Another silver maple with cables

[BostonBull]

Never heard of 36kv (or there abouts lol!) as Distribution? Welcome to New England! Most towns/cities are now running 22.5kv-25kv as standard voltage all the way up to 35kv (or there abouts).

Tim isn't the type to spout off, or lie to make a job out to be more than it is. If the utility says its 3*kv, then it is. Why embellish? Very common around here.

Tim, get what you can with a 75', and then climb and pick the rest. I bet when the weight above those cables is removed most of them, if not all, will slack in and release all their weight allowing you to cut them and work freely.

Good luck and take lots of pics!

 

[TMW]

Thanks Bull,

That is the plan; strip all that we can reach with the bucket and hope that the cables go slack. If not, I will have my Hobbs as a backup to assist with getting the cables off. Never cut cables under tension!

The rest is gravy, 120 ton pick from across the street.

I'll post when we are done.

 

[jerseywild]

It sometimes is hard to get a good feel for a job by the pictures. I think that this is one of those times. Good luck with the removal.

 

[allmark]

Again just looking at the photos it looks like a kboom would be usefull. Set up btwn the barn and rocks/shrub.

 

[pancake]

Any pics of the crane and operator TMW? I saw the Powerpoint at the sugarshack meeting, cool.

 

[TMW]

It hasn't been done yet. What pictures did you see at the Sugar Shack?

 

[pancake]

I was hoping to see shots of the crane setup. The Meeting last winter @ UNH with Kevin Smith.

 

[Kevin]

We have 44kv distribution step down transformers here.
The safe limits for 34.5kv are the same as 7200.
The 34.5kv requires an insulator height of 15 inches.

 

[TMW]

Down here,

7200 is 2'5"

and

34500 is 3'

 

[pancake]

How much trust do you guys put in the insulators the utility places over the distribution lines for us to work?

 

[TMW]

Keith,

Are you referring to "cover" when you say "insulator?"

 

[Kevin]

This is a typical 7200 line with a step down transformer here.

 

[Kevin]

Here's another with a tap.

 

[pancake]

Yes Tim, removable covers the utility places on the lines on request that have insulating capacity. Insulating covers? Not the weatherproofing material on some lines.

 

[TMW]

Covers do not allow you to get any closer than your MAD. That is to say, that we do not rely upon covers at all.

They are added insurance but are not "insulated."

 

[pancake]

PSNH says they have insulating value when they install them for us- otherwise why would we do it?. Not that we would get closer, just sleep better in the tree.

 

[TMW]

Most Utility companies will not say that they have insulating properties. They are an additional barrier but not to be relied upon and not insulated.

 

[pancake]

So what exactly are they for?

 

[TMW]

An extra level of protection in cases where it isn't possible to de-energize the lines.

The point is that they are not to be considered insulation and they do not allow us to get closer than our MAD.

 

[Kevin]

http://www.weberelectricsupply.com/lnhs.html