Scanstrut Power Tower mating to roof

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PNW_Wesley

New member
I will be installing an 18" Garmin Fantom dome atop a 6" tall Scanstrut Power Tower, bolted to the roof.

The base of the tower is roughly 7' square, and is flat.

As you know, the roof has a curvature.

Has anyone installed this exact tower (or very similar), and how did you deal with the mismatch between the flat base and the curved roof?

Did you use a backing plate inside the boat for the tower?
 
I have used thin Starboard--actually high density polyethylene, cutting board from Wal Mart is cheaper for this application. Cut it to the contour of the roof-(using cardboard template. Basically what is needed is wedges which are enough to take the load--for example the outer 2" on each side works fine. In all of my radar installations I have just used fender washers inside --if the bolts you use don't have large enough, then a fender washer and then a fender washer. As I recollect the hole in the strut I used was either 5/16 or 3/8.
 
no backing plate
washers between tower base and roof
nice bead of white Life Calk between tower base and roof
use nylon washers under stainless washer on top other wise the SS washers will damage the powdercoat and it will flake off

see my pics
 
A Fishin C":rmjkynat said:
no backing plate
washers between tower base and roof
nice bead of white Life Calk between tower base and roof
use nylon washers under stainless washer on top other wise the SS washers will damage the powdercoat and it will flake off

see my pics
Click to expand...

Bingo!! I removed my Power Tower and had it re powder coated. Before that process, I had the holes drilled out so that I could put nylon bushings between the bolts and the tower base, and used nylon washers to isolate the powder coating from the SS hardware. Before that process, I had to take it off for the recoat because the powder coat had been chipped on installation. Should have tried some nail polish on the chip. Might have worked. Inside, I used large fender washers.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

January_2010_346.thumb.jpg
 
I have not yet received the dome, but I have the tower.

Where the dome mates with the tower, what prevents wind-driven rain from coming in between the tower and dome?
 
PNW_Wesley":selr77he said:
I have not yet received the dome, but I have the tower.

Where the dome mates with the tower, what prevents wind-driven rain from coming in between the tower and dome?
Click to expand...

Coming in to where?

The dome should be weather proof. The tower is just a hunk of metal.
 
ssobol":11mvdgdn said:
PNW_Wesley":11mvdgdn said:
I have not yet received the dome, but I have the tower.

Where the dome mates with the tower, what prevents wind-driven rain from coming in between the tower and dome?
Click to expand...

Coming in to where?

The dome should be weather proof. The tower is just a hunk of metal.
Click to expand...

You may not tbe familiar this model: APT-150-01. The tower is hollow.
 
If I remember correctly, the tower came with a foam gasket material for the top plate. If it is sealed around the edges at the top, no worries about water entering the hollow portion. I also think that where my tower sits on the cabin roof there is a slightly flat area there. I don't have a photo of that step in the process of remounting so cannot confirm for sure, but check. You might have one big enough for the tower base.

There was also a mounting wedge. I don't remember if that was an option or came standard. I did not use it. Figured if it was foggy enough to need the radar, I would not be up on a planing angle, and if I was, the radar didn't need to be zeroed in to less that a quarter mile.

Merry Christmas

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

January_2010_344.sized.jpg
 
Where the dome mates with the tower, what prevents wind-driven rain from coming in between the tower and dome?
Click to expand...
. Not a problem. There is a fairly wide flange around the center of the tower. we leave a "weep hole" under the base. Very little if any water got inside.
 
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