powerlines

[ropensaddle]

My "preachings" are FACT, back up by numerous links to industry sources, not some old guy who had umpty-seven years of "experience", and probably didn't know a Coulomb from a Columbian.


The worst danger is from old-wives tales, like "weather coating" on service drops.


In this case, I can't think of anything more dangerous than equating "insulation" with safety.

In the industry, insulation means high or infinite resistance everything marked insulated is usually used for safety. Hot stick,blankets and rubber up is examples of insulation that protect linesmen and tree men from exposure. I somewhat agree that just because insulated does not mean safe but insulated in the industry usually means it has been made as SAFE AS POSSIBLE this can be done with special rubber blankets, insulated gloves with leather protectors, on down to properly isolated circuits. Your calling it insulation where as: someone who was an electrical engineer for the last power company I worked for said no. Tell me how someone believing a SERVICE IS NOT INSULATED is at risk of safety? I feel he will be less likely to touch it.

PS; it is not amps or volts that kill it is resistance to the flow of electrical currant that is the deciding factor.

 

[PaulPollard]

Hey, nice post there ertreesurgeon! Good info there.

You guys are all pretty cool in my books for working near power lines everyday and still being around to talk about it!

I had no idea they did THIS until I saw the video...some words of wisdom near the end for us tree workers too.

High power line workers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIjC7DjoVe8&feature=related

 

[ropensaddle]

My "preachings" are FACT, back up by numerous links to industry sources, not some old guy who had umpty-seven years of "experience", and probably didn't know a Coulomb from a Columbian.


The worst danger is from old-wives tales, like "weather coating" on service drops.


In this case, I can't think of anything more dangerous than equating "insulation" with safety.

I have had line men say it is killed out on storm work and I had to object. Dropping a fuse handle and grounding pig tail is not proper isolation, many experts disagree but I have seen experiments prove other wise. I will not let my men work on downed lines unless they have been properly isolated on both sides of the work. I had my own grounding chains and insisted on proper isolation. Many of the line men don't want to do all that's necessary to insure a safe site but in emergency operations working 35 hours straight you can bet I knew what made my boys safe and made damn sure it was done.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

We, in line clearance, are trained that the secondary lines are not to be considered insulated from a human contact standpoint, because they are not.

They tell use to consider it weather protection. Fine. I'll do that, even though I know triplex has insulating properties, and obviously functions as such when in good condition.

I think it is a carry over teaching from the old open secondary system, were it is clearly just weather protection. That being said, it is a good policy to teach it that way as many open services are still all too plentiful.

Why allow for confusion, and why not be conservative on the side of caution?

To me, it is akin to teaching that primaries carry 7.2 when it is often less. We consider it 7.2 always as a rule.

 

[ropensaddle]

We, in line clearance, are trained that the secondary lines are not to be considered insulated from a human contact standpoint, because they are not.

They tell use to consider it weather protection. Fine. I'll do that, even though I know triplex has insulating properties, and obviously functions as such when in good condition.

I think it is a carry over teaching from the old open secondary system, were it is clearly just weather protection. That being said, it is a good policy to teach it that way as many open services are still all too plentiful.

Why allow for confusion, and why not be conservative on the side of caution?

To me, it is akin to teaching that primaries carry 7.2 when it is often less. We consider it 7.2 always as a rule.

Open secondaries suck lmfao I have seen them cause outage with merely one wind blown sucker growth. Peta to trim around imho.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Open secondaries suck lmfao I have seen them cause outage with merely one wind blown sucker growth. Peta to trim around imho.

Fact.

They need to be outlawed...lol.

 

[Ertreesurgeon]

Fact.

They need to be outlawed...lol.

I love trimming vine covered mulberry trees buried in the bare aluminum open wire secondaries. With no spreaders of course. It like a game of operation. That's why I'm a tree surgeon.

 

[ropensaddle]

I love trimming vine covered mulberry trees buried in the bare aluminum open wire secondaries. With no spreaders of course. It like a game of operation. That's why I'm a tree surgeon.

Lmfao bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt I like the old copper ones even better lmfao


PS: did I tell ya I see a nova in your future like tomorrow lol

 

[Bigus Termitius]

We enjoy copper ourselves. It can be tricky, but I have little mercy. I have respect and try not to tear anything up, but I haven't much time to spend being too particular.

 

[Rftreeman]

Open secondaries suck lmfao I have seen them cause outage with merely one wind blown sucker growth. Peta to trim around imho.

:agree2:

I welded the chain to the bar on my pole saw when it crossed two lines on the open secondaries...had them smack and make fire works a few times to..

 

[ropensaddle]

:agree2:

I welded the chain to the bar on my pole saw when it crossed two lines on the open secondaries...had them smack and make fire works a few times to..

Ever see a triplex burn? I witnessed a few they blow fire and then every few minutes the weather coating gets hot and another foot puuuuuuuuuuuf all the way to the can a foot or two at a time lmfao

 

[ropensaddle]

Another sight to see is when a limb or tree goes across a three phase and after a while big blue fireballs begin to go back and forth down the lines lol. Ice storms are cool lol. Jacobs ladders are even better!

 

[Rftreeman]

Another sight to see is when a limb or tree goes across a three phase and after a while big blue fireballs begin to go back and forth down the lines lol. Ice storms are cool lol. Jacobs ladders are even better!

this is even better when there's more than one circuit on the poles, big ole ball of blue fire.....

 

[treecowboy67]

insulated

I have been an arborist for about 15 yrs and line clearance certified for the last 3, As far as I have been told lines are not insulated but coated; for weather and corrosion protection; not for our protection. If your not qualified for it don't take the chance.

 

[ropensaddle]

Ok now a question for the other experienced line clearance specialist here.
How many have experienced indirect contact of some sort and how many times?

 

[treecowboy67]

contact

twice, both times pulling cut branches out of apple trees(service lines)

 

[Rftreeman]

Ok now a question for the other experienced line clearance specialist here.
How many have experienced indirect contact of some sort and how many times?

I got bit on the butt a couple of times, thought I'd found a hornets nest, makes it taste like you got a nickle in your mouth....

 

[ropensaddle]

I got bit on the butt a couple of times, thought I'd found a hornets nest, makes it taste like you got a nickle in your mouth....

Yup most including my self have experienced indirect contact that is; if you done the work long enough. My worst and near last time was years ago when my boss at big O thought correct overhang removal was using a hand saw underneath the limb and breaking it back. It was a gum limb and it snapped with me holding the limb and it going over three phases. I came down and stayed in the shade a while after that one. I decided right then I would use a rope for all overhang and never had any serious contact since those early days. I have felt it though the tree since but was out of the path of least resistance. I was lucky that day in the eighties and learned how to make it less serious afterward. I usually clear the burning limbs with a pruner from the ground then climb and set my ropes to pull it clear or hinge if there is enough room to do so never felt shock in that method of clearing.

 

[Ertreesurgeon]

Ok now a question for the other experienced line clearance specialist here.
How many have experienced indirect contact of some sort and how many times?

I'm proud to say only a few. Maybe only 3 times in 11 year of line clearance. I spent most of my time with the climbing crews not the bucket. It's much easier to get a tingle climbing. It was usually while trimming in the rain thru a wet pole clip. Once it was through a cable wire that was being energized by a 34 kv live. I was in one of those burried mulberries I was talking about.

 

[STLfirewood]

Any of you guys that have experience with line want to come to St. Louis and finish taking down a big oak that is over power lines? I know it's going to cost a lot. There is most likely one full day in the tree. Rope you up for it? I could get tickets for a cardinal game also for whoever wants to do it.

Thanks Scott