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Author Topic: Bolting stations to walls  (Read 412 times)

AF6D

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Bolting stations to walls
« on: October 04, 2022, 09:41:49 PM »

I am just about complete with the project of putting all of my components in rack mounts. I started with a computer Corner group that was L-shaped. I built each section up with rack mount hardware and have mounted even the heavy HF rigs. The computer furniture is made of higher quality pressed board. The thing weighs a ton! It's sections somewhat bolt together. I can always reinforce them.

I live in Southern California where earthquakes happen daily but to really no effect. We do have some that roll in from Mexico that hit me up here in the San Bernardino Mountains that run north south and the equipment tends to sway considerably. Is the owner of multiple repeaters on multiple sites, all of my equipment is bolted to the ground and the racks go up quite high. Earthquakes in the past have not damaged them. Their racks are sunk deep into the cement floors.

My concern is whether or not I should bolt the equipment to the wall that has the standard 16 in offsets. My thought is to bolt what amount to 19-in Rack mounts to the wall using the appropriate standoffs. I'd like to keep I'd say about an inch or so of clearance between the wall and the installation. More if it is suggested. I'm not asking about them.

What say you?
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W1VT

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Re: Bolting stations to walls
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2022, 05:06:25 AM »

My  1953 home has wood studs.  But, a more modern home may have steel studs that are harder to work with.
https://www.thespruce.com/reasons-to-reconsider-steel-studs-1822847
My home has a lot of stuff attached to the wooden studs.

When my late wife's condition deteriorated to the point where I was using a Hoyer lift all the time, I attached the hospital bed to the floor so it wouldn't move.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2022, 05:11:11 AM by W1VT »
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N6XJP

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Re: Bolting stations to walls
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2022, 05:23:27 AM »

Hmmmm. I’m not being facetious, but if you have earthquakes “rolling in from Mexico”, you might want to consider a Geology 101 course at your local community college.  Barring that, consider ceiling attached flexible cable stabilisers.  Racks will move within the limits you adjust, but not fall over (unless the entire ceiling collapses).  A common means of attachments on things that move…ships, aircraft, busses, trains. 
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AF6D

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Re: Bolting stations to walls
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2022, 02:21:32 PM »

Hmmmm. I’m not being facetious, but if you have earthquakes “rolling in from Mexico”, you might want to consider a Geology 101 course at your local community college.  ...


I certainly don't want to embarrass you in front of your friends. I have found that one should not assume another person has no knowledge on a topic. I was first licensed in 1976. As one gentleman to another, I'd recommend you keep your sarcasm out of your content. One may not know how to take it.

I live in a normal wood stick home built in the 1970s as I recall. I continue to have doubts considering some of the equipment is tall enough to come just short of the ceiling, maybe in about the 6.5 or 7 ft level. It is my belief that it needs to be bolted down at at least two points to keep it from collapsing on its own weight and then the equipment there in not being usable during an emergency situation.

If it should be bolted down should it use heavy rubber straps able to handle the weight or should it be hard bolted to the actual 16-in offsets? That means it would sway with the walls of the house.

During the last earthquake that traveled up here I lost tiles in my custom kitchen countertop as well as in my downstairs shower. It completely cracked them. I can only imagine what it would do to electrical equipment if a local earthquake struck.

If you attended a more targeted earthquake seminar that last about a week you would possibly gain the same knowledge I have. I have attend a geology course on my own. But I have also attended an in depth multi-day seminar for police officers and fire fighters to teach us how to respond operationally to major earthquakes, as well as our technical SAR services. I'm a graduate of the advanced course, if it matters to you. I'm also retired but still possess the information.

These courses do talk about bolting equipment down in the home but nothing specific to much heavier amateur radio equipment. Things like bolting down your anwar. Or the beautiful solid oak Hutch that might be in your dining room. You know, the one that's made of wood and almost all glass on the upper part? Serious damage if that thing falls over.

I can tell you from first hand experience having lived in Sierra Madre California when the earthquake struck on June 28th and the fault line went directly through the city. As the co-organizer I can tell you that we almost had to cancel the 4th of July parade. My living room was trashed and the house knocked off the foundation. The entertainment center probably would not have tumbled over onto the floor if it had been attached to the wall.

Some of that new trash furniture you buy actually comes with tiny nails for both ends of a piece of plastic that's supposed to act as a strap and keep your entertainment center from falling over during an earthquake Completely ridiculous.

It is in that vein that I asked my question. How to do it better and more appropriately for equipment that needs to survive the earthquake.

Attached you will find images of the Cerro Prieto fault that travels from south of the Mexican border up into the San Bernardino Mountains where it joins the San Andreas fault. I live on the San Andreas fault. If you follow the fault line from the Mexican border it will come up through the Salton Sea, up through the ravine that the 15 freeway follows up into Riverside, and then up into San Bernardino County and into the mountains where as mentioned it joins the San Andreas fault in Holcomb Valley. Holcomb Valley is long known for a second mass gold strike exodus.

This fault is what created this ravine between the 15 freeway millions of years ago. The large red square shows the recent 7.2 earthquake that occurred in the Mexicali area that traveled north along the fault line and up into Running Springs california.



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