Anchor Spacing: How Much Distance Between Anchors?

The rule of thumb for anchor spacing--the distance between ground anchors--is, “Whatever depth the anchor goes in the ground, the next anchor should be at least that distance away.”  For example, if using the PE46-Guy anchor, the depth is 46 inches so next anchor should be at least 46 inches away. If you put the next PE46-Guy half that distance – do not go closer – you lose anywhere from 10-25% of holding capacity on both anchors depending on the soil type. Let’s say you are guying a tower that would require two anchors on one guy. Most of the ­feedback from installers is they have­ great results if the anchors are in line with each other to the guy wire (one behind the other). Each anchor would have its own cable to attach to the main guy cable – that way the anchor cables will adjust to the two different angles to the guy wire. 

Which way should the anchor head face?

Be sure to install Penetrator anchors so the heads are pointing towards the guy wire not away from it, because the anchors are aluminum and aren’t designed to take that force. It’s the flights or threads on the anchor shaft that holds your project into the ground. 

If you would like to go over your project to work through those anchor spacing questions, call or email us. While we don’t have engineers on staff, we can tell you what others are doing for similar projects based on more than 10 years of experience. For more information about strength testing and load capacity, visit /load-capacity/.