On Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 7:06:31 PM UTC-4, Jim Higgins wrote:
On Tue, 12 May 2015 14:04:01 EDT, in
, Tom Horne
hornetd - gmail dot com wrote:

I need to know if anyone has experience based suggestions on
how to seal the chips in the glazing of the porcelain insulators
that are part of some of the old antenna and mast kits that I have.
It would seem to me that the chipped glazing is a way for water
to saturate the porcelain and render the insulator ineffective.

Porcelain isn't porous, so your concern about the insulators
absorbing water is misplaced.

Before someone says just replace them let me tell you that they
are part of swaged; as in crimped with metal bands; guy
assemblies so there is nothing short of building new guy lines
that would permit the replacement of the insulators.

If you don't have an answer to the question that I have actually
asked just go on to the next posting. NOTHING TO SEE
HERE! MOVE ALONG!

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer that will
actually solve the problem.

The problem you're concerned about doesn't exist. Really.

However, one should ask oneself WHY the insulators are chipped? Have
they in fact fractured under load... or have they somehow just gotten
a few surface dings. The latter wouldn't be a problem; the former
would. And the only cure for the former is replacement.

Jim

If ceramic insulators don't take up water why do the manufacturers bother t
o glaze them?

Since the insulators in question are part of old AB-155 mast kits I have co
ncluded that the chipping is the result of frequent handling during erectio
n and striking of the masts. If I do have to make up new guy assemblies fo
r any of the mast kits I will use plastic insulators in tension rather than
ceramic insulators in compression.

Thanks

--
Tom Horne W3TDH