Electric Services in Illinois

[goldstar]

While visiting my son in Illinois this past week I noticed that many communities in his area have their electric services and utility poles located in their back yards and not in the street. While I initially thought this was a good idea and less unsightly from the front of the house I wondered how the POCO's service these poles. What if the transformer blows out and they have to replace it ? Do they back their bucket trucks onto the respective lawns ?

I also noticed that the sag in the power lines is below 12'. This is a photo of my son's back yard neighbor :



The sag in the wire starts out at around 15' at the utility pole and ends up going through the tree and hitting the house at around 8' (no mast). Is this a typical and accepted installation or a potential hazard ?

Just curious.

 

[kwired]

I'm sure there probably is utility easements that give them the right to access their equipment when necessary.

Over time trees, gardens, etc. get planted that technically are on that easement area.

Not all lines are at the rear of the property around here, but there probably is more at the rear then at the front in most towns.

Water and sewer are usually at the front, electric and communications often at the rear. Gas maybe a few more at the rear then the front but kind of a mix of both front and rear.

 

[JFletcher]

Here, overhead services are attached directly to the house, are usually attached at the peak and a good 12 to 14 feet off the ground. The sag in the middle of the run may be 10 to 12 ft off the ground, but no lower. 8 feet sounds too low, however it would not take much deflection or bend of the pole to drop a cable a few feet in the center.

I thought code required that any aerial power lines be at least 12 feet off the ground, and 15 if it passed over a street

 

[jaggedben]

That sort of thing sucks for grounding when you have to run a GEC from the service panel to the water pipe.

 

[growler]

I wondered how the POCO's service these poles. What if the transformer blows out and they have to replace it ? Do they back their bucket trucks onto the respective lawns ?

I wouldn't want to try and get a bucket truck in there after a couple weeks of rain and the ground really soaked.

You will always have a few poles on private property but I have also seen the trucks get stuck in the mud.

 

[growler]

Here, overhead services are attached directly to the house, are usually attached at the peak and a good 12 to 14 feet off the ground. The sag in the middle of the run may be 10 to 12 ft off the ground, but no lower. 8 feet sounds too low, however it would not take much deflection or bend of the pole to drop a cable a few feet in the center.

I see these written up on home inspections ( low service cables).

There are areas where you will see cables not much over 8-9 ft above grade (older homes) and no one doing anything about it.

 

[kwired]

Here, overhead services are attached directly to the house, are usually attached at the peak and a good 12 to 14 feet off the ground. The sag in the middle of the run may be 10 to 12 ft off the ground, but no lower. 8 feet sounds too low, however it would not take much deflection or bend of the pole to drop a cable a few feet in the center.

I thought code required that any aerial power lines be at least 12 feet off the ground, and 15 if it passed over a street

Maybe codes weren't enforced or weren't well enforced at one time, or even POCO's that didn't have same standards they have today leaving you with some of these installs. Have some old installs here and there around these parts that wouldn't be allowed today. If a storm takes down such a drop they usually will put it back up. If it is only 8 feet off the ground they will usually give the owner a notice to make changes or be disconnected - once the right person discovers it anyway.

That said the service drop is usually the POCO's responsibility to enforce any clearances they wish to enforce and not covered by NEC.

 

[hbiss]

Back Yard Easement. Not that uncommon and can be a real PITA when people put up fences, landscaping and dogs. Many times you have to get permission from the property owner to get in there with a bucket truck because you have to go on his property to get to the easement. That's why most are serviced by lineman and gaffs.

-Hal

 

[kwired]

Back Yard Easement. Not that uncommon and can be a real PITA when people put up fences, landscaping and dogs. Many times you have to get permission from the property owner to get in there with a bucket truck because you have to go on his property to get to the easement. That's why most are serviced by lineman and gaffs.

-Hal

Yes, I've seen them climb poles in such areas for minor maintenance. If a transformer on said pole needs replaced or even if the pole needs replaced - they are driving heavier equipment on someone's lawn, and not always on the area designated as the easement area because it is blocked by something.

 

[goldstar]

I wouldn't want to try and get a bucket truck in there after a couple weeks of rain and the ground really soaked.

You will always have a few poles on private property but I have also seen the trucks get stuck in the mud.

That was my whole point. Easement or not, I wouldn't want those heavy bucket trucks traversing onto my property and leaving tire tracks in the lawn. I once had a tree cut down on my property and the tree surgeon had lengths of plywood he placed down before driving the crane onto my lawn. When I got home you didn't even know he had been there. Are POCO's going to carry plywood on their trucks and lay it down before driving onto the lawn ? Probably not.:happyno:

FWIW, the service drop is not over a walkway or street so i guess enforcing the 12' rule is often overlooked. However, you obviously can't fly a kite with your grandson in the back yard.:happysad:

 

[jim dungar]

Are POCO's going to carry plywood on their trucks and lay it down before driving onto the lawn ? :happysad:

They did when they replaced the pole and transformer in my backyard. They are responsible for damage in non-easement areas.

 

[kwired]

They did when they replaced the pole and transformer in my backyard. They are responsible for damage in non-easement areas.

They also have easement for the purpose of gaining access. If that is blocked that is a violation of the easement. If they choose to be extra careful when in that situation it is a courtesy and not necessarily a requirement. If they wanted, they could cut down trees or move anything that violates the easement.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

They also have easement for the purpose of gaining access. If that is blocked that is a violation of the easement. If they choose to be extra careful when in that situation it is a courtesy and not necessarily a requirement. If they wanted, they could cut down trees or move anything that violates the easement.

Around here the problem is that the easement is not larger enough to permit trucks of any kind. Typically it is 6-8 feet wide. They do have a boom lift that will fit in the easement space. With the pole in the center, even the boom lift gets outside of the easement when going around the poles. In a couple of the neighborhoods, as the poles got to or beyond their life, they have switched to underground distribution.

 

[kwired]

Around here the problem is that the easement is not larger enough to permit trucks of any kind. Typically it is 6-8 feet wide. They do have a boom lift that will fit in the easement space. With the pole in the center, even the boom lift gets outside of the easement when going around the poles. In a couple of the neighborhoods, as the poles got to or beyond their life, they have switched to underground distribution.

Maybe it is time to change the easement requirements if not wide enough? Maybe they already did but there is a lot of "grandfathered" stuff still out there?

 

[norcal]

In 1950's & 60's subdivisions here, (PG&E territory) the poles are in the backyards, now regs require underground utilities in subdivisions.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Maybe it is time to change the easement requirements if not wide enough? Maybe they already did but there is a lot of "grandfathered" stuff still out there?

As far as I know they don't install any new overhead lines in backyard easements. The do still install underground sometimes, but that does not take as big of equipment and the 6-8' easement works fine for underground...as long as the property owners don't encroach on it with fences or outbuildings.