Operation & Maintenance

It is important that once a temporary mast is installed and commissioned, the following inspection and maintenance guidelines are adopted to ensure optimum performance and structural stability of the mast, and to retain warranty validity:

  • Initial inspection approximately 3 months after installation is carried out for installations in soft ground. This will pick up any settlement of the mast or anchors and the corresponding effect on guy tensions. Adjustment of guy tensions may be required

Thereafter, 6 monthly inspections, covering the following:

  • Tension in guy wires and verticality/shape of mast. (Guy wires stretch over time and it is important that they don’t become too slack)
  • Condition of all rigging components, including guy wires, shackles, chain, and wire rope grips
  • Position of base and any subsidence that may have occurred.
  • Integrity of lightning protection
  • Condition of anchors and any movement

Following these guidelines will ensure that any deterioration in the condition of components is quickly identified and monitored, allowing planned maintenance and replacement to be arranged.  The rate of deterioration of guy wires may vary significantly depending on the environment in which they are installed, the loads experienced, and connection details. Salt spray in coastal areas will have a particularly corrosive effect on guy wires.

Dulas can supply a complete program of planned inspection and maintenance for masts and remote sensing devices installed in the UK.

Case Studies

London Array Wind Farm

Dulas has been involved with the London Array project installing wind monitoring instruments and maintaining the met mast since 2008. Dulas regularly visit the mast to replace instrumentation, inspect the tower and more recently, to install a tide level sensor. Read more.

rwe Renewables

To determine the feasibility of a medium scale wind turbine for a local landowner on farmland located in Carmarthenshire. Following confirmation of feasibility, conduct baseline surveys and design a wind energy scheme to minimise environmental and planning risk, taking into account a number of constraints and limitations across the available site area including grid. Read more.

rwe nPower

Ty Nant Ltd approached Dulas to undertake assessments and prepare an environmental report to support a planning application for a single 500kW wind turbine at the Ty Nant bottling plant near Bethania, Ceredigion. Read more.

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