Firewood & Powerlines!!

[ReggieT]

Hey Guys,

Went to look at a nice 50 ft blow down of Red Oak yesterday.
Laid pretty horizontal root ball exposed...yet has several long limbs still draped over a power line...there are several cable and phone lines down besides the tree as well.
Tree fell about 5 days ago...about 40% rot in the roots and trunk area...yet a ton of good wood.

The guy who called me out used to do some maintenance there and says the power has been off for "years" and is abandoned.
I did some reading up on powerlines ability to transfer via the sap in a tree & how they can make tree limbs VERY LIVE!
What is you guys experience on working around tree's entangled in power lines & how would you handle this matter?

Thanks,
Reg
...btw...gotta real creepy feeling about this...I believe I'm gonna pass...but still need feedback.

 

[svk]

Call the power company. They can tell you for sure what's up.

 

[olyman]

the power co, wont charge you a dime, to come out and look,,and make sure of that guys statement....they want NO accidents..and if that line IS live,,they will cause you no end of grief getting near it...........

 

[ReggieT]

the power co, wont charge you a dime, to come out and look,,and make sure of that guys statement....they want NO accidents..and if that line IS live,,they will cause you no end of grief getting near it...........

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Many years back my Dad and I were building a stable for a few cows. I handed him a 2by over the electric fence. It got too close to the wire and zapped both of us!
So just imagine with a tree full of water and possible high voltage.

 

[HuskStihl]

Just pee on the lines and see if it tingles.
I had thought this was another @BWS-LLC thread where we'd have to again say "no Genius, utility poles are not firewood!"

 

[zogger]

Added bonus, plenty of heavy scrap wire for extension cord projects!

 

[Oldman47]

Typical stuff used by the power company won't be much good for an extension cord. It is usually aluminum and un-insulated.

 

[Dalmatian90]

What is you guys experience on working around tree's entangled in power lines & how would you handle this matter?
View attachment 474764 View attachment 474765

If you have to ask, you don't.

Let the utility crews clear the wires; or at least disconnect them from the pole.

If they have disconnected from the poles, it will be up to you to make sure there are no generators or other sources (solar panels with damaged equipment?) on the house side back feeding.

Between the storms having caused widespread damage and copper thieves stealing grounds off poles and potentially houses over the years there is just a whole bunch of ways this could go wrong -- even along the normally low-voltage communication lines.

 

[Dalmatian90]

And if you're going to do firewood and powerlines, go big or go home:

Second highest electric rates in the nation, and Can't Light & Power used to have wonderful right-of-way maintenance programs that allowed firewooders to drop trees on their high lines :/

I can't even imagine how much damage a strong hurricane like '38 would've done on the transmission grid with that many trees withing striking distance.

 

[Olesenofalaska]

It sounds like a service drop to a house. Our power company will always check for danger even though it is often safe, on phone lines, etc... I would say call no matter what, even if you don't end up cutting it. It is better to have them remove/reduce the hazard for whoever comes along. It could also potentially eliminate a fire risk.

 

[rwoods]

ReggieT,

I bet your electric distributor is a TVA distributor and that they will be pleased to come inspect. In fact, most will likely fall for free any tree likely to hit their line or other electrical facility.

Ron

PS Yes, trees can carry juice without even showing it. Over thirty years ago an older brother and I were wheeling in WNC and came across a downed tree. Despite 36" tires the front diff snagged the stem. When I stepped out of the truck to investigate I got a pretty good electrical jolt. We hadn't bothered to look on the downhill side, the tree was in some power lines below our elevation. The juice was flowing through the tree to the truck and through me to the ground. When I let go of the truck it broke the circuit. If I had been bare foot or otherwise achieved a better ground, I probably wouldn't be here today.

 

[stihly dan]

Stick a multi meter to the tree and the ground, or use a sniffer. Then cut.

 

[ReggieT]

Thanks for the advice that was sensible.
Happy New Year!

 

[ReggieT]

Just pee on the lines and see if it tingles.
I had thought this was another @BWS-LLC thread where we'd have to again say "no Genius, utility poles are not firewood!"

I'll pass on the pissing contest smart ass...concerning the nature of this thread, "you thought wrong!"