wires

[mikewhite85]

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Hey guys. I am not a utility guy and try to stay away from wires. I do, however, have a really good customer with an electrical line going through his sycamore. We have done a bunch of work for him before and I'd love to do this one.

However, I am concerned about this wire. It is a high tension line from the top of the pole (see image) and actually touches the trunk of the tree (outlined in red). If this is something that will kill me if I accidentally touch it I am staying away from this job. I have heard that 2 lines actually need to touch in order to arc rather than another object that would ground it. Is this true or should I run away from this one? The HO said the tree was done 4 or 5 years prior and the arborist did not even mention the wire.

 

[cfield]

Can you get a picture of where the wire goes? I suspect its a guy wire, used for anchoring the pole in the opposite direction that the tension of the wires want to pull it. But if your nervous call the utility, they will answer any questions and make it safe for you, usually free of charge.

 

[deevo]

Yes, it will kill you if you touch it and maybe even if you don't.

Exactly, call for a service drop. They are free one per year around here. I have customers do it all the time. The other guy we will call "lucky" if he is still around. Electricity should not be taken for granted. That's a primary for sure and make contact with that, it'll be the last jolt you ever get. Stay safe and let us know.

 

[cfield]

Its hard to tell with the photos. Call the power co, and try to be there when they show up. Pick there brains with whatever questions you can think of. Most lineman are friendly and a wealth of information. Look into taking an electrical hazards class, at the very least do a search on you tube of trees and electricity, it'll open your eyes and a little bit of fear is a good thing. But definetly call the power co.

 

[treemandan]

Your client should call the power company so they can do something about that little problem there. I assume the wire is insulated because it hasn't set the tree on fire yet but the insulation will wear through and its possible that if someone just touches the tree they will get lit up. I would say either the tree comes down or a protective sheath is installed which will allow the wire to contact the tree without wearing the insulation through.

 

[802climber]

Call the power company. Can't even tell for sure from the pic. I would disregard what you have heard about the "2 lines" thing. I think it only applies to birds.

You gotta remember the tree is a ground. If you doubt this theory, test it out with an electric fence before you try it with three phase.

Also, You as well as Utility guys can get killed just as dead by backfeed on a Neutral wire, as from a Hot wire.

Best just not to mess with it if you're not sure, which you really can't be.. Even properly trained line clearance guys get the power shut off on a regular basis.

Around power lines, best to assume that anything could be hot - guy wires, service drops chewed or worn bare, they even say phone and cable lines, poles, the ground wire on the pole......

 

[ATH]

....But if your nervous call the utility, they will answer any questions and make it safe for you, usually free of charge.

I don't care how comfortable or nervous you are or are not. If it is an energized line, mitigate the hazard. The power companies do this because it is easier than cleaning up the mess after the fact.

Just because the last guy wasn't smart enough to get it taken care of, doesn't mean you shouldn't.

 

[mikewhite85]

Thanks guys. I will call the LA Dept of water and power.

Mike

 

[mr. holden wood]

Yes, it will kill you if you touch it and maybe even if you don't.

Between you and I thats a guy wire. Its making direct contact with the tree and the crown looks like it been reduced for 10 feet of clearance from those uninsulated h.v. or that tree would be burnt to a crisp. Obvious advice is call someone who knows, personally I would just get better informed. Makes tree work pretty uneasy if you have no clue what yer working with.

 

[deevo]

Between you and I thats a guy wire. Its making direct contact with the tree and the crown looks like it been reduced for 10 feet of clearance from those uninsulated h.v. or that tree would be burnt to a crisp. Obvious advice is call someone who knows, personally I would just get better informed. Makes tree work pretty uneasy if you have no clue what yer working with.

Not to argue with you Holden, but there is an insulator on that wire, and guy wires are never placed on top where the primaries are. ( I did line clearance for a few years and have never seen a guy wire placed like in the pic ever before) Now being in Cali may be different but think it's standard across the board. Now reason why tree hasn't been scorched, well that's a interesting as well. We will wait for your answer Mike

 

[Jlhotstick3]

Hey guys in pretty new to this site , I like threads like this cuz I'm a lineman. The wires at the top of the pole are the highest voltage ( general rule) and are the primary, sometimes there's a poly ethylene coating on the primary wires and it will lay on a tree hot with no signs of burning at all. That is not to be treated as insulation, it may save you with an accidental contact, but avoid it at all costs. Another type out there is tree wire, this wire has 160 mills of insulation and its usually in heavily treed areas to cut back on trimming and outages. As far as an arc happening , they can be caused by 2 wires getting together or also by going phase to ground ( contact with an other object such as a tree or a metal boom etc) . I'm not sure what area you work in but the voltages can go from 2400v all the way up to 34,500v on distribution. The next set of wires down from the top are the secondary which is your normal 120/240 which by OSHA standard clearances is to avoid contact. As far as OSHA primary clearance it's : 1.1 - 15 .0 kv is 10 feet for the general persons unless trained otherwise. Hope this helps and stay safe!

 

[mikewhite85]

We did the job and did not die. Beastmaster was with us that day. Was a little tricky with the throwline.

 

[formationrx]

...

there is a lot of static around those lines... you can get zapped without touching it... be safe.. have it dropped...

 

[pro94lt]

We did the job and did not die. Beastmaster was with us that day. Was a little tricky with the throwline.

well can you enlighten us of all the details... were they charged? did they disconect? on and on

 

[mikewhite85]

They were charged and we avoided them like the plague. I don't recall most of the details because it was in October or November.

I was only on the job site for about an hour because I was doing estimates for most of the day. Beastmaster could enlighten us more since he was in the tree.

 

[beastmaster]

Though I avoided it just on GP, I don't think they were live. In the neighbor's yard there was rope tied off to them, why I don't know. but they had it tied off to a tree. I bounced a branch or two off them also. The insulation was rubbed off in a lot of places where they were against limbs and there was no burn marks. Better safe then sorry, I did get pretty close to them several times but avoided them just in case.
It was strange though. That wire just came out of left field all by its self. Power to the house came from the front of the house where the poles went up the street. That line snuck in the back from who knows where.