Duke Energy has gone mad

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A friend of mine has been asking around and found out that Piedmont EMC is now requiring 6x6 poles as well. They had been a bit easier to deal with in my experience, though I didn't do a lot of work in their market. I guess it's epidemic.
 
In our area it has been a 6x6x20' treated pole, 4' in the ground for many years. Now we also have to install a 1"x 5' pvc witness tube at the but of the pole so the inspector can verify the depth after install with a tape measure. I used to do them alone by hand all of the time, four foot holes with no cheating. We rent them out and have had 40 to 50 of them out there at any one time back in the day. After I wore myself out, about a dozen or so years ago, I bit the bullet and bought a digger derrick truck. Now it's pretty easy but still a two man job to keep things safe.
 
bkludecke said:
In our area it has been a 6x6x20' treated pole, 4' in the ground for many years. Now we also have to install a 1"x 5' pvc witness tube at the but of the pole so the inspector can verify the depth after install with a tape measure. I used to do them alone by hand all of the time, four foot holes with no cheating. We rent them out and have had 40 to 50 of them out there at any one time back in the day. After I wore myself out, about a dozen or so years ago, I bit the bullet and bought a digger derrick truck. Now it's pretty easy but still a two man job to keep things safe.
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Is that all over CA or just your vicinity? What part of the state are you in? What type soil do you mostly see? What weather conditions? I could maybe see it in places always prone to hurricanes or tornadoes, if a heavier pole would hold up better. 1st I've heard of the "witness tube". I guess we will have to do that too in the near future.
 
Dennis, I just heard back from 1 of the good guys I have known at Duke. Says he was told a lot of 4x4's were falling over. I have a hard time believing that. Seems we would have heard of some of them anyway.

Anyone else on here from NC, in Duke Energy districts? Have you heard of poles falling over?
 
jmellc said:
Dennis, I just heard back from 1 of the good guys I have known at Duke. Says he was told a lot of 4x4's were falling over. I have a hard time believing that. Seems we would have heard of some of them anyway.

Anyone else on here from NC, in Duke Energy districts? Have you heard of poles falling over?
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That may be true but I never had one fall over. We did put one in years ago and I pushed it and the stakes came up. I now use unistrut and drive it deep in the ground.

I imagine if they went 4' with a 4x4 it won't fall over. I think the 6x6 is to give them more room to lay the ladder on the post.
 
jmellc said:
Dennis, I just heard back from 1 of the good guys I have known at Duke. Says he was told a lot of 4x4's were falling over. I have a hard time believing that. Seems we would have heard of some of them anyway.

Anyone else on here from NC, in Duke Energy districts? Have you heard of poles falling over?
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What kind of soil are they being put into?

Are they tipping over or breaking off?
 
kwired said:
What kind of soil are they being put into?

Are they tipping over or breaking off?
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I was told tipping over, in spite of supports. Most of our soil in central NC is red clay & rocky. Soil further east is mostly sandy. I worked years ago in Wilson, NC area. Some sandy areas there, some clay. We put 4x4 poles 3-4 feet in ground and never had one fall. From 2002 to 2012, I installed 4x4 sawpoles around central NC and never had any of them fall either. I don't argue that it may have happened but I'd think we would all hear about it if it happened much.

In fact, I have had to cut a few poles at the ground because they were too hard to get out.
 
Craigv said:
Ever (tried to) use a powered auger with an extension? I'm a big guy, but pulling up an auger full of dirt that high is beyond exhausting. Same with the pole. Rig or not, you have to lift and move it, usually more than a few times...don't forget removal...:D
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If it were easy, anybody could do it.:D
 
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