power lines

[tramp bushler]

We most definitely have ( a way things have to be done) and time , money and a lot of guys getting killed have proven that out.


So here's a? When you guys are coming down out of the tree. Do u use an 8 below your friction hitch?

 

[Zale]

No, just nice and easy so I don't glaze my hitch. Figure 8 tends to hockle (sp?) the rope up as you come down.

 

[sgreanbeans]

he got no business sticking a saw in it.

That made me laugh, going to keep that one!

 

[TheJollyLogger]

We most definitely have ( a way things have to be done) and time , money and a lot of guys getting killed have proven that out.


So here's a? When you guys are coming down out of the tree. Do u use an 8 below your friction hitch?

Tramp, if it's a longer descent I'll switch from my vt to an eight to save wear on my rope and hitch. Or if I have it ready to pull I'll come down on the bullrope. I carry a large rescue eight that will take a doubled climbline or a 3/4 bullrope. Saves wear and tear and , well, it's fun!

 

[pdqdl]

Any logger that ( Drops) a tree should be fired just out of hand.
If he can't ( fall) it he got no business sticking a saw in it.

...

Ok. I gots to pick on you now.

Since this is arb 101, you need to unnerstan' that you uneddicated west coast fellers are abusing the english language.
[..........please note the clever use of colloquial speech to emphasize my use of the term "fellers" with a dual meaning/usage "fellers: those fellows who cut down trees for a living.]

One does not "fall" anything. When something is falling, it is due to gravity and some activity that has terminated whatever has been holding it up. When something is dropped, it is due to an action that causes that object to fall.

So...being grammatically superior to you west coast fallers, us arbs "drop" trees rather than "fall" them.

[Note1: I realize that it is pure folly to consider that any west coast tree workers will ever consider modifying their trade jargon due to my comments. Nonetheless, I feel entitled since it isn't your forum. otstir:]

[Note2: one can accurately argue that a tree is "felled" (but not falled, nor fallen) by a tree worker who might be out felling trees all day long without ever breaking any grammatical rules. You fellers just need to get up to speed on your arb terminology]

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Drop it, fellit, fall it, just don't hit the dam house.

 

[lone wolf]

Hey Mike look at this!

I searched and found some threads with answers but not real specific. I usually have the homeowner call and get the utility company trim the limbs that are in the power line. on a service line, I have them take it down. if I cant have either done or am nervous, I pass on the job. I looked at a white pine today. its a massive tree. some of the needles, probably the last foot of limb, is in the power line on the street. its not heavy limb contact and probably 30' from the trunk. I don't need to be near the line to remove the limb. if I cut the limb, it would fall right down. the stuff above I can tip rig. my question is, should I call for this? would this amount of contact be a threat? I can do it from all rope, no spikes, if that helps. I could hand saw it. really, I want to be safe. I don't trust electricity and don't know what safe limits are other than stay away from it. if its in an energized line, wouldn't it be fried? or is the wire insulation preventing this? am I paranoid?

[video]http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tree+explodes+powerlines&mid=8200BADCD002B8E710FE8200BADCD002B8E710FE&view=detail&FORM=VIRE5[/video]

Watch it all the way to the end and see if this answers your question!

 

[miko0618]

so was the second bolt the test surge when the line shorts?

this is exactly why I don't mess with power wires.

 

[rarefish383]

I'm glad that is settled.

If it is any consolation, I don't go near the power lines either. At least not the primaries. I don't really have too much respect for the secondaries (house wiring voltage) because I know the voltage wont travel down my ropes, nor bridge an air gap and come electrocute me. That, and I am sure that I can keep from being the conduit to ground for 120 volts.

I know you are talking about the secondary's, but just to be sure no one misunderstands, a dry rope makes a real good conductor,I know. I was doing all of the roping from up in the tree because I had a friend on the ground that didn't know how to run ropes. Middle of July, not a drop of rain in weeks, dry as popcorn. I let the tip of a Maple limb brush a line and got buzzed pretty good. Spent the next hour with the pole saw cutting little pieces off the end till it was clear, Joe.

 

[lone wolf]

I know you are talking about the secondary's, but just to be sure no one misunderstands, a dry rope makes a real good conductor,I know. I was doing all of the roping from up in the tree because I had a friend on the ground that didn't know how to run ropes. Middle of July, not a drop of rain in weeks, dry as popcorn. I let the tip of a Maple limb brush a line and got buzzed pretty good. Spent the next hour with the pole saw cutting little pieces off the end till it was clear, Joe.

What did you lay it on 7200? Was the rope new and clean or old with dirt on it etc?

 

[pdqdl]

I know you are talking about the secondary's, but just to be sure no one misunderstands, a dry rope makes a real good conductor,I know. I was doing all of the roping from up in the tree because I had a friend on the ground that didn't know how to run ropes. Middle of July, not a drop of rain in weeks, dry as popcorn. I let the tip of a Maple limb brush a line and got buzzed pretty good. Spent the next hour with the pole saw cutting little pieces off the end till it was clear, Joe.

Secondaries are generally never higher than 480 volts. That will not go down any dry rope hat I know of. The branches themselves might carry a taste of electricity back to you.

 

[lone wolf]

Secondaries are generally never higher than 480 volts. That will not go down any dry rope hat I know of. The branches themselves might carry a taste of electricity back to you.

Dirty or oily rope will carry I am told.

 

[pdqdl]

I had a KCPL lineman tell me not to worry about getting my rope over a primary once. I was completely shocked (by his statement) and asked him how he could say that. My rope was clearly not a clean new rope, and I pointed that out. He began to mumble around a little then, and admitted that a really dirty rope might not be a good idea over a primary.

Given that the average primary in our area is at 14kv or more (they are phasing out the 7k lines), I feel pretty safe with a rope over a shielded secondary.

I cut down a large dead silver maple once, using a rope winch to pull it in the right direction. When it hit the ground, the branch that my pull line was tied off on shattered and flung a 20-30lb chunk of wood about 50 feet backwards, up and over the primary wire feeding the transformer in the area, and then back down to the ground. :msp_w00t:

It was incredible, I have never seen anything like it before or since.

I had no insulated tools nor any experience with the problem, it was a Saturday, and I figured we would never get a lineman to come out to the rural location to pull our rope out. I made a few pokes at the rope with progressively less insulating materials until I felt safe in touching the rope. No shocks whatsoever, I untied the chunk of wood and pulled out the rope.

It is pretty scary playing with high voltage when you are not qualified; I don't recommend it to anyone.

 

[freeweight]

Man grabs high voltage train wire NOT FOR WEAK HEARTED - YouTube

 

[tramp bushler]

Sorry freeweight ; I didn't click the link. There are just some things that I Don't want to see.

 

[freeweight]

yea its pretty crazy ,i would never climb near a power line,a latin guy that used to work for us had a power pruner up a tree and it hit a power line ,he died

friend of mine from school supposedly was cutting the last limb or the top out of a pine and it layed ofver on the line ,he died

 

[beastmaster]

I got buzzed pretty good years ago when a 1 in. three strand rope went over some primarily. My trimming saw was still running I cut the bull line. It wasn't life threatening bad I don't think, but not comfortable either. Electricity can travel through rope from dirt and moisture. Same with a fiberglass poll. Foamfilled ones suppose to be safer because dirt and moisture can't build up inside like it can in a hollow one.
I work sometimes with this guy who's brother used a pool scupper aluminum handle on his prunner head, tell one day he touched a HV line with it. Killed him instantly.

 

[tramp bushler]

Thanks guys for gettin me good and scared. . We are in the last half of summer here and Valdez, where I'm climbing is a rain forest. So its the start of the rainy season. I just leave the limbs that are over the lines. If they want to do a new contract then that's fine. Just too many horror stories for me to fool with it. And they seem very happy with what I've been doing. I think they get more line sag from the snow than they do limb sag.

 

[miko0618]

after all this and some research I feel much better about powerlines. just out of curiosity, can a service line conduct through a limb?

 

[pdqdl]

Yes.

That being said, it is very unlikely to conduct electricity down the branch, out through the bark, electrocute a climber, and then finish back down to ground. Service lines are usually wrapped with a grounding outer shield, and that makes it pretty hard to short out fatally.

Now if that service line was three separate of 480 service line, and you cut a branch that swept across the not-so-insulating black wrap on the wire, and your old metal handled chainsaw was the only bridge to ground through your spurs buried in the tree...it might not look so good for your future.

For the most part, it takes big voltage to bridge things like leather gloves, plastic handles on saws, fiberglass pruning poles, and non-conductive rope. If you ask the power company, they will tell you to keep the #### away from the service lines.

If you are not grounded in any way, you are pretty safe from any form of electricity. Just look at all the pigeons you can find sitting on a primary. Standing in my (dry) tennis shoes on the ceramic tiles in my bathroom, I have deliberately pinched the bare hot lead (120v) while live wiring the light switch, just to prove a point to my wife. That works out entirely different if you are on a concrete floor in your bare feet, or get careless and touch the plumbing or something else grounded. I have also watched primary voltage flowing down a wood utility pole in a huge glowing river of electricity. It wasn't enough current to blow the circuit breakers, but it was enough to slowly incinerate the power pole. Electricity flows to ground. If there is too much resistance, there is no current.