Light Tower Maintenance

Light tower maintenance

We’d like to take a moment to discuss an item of general maintenance that should be on your preventative list before the winter weather hits. Light tower maintenance.

Determine if your light tower mast needs cleaned.

Most light towers come from the manufacturer pre-lubricated. Under normal operating conditions it will require no scheduled maintenance. However, when exposed to harsh environmental conditions, some light maintenance might be required. It can also be a good idea to give the mast a good once-over from time to time to check for:

• Presence of a gritty film on any portion of the mast section
• Stuttering movement in the extension or retraction of the mast
• Loud operation of the mast
• Sections that don’t fully extend or retract as they should

When you’ve performed your inspection and determined your tower could use some maintenance.

A word of caution: While preventative maintenance of your light tower is a relatively safe activity, please be aware that, as with any activity, there can be a certain amount of risk involved. Be sure to minimize risk by wearing eye protection and safety gear. A pneumatic telescoping mast is a pressure vessel – use caution and stay clear of the mast during operation.

How to clean your light tower mast:

1. Remove the light from the mast.
2. If present, reduce pneumatic system pressure regulators to between 5-10 PSIG.
3. Operate the air control valve to slowly pressurize the mast. Extend the top section only. Another person may be needed to hold down the collars of the larger mast sections. Close the air control when the mast section is extended.
4. Clean the extended section of the mast. Use a non-abrasive cleaner or solvent with clean cloths. Do not allow any fluids to enter the mast collar.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to extend the next section of mast and clean.

Lubricating the light tower mast:

1. Insert about 0.5oz of mast lubricant into the weep hole of each exposed mast section. Larger mast sections should receive about 1.0oz of mast lube.
2. Lower the mast completely and let the lubricant work itself in.
3. In the same sequence as before, extend the mast fully – smallest to largest. Remove any excess lube.
4. It is important that you do not lube the exterior of the mast itself. Doing so will cause dust and contaminants to cling to the mast, causing damage.

Check the Will-Burt website for more in-depth information. If your light tower is from another manufacturer, be sure to check their website or contact them for maintenance details for your specific tower.

Still have questions or need us to check your light tower? Give our service department a call today!