Bat House Forum

[Markcuda]

Kent, I might just go with 2 inch pipe and put another pipe in side of it.
I could go 8 feet above ground and 3 feet below ground?
Or, just make it a even 10 feet.
That would be wayyyyyyyyyyyy cheaper than 2.1/2 inch pipe.

[Markcuda]

What size pipe fits snugly in side a 2 inch pipe?

[William Bagwell]

1 1/2 nominal pipe is 1.90 OD which would be very loose in 2" schedule 40 at 2.067 ID. Be a quite snug fit in 2" schedule 80 though. 1.939 ID so if there was any weld seam on the inside it might even have to be driven in.

William

[Markcuda]

William, if I went with the schedule 80, I would not need a pipe in side of it.
I was thinking of drilling a few holes, no just one side of the 2 inch pipe.
Then, slide the other pipe inside, then weld the small pipe thru the holes I drilled?
Fill the holes with weld, can you say STRONGGGGGGGGGG

[cloudman75]

Markcuda,
I have checked into your project and believe your bat houses will actually weigh about 25 lbs each plus the bracket you mentioned. You seem to like to do things right with some safety factor for sure. I checked a few calculations we ham operators use for masts and antennas. Just wanted to tell you that
my final conclusion was that a 2 inch schedule 40 pipe would do a great job for your two houses. I know that you have your own ideas and rightly so,
so if you decide to use schedule 40 don't be worried, it will be OK. If you have a shorter piece of 1 1/2 inch pipe put it in the bottom where the bending stress is on the pipe due to the horizontal wind load. The height of 15 ft above the ground multiplies the wind load force, but You would not need to bolt it or weld it unless you just wanted to do it.
The wind load force can be reduced depending on the prevailing wind direction with regard to the 21x24 dimension front or back of your bat house.
The side is only 7 inches x height so it would not be nearly as much force from the wind. You may not can face it to the side and still get full sun .
Keep us posted. I suppose you get some snow where you live there I believe in Ill. How did your other bat house hold up in the weather?

Frank

[Markcuda]

How did your other bat house hold up in the weather?

Frank, I put two houses up this spring, no snow on either one yet.
One is a 3 chamber, the other, is a 5 chamber.
Both are made by Hooker, very well constructed, so good, I will buy two more
Frank, also, thank you for all the advice, along with every one else that responded.

You seem to like to do things right

Yes, I am not a cobbler.
Not that there is any thing wrong with that OOLOLOLOLLOLOOL

[cloudman75]

Markuda,
I really enjoyed checking into your pipe size for mounting two houses. Old retired Motorcycle riders like me need a challenge sometimes. LOL.
I found a calculator today and plugged in your numbers the way I see them for a schedule 40 2 inch pipe and found it would survive a 79 MPH wind
using a safety factor of two. It would take a wind over 100 MPH to cause the 2 inch steel schedule 40 pipe to fail. Just thought I would pass this along as you would not need another pipe inside unless you felt better about it. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Frank

[Markcuda]

Ok Frank, here is another thought.
Of course, the higher we go in the air with a pipe, the more sway we will get.
I would get less sway with a pipe in side the 2 inch pipe.
Just some more food for thought

[cloudman75]

I will be very much surprised if you get any sway with your two bat houses using a schedule 40 2 inch dia. pipe. Of course an additional pipe inside can only make it stronger. I figured your pipe as 3 ft in the ground and 17 ft above the ground. so the bottom of your bat house will be about 15 ft to the entrance
above ground is that close? When we have real bad wind storms I have seen a slight little twist on my 75 # bat house that is on a schedule 80 1-1/4 inch galv. pipe. No bend what ever. A 2 inch schedule 40 is some strong pipe.

Frank

[Markcuda]

I figured your pipe as 3 ft in the ground and 17 ft above the ground. so the bottom of your bat house will be about 15 ft to the entrance

Yes, that is how I put the other one up this July.
The one I put up this July was a 2 inch pipe, but very thin wall.
It does sway a tad bit, but nothing to be concerned about.
I think it is a schedule 7 or 10, can't remember.