grip
The guy grip has legs formed using the gravels on each turn that maintains the messenger conductor wire or fiber optic cable securely. It is also known as preformed guy grip which is used to connect and grip grounding cable, the conductor and the optical fiber program.
Guy clamp
The guy clamp is used on the communication line along with the stay wire and anchor rod to generate pole steadily. The grooves of the guy lock the stay wire and the bolt will secure two pieces of guy clamp clamping the stay wire.
Guy thimble
The guy thimble is also called cable thimble and it is available on the electric power line or dead end pole line. It connects using all the preformed tension clamps to help maintain the ADSS and the OPGW cable.
Pole band
The pole band incorporates a single offset pole band and a double offset pole band. There are different pole bands for utility poles, telephone poles and cable poles.
Shackles
Shackles are used for connecting wire rope, chain and slings. They are used in high voltage electrical lines.
Stay insulator
A stay insulator used at a stay wire is at high pressure so that the tension on the cable is transformed into a force. This helps to prevent current from flowing to the unwanted places.
Stay rod
The stay rods are used with the guy wires in tower construction and electric poles at the linked part to prevent them from falling under stress.
Turnbuckle
The galvanized turnbuckles are used pull together or push apart the guy anchors. It is also used to amend the tension or length of the rope.
Installation requirements for guy wire
The installation of the guy wire is quite easy and requires little technical skills but they should be done by professionals. Other fittings to be used with the guy wire such as guy grip, guy clamp or guy thimble should be prepared before the installation. The first step is to connect the one side of the three or four guy wires to the top of the structure. They can be twisted on or attached to the mounting bolts. The other side of the guy wire is attached to the points on the ground. The cables should be tightened to prevent them from moving. The cables should also be mounted far from each other.
Quality tests on guy wire
Before the guy wires are released into the market, they have to undergo a series of tests and inspections in order to verify their security and ease of use during and after installation. These tests and inspections are as discussed below.
- Lubrication inspection – the guy wire should be examined and lubricated with the specified equipment, both the essential and the outer boundary. This inspection is done during manufacture.
- Tension inspection – before the delivery of the equipment, the manufacturer should perform the workload capability tests to check the current condition and strength of the cable.
- Tension breaking strength – this should be done before the installation by the engineer. This ensures that the wires meet the terms with the tension breaking strength limits.
- Rope periodical inspection – this inspection is done after installation and it checks the extreme broken wire, alteration, severe corrosion, decrease in the outer wire diameter and damaged or exiled clamp, thimble or anchor.
Stranding of guy wire
The guy wires are categorized according to the type of stranding that is used to make the wire or rope. The major stranding for the guying products are mainly two types which is 1*7 stranding and 1*19 stranding. These stranding have one major core for added stability.
- 1*7 stranding – these are made of galvanized steel and it is used in guying applications such as towers, antenna and other tall structures that are placed from the top to the ground. They include the use of seven strands that are twisted together to make the rope. They should be installed or used in areas where rare bending will occur.
- 1*19 stranding – these are also galvanized strands that are also used in guying the free, high- standing structures. The galvanized steel helps to prevent corrosion and rust. They use the twisting of the nineteen strands to make the guy wire with one central core. They have lower breaking strength than the seven strand wires. They are also used in supporting and adding stability to the antenna, towers and other tall structures. these
| Item | Size | Configuration | Strength (LBS) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 1/4″ | 1/4″ | 1×7 | 6,650 lbs. | 0.12 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 5/16″ | 5/16″ | 1×7 | 11,200 lbs. | 0.225 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 3/8″ | 3/8″ | 1×7 | 15,400 lbs. | 0.273 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 7/16″ | 7/16″ | 1×7 | 20,800 lbs. | 0.40 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 1/2″ | 1/2″ | 1×7 | 26,900 lbs. | 0.52 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 9/16″ | 9/16″ | 1×7 | 35,000 lbs. | 0.67 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×7 Galvanized Strand 5/8″ | 5/8″ | 1×7 | 42,400 lbs. | 0.813 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×19 Galvanized Strand 11/16″ | 11/16″ | 1×19 | 54,000 lbs. | 0.82 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×19 Galvanized Strand 3/4″ | 3/4″ | 1×19 | 58,300 lbs. | 1.15 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×19 Galvanized Strand 7/8″ | 7/8″ | 1×19 | 79,700 lbs. | 1.58 lbs./Linear Foot |
| 1×19 Galvanized Strand 1″ | 1″ | 1×19 | 104,500 lbs. | 1.85 lbs./Linear Foot |
Advantages of guy wires
The main importance of the guy wire is supporting and adding stability to the high and free standing structures such as poles, towers and tall buildings. Other advantages and benefits of the guy wire are as follows.
- They are easy to prepare and install.
- They have a simple design which makes them easy to use.
- They have a flexible structure.
- They are durable to have a long life.
- They can be used in most applications.
- They have high strength that prevent them from breaking.
- They are lightweight which makes easy transportation and installation.
Disadvantages of the guy wires
Guy wires have more benefits that support their popularity in the market and the power industries. However, they have some limitations that affect their use in the industry. These are as follows.
- Since they are made from galvanized steel, they tend to have a lower flexibility.
- Some may have poor resistance to the bending deformation.
Guy wire manufacturers and suppliers in the USA
The other major factor to consider when purchasing the guy wire should be the manufacturer of the product. TTF manufactures and supplies guy wire to North American customers. There are many suppliers and manufacturers in the market that produce the different design and specifications of the guy wires. This should be done by checking online, from friends and through referrals to get to the best manufacturer and supplier of the guy ropes. The guy ropes should be designed to achieve the intended work for the products. The various manufacturers and suppliers of the guy wires are as discussed below.
Brim Electronics Inc.
The company was established in the year 1975 and has been focused on producing high voltage guy wires. Their wires can be used in various applications that include high voltage power supplies or other high voltage electronic equipment where high voltage, ozone, abrasion and flame resistance and flexibility are required.
Main products include:
- Tinned copper wire
- Silicone rubber insulation
- High voltage guy wires
Ver Sales Inc
The company was established in the year 1972 as a manufacturer and distributor of the guy wires.
Main products include:
- Wire ropes
- Rigging products
- Safety products
- Hardware and tools
- Guy ropes
Consolidated Cordage Corporation
The company was established in the year 1972 with focus on the main products used on the aerospace and aeronautical, marine, fire protection and law enforcement application.
Main products include:
- Guy wires
- Mooring lines
- Utility cords
Lexco Cable Manufacturing
The company is mainly involved in manufacturing guy wires and crane cables. Their products are available in various lengths and wire rope diameters with plastic, nylon or PVC coating. The cables can be used in transportation, mining, construction, railroad, fitness, automotive and marine industries.
Main products include:
- Guy wires
- Fiber core
- Galvanized cables
MSC Industrial Supply Co.
This company was established in 1941 and have been the main supplier of products used in the cutting, machine, hand and power tools. They have supplied over 450,000 products from 2500 manufacturers around the world.
Main products include:
- Abrasives
- Fasteners
- Precision instruments
- Machinery
- Electrical supplies
- Safety equipment
Stainless Steel Products
The company was established in 1995 and have been the main manufacturer and distributor of wire and wire products. They offer custom specifications spooling, stranding, crimping and cut to length. Their products are made from stainless steel, nickel, nickel silver, copper alloy and brass.
Main products include:
- Guy wires
- Round, flat and shaped wires
FAQs
What are guy wires?
Guy wires, also known as stay wire, are tensioned cables, ropes or wires that are used to support and add stability to the high standing structures.
How to choose a good guy wire?
A good guy wire should have the right material, have good design, should be durable and lightweight.
How is guy wire used?
Guy wires can be used in broadcasting, communications and power systems. They can also be used in radio poles and sailing.
What are the main types of guy wire stranding?
Guy wire stranding can either be 1*7 stranding or 1*19 stranding. They are referred to as 7-wire and 19-wire respectively.