Light pole foundations installed for roadway lighting generally require a 24 inch diameter by 5 foot depth drilled hole in soils having good bearing values (1,500 PSF or greater). The base of the pole can then be installed at near finished grade.
For light poles installed for parking lot lighting, the concrete foundation generally extends to a height of about 2-1/2 feet or greater above finished grade so as to prevent vehicles from damaging the light poles.
The pole foundation detail presented below is recommended for our typical 20 foot height aluminum pole installation. We recommend using quality concrete having 2,000 psi or greater compressive strength at 28 days age.
Note the rebar detail showing the # 3 and # 5 bars. The electrical conduit is placed in the center of the forms prior to the placement of concrete for wiring to the batteries. The wiring is routed from the base of the pole to the underground polymer-concrete enclosure where the batteries are stored.
Of course, for installations where our aluminum side-of-pole battery storage enclosure is used then the underground conduit is not required.
The advantage of the underground battery storage enclosure it that it is located out of view, the batteries are not subjected to inclement weather temperatures; and since the enclosure is buried in the soils it deters vandalism and theft.
The aluminum side-of-pole enclosure & the underground polymer-concrete style enclosure are both water tight.
The recommendations presented by our company are for a typical pole foundation placed in compacted soils having a density of 90% or greater with soils having a bearing capacity of 2,000 PSF minimum. We recommend that you consult with a registered professional engineer in your region to determine the suitability of soils for your particular installation site. Our company makes no guaranties either expressed or implied regarding any pole foundation design or installation.
