Pole Climbing:

[jimwalker]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Now we understand the problem,you been watching green acres too much .I enjoy them too but not out climing poles or trees.My phone is not on a pole.You really need a safer hobby.

 

[physis]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Now I know how to get Charlie's attention.

 

[charlie]

Re: Pole Climbing:

 

[safeguy]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Interesting and anecdotic is the POLE CLIMBING topic being discussed in this Forum....!
It seems to bring a lot of fun and not so fun memories, from everybody...!

UTILITY POLE CLIMBING...has to be accelerating, to say the least, especially when one is surrounded by high voltages...! And I regret, in a way, never to have had such an experience...!

Alhough, yes, in my Navy days, I was forced to climb...while moving... the 87' main mast of the schooner I was at the time..., and of course, my stomach moved with it...!
It was suppose to build my confidence and character...or so the -decks petty officer- told me...YEAH RIGHT!

Well. I think I'll rather climb a " POLE " surrounded by high seas...than "ONE SURROUNDED BY HIGH VOLTAGES"...!

Nonetheless, the hole thing prompted a question in my mind....HOW DEEP ARE UTILITY POLES SUPPOSE TO BE IN THE GROUND...AND DOES THE WEIGHT BEARING OR DIFFERENT SOILS... PLAY A ROLE IN THOSE REQUIREMENTS...?

Any input on this will be greatly appreciated...!
Thank you.

 

[charlie]

Re: Pole Climbing:

In normal soil, the setting depth is 10% + 2' or 6' for a 40' pole. We use the same rule for poles from 30' to 115'. The rule changes to a lesser depth in the ANSI standard but since we don't use that rule, I don't know what the pole size is for the reduction in setting depth.

 

[apauling]

Re: Pole Climbing:

I have seen the phone lines flip a 20'+ by 20"+ log into the air. Large tree, 100'+ eucalyptus, drove wires to ground. went through high voltage, low voltage, took phone lines to ground, crew comes out and cuts top off tree leaving 30 or more feet, then cuts at trunk. Log got flipped into air as phone lines popped back up. Don't think you need top worry about a chubby lineman either.

paul

 

[physis]

Re: Pole Climbing:

By Charlie:

In normal soil, the setting depth is 10% + 2' or 6' for a 40' pole. We use the same rule for poles from 30' to 115'. The rule changes to a lesser depth in the ANSI standard but since we don't use that rule, I don't know what the pole size is for the reduction in setting depth.

I'm surprised they don't fall down.

[ March 16, 2005, 04:26 PM: Message edited by: physis ]

 

[charlie]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Soil is pretty solid, generally the pole will break first. If the soil is not stable or we have quite a bit of lateral forces on the pole (slack spans or quite a bit of prevailing wind), we will backfill the pole with #53 stone instead of tamped earth. The 53s will keep the pole from drifting into a lean over time.

 

[bphgravity]

Re: Pole Climbing:

I recall a program on the History Channel that claimed one of the towers for the Brooklyn Bridge never made it down to bedrock and is basically "floating" in place.

I don't know what this has to do with this topic, but Charlie's pole installation description made me think of this.

 

[physis]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Leverage wise it just seems like it ain't deep enough. I'm sure if I could only reach up there I'd be able to push it right over.

 

[sandsnow]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Originally posted by physis:
Leverage wise it just seems like it ain't deep enough. I'm sure if I could only reach up there I'd be able to push it right over.

Here, I'll give a boost!!

The pole will snap before the butt pops out of the ground. With our limited resources way back when; we would hook up a 2.5 ton truck to a pole at the top, snap it in half, then pull the butt out of the ground with a skip loader. We would half to rock it quite a bit to get it out.

 

[safeguy]

Re: Pole Climbing:

Thank you, Charlie...for your reply to my question. Sorry. Didn't have a chance till now to aknowledge your answer. Some how somebody must've figured all this out pretty good....as to how deep a pole goes in....'cause don't hear too often about UTILITIES POLES FALLING DOWN......!
However,...Hmmmm...still a little too shallow for my taste...!
Thanks again for your reply....!

 

[charlie]

Re: Pole Climbing:

If it were not for the fact that poles were solid in soil, a lot of leaning poles would be on the ground. We have prevailing winds from the west and have had problems with poles developing a lean to the east. They are not dangerous but do look bad. Most of the time, we set new mainline poles (the main feeder circuits) in #53 stone for stability. It doesn't make the pole stronger but it does keep it from leaning.