Pneumatic mast is developed and designed long time ago due to the easy structure and maintenance it is the most popular masts around the world. Because it is air operated, you can’t prevent the air molecule from leaking, so if you plan to use the mast for months and weeks, you probably would need to install a locking collar between mast section or you have to apply an air pressure sensor in the circuit of pump kit to main the pressure of mast. When pump supplying air into the mast tubing, certain amount of moisture will go inside the tube as well, in winter condition, the moisture will cause the mast collar from freezing or the seal side will have little pieces of ice, it would hurt the seal and stop the mast from normal working.
With sandy or dust harsh environment, the small dust or sand might go inside of pneumatic telescopic mast tube, in the long run, it will cause the pneumatic seal life span shortened.
So pneumatic telescopic mast has its structural disadvantages compare to mechanical or electric telescoping mast.
Mechanical telescopic mast is sometimes cable driven. With stainless steel rope, you can elevate the mast to 10meter or even more height. The manufacturing time for mechanical mast is a lot more compare to pneumatic mast, making 1 unit of mechanical mast equals to making 10 units of pneumatic mast. So apparently the price for mechanical mast will be higher than pneumatic mast.
