Seco Ultralite Prism Pole

Did he say how it compares to the carbon-fiber poles? I've been very happy with my carbon-fiber twist-lock.

Andy Nold, post: 423056, member: 7 wrote: I bought a new prism pole today when I went to pick up the total station from having it cleaned and calibrated. The sales clerk asked if I wanted the traditional or the non-conducting pole. I hadn't seen that before and the Seco website tells me that it is a new product for them. Apparently it is fiberglass and comes with a topo boot to boot. The weight is 1.95 pounds, which isn't a whole lot lighter than the metal pole, but every ounce counts at the end of a long day of surveying. I was curious if anyone else has acquired one of these and has any comments. I worry a little about the durability of fiberglass, but the clerk said I could bring it back in the next few months if I decided I didn't like it. Price was the same, so I suppose I'll give it a test drive.

I had one. I bought it especially for the lightness and the topo shoe was a bonus.
Only quibble I had with it was that it was a bit springier/bendy compared to a metal or carbon fibre pole.
I needed to reinforce the tube where the logger clamp gripped as well.

squowse, post: 423078, member: 7109 wrote: Only quibble I had with it was that it was a bit springier/bendy compared to a metal or carbon fibre pole.

"Bendy" doesn't sound like something I'd want in a prism pole. I think I'll stick with carbon fiber (which also needs reinforcement where the DC is clamped).

The SECO Ultralite rods are essentially a rework of the Crain Composolite rod since Trimble assimilated SECO and Crain into a combined aspect of their business empire. Same composite outer and inner shaft as the Crain version but with the better clamping mechanism of the SECO TLV rods. I didn't realize they had been available as long as they have but our inventory records on the SECO Ultralite rods go back to 2010.

I usually base my opinion on such equipment based on our return goods experience. On these rods, it has been very low and we've sold quite a few of them. Based on that, I would say they are a good option for a lightweight rod.

squowse, post: 423078, member: 7109 wrote: I had one. I bought it especially for the lightness and the topo shoe was a bonus.
Only quibble I had with it was that it was a bit springier/bendy compared to a metal or carbon fibre pole.
I needed to reinforce the tube where the logger clamp gripped as well.

I believe I've handled an older fiberglass rod before by a different manufacturer and I was not impressed. As I recall, it was cracking where the DC was clamped. How are you reinforcing the clamping area? I do favor the carbon fiber but the price tag is a little more than I wanted.

Andy Nold, post: 423129, member: 7 wrote: How are you reinforcing the clamping area?

I took a short length (3" or so) of light gauge aluminum tubing that was just slightly smaller than the diameter of the pole. I slit it lengthwise with a hacksaw, smoothed all the edges, then slid it up the pole to the clamping area. It's held fast for over 5 years now. I haven't removed it to check for damage underneath, but there's no visible evidence of any.

I am wishing i went with the Seco. I recently bought a SitePro 15' prism pole. (Not impressed) The first one that was shipped only had graduations for every tenth, no hundredths. I was ready to ship it back right then but the boss was leaning toward just working with it. (Meaning me just working with it.) Ultimately it had a slightly bent section and was sent back for replacement (unfortunately for the same one). We were expecting the same, not bent of course. Next one shipped had dual graduations as advertised. However what i didn't like still was every telescoping section on the rod at its lowest or highest is at an even tenth or hundredth of a meter not a foot. The lowest height is 1.65 meters something like 5.41333 feet. Every section doesn't start or stop at an even hundredth somewhere in between. minor but inconvenient.

(WARNING TO ANY USERS OF A RECENTLY PURCHASED SITEPRO PRISM POLE.) I just noticed today in the field. graduations read 10.7' 10.8'..... and at even 11' it reads 10.0 then 11.1 11.2 someone goofed in the factory i guess. 11.0 instead of 10.0

I rarely trust the graduations on any rod. I'll usually measure the height from tip to prism midpoint just to make sure that it all stacks up right and everything is tight/no wear.

We have a couple of those ultra light poles. So far so good. We have been getting great closures with them. Just finishing up 80 Acres of hilly property and closed it within a tenth using those poles. We use Bipods with them. A good I-man is a plus too.

We have one of the ultra lite poles 15 foot I think. It works fine all the way down, but at 15 feet it is like trying if balance a wet noodle. So if you really need a rough shot it is nice, but your not throwing control points with it at more then 8.5' in the air. We also just bought a new 2 meter fixed height seco rod. They have added a renforced area where the D.C. Claps on. They also changed the bipod to a type that can't be over tightened more like a flip lever type. I have not tried in the real world yet. https://www.surveying.com/en/quick-release-2-m-two-piece-rover-rod.html

NEIL T, post: 423255, member: 12302 wrote: We have one of the ultra lite poles 15 foot I think. It works fine all the way down, but at 15 feet it is like trying if balance a wet noodle. So if you really need a rough shot it is nice, but your not throwing control points with it at more then 8.5' in the air. We also just bought a new 2 meter fixed height seco rod. They have added a renforced area where the D.C. Claps on. They also changed the bipod to a type that can't be over tightened more like a flip lever type. I have not tried in the real world yet. https://www.surveying.com/en/quick-release-2-m-two-piece-rover-rod.html

One should never "throw control points" at a rod more than 6.5' in the air with a helluva lot of the pole visible.

I have two 15ft Seco poles and at full extension I must use a mini prism because of the weight of a regular prism and the target in the breeze will bow the pole.
The only setup I have for that height are a couple of two section aluminum 2 meter poles that are rigid and will stand the stress at 4 meter height.

Andy Nold, post: 423129, member: 7 wrote: I believe I've handled an older fiberglass rod before by a different manufacturer and I was not impressed. As I recall, it was cracking where the DC was clamped. How are you reinforcing the clamping area? I do favor the carbon fiber but the price tag is a little more than I wanted.

Yes like Jim said. (thanks Jim I used your idea). I also bandaged it with athletic tape round the split tube to give more grip. Just to clarify the springiness I noticed was when it was at full height. This is the tradeoff for lightness i suppose.

I think I had it figured out at one time that the thin chrome plated brass drain pipe for sinks was the right size to slip over a pole. However, the older I get, the more I realize I don't always remember things exactly as they happened.