Setting light poles

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wawireguy

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I was wondering how people safely set light poles? I haven't done very many of them but will be working with someone soon doing this. Want to know the proper way to do it. I'm sure they'll just throw a load strap around it and hoist away.
 
Rent a crane for a few hours, bucket truck with a jib, or you can even ratchet strap them to a backhoe bucket and lift them that way. They're really not that heavy. I've pulled them up manually from a scissors lift already. Not much fun, but certainly possible. Your method will mostly depend on how many you have to do, and what sort of equipment is handy.
 
if your only asking about setting the pole, not creating the concrete base, then I would say make sure you have the right truck there to do it. Should have a winch and maybe a claw at the top. IMO, have the wires pulled already, taped together (so you can feed through hand hole), and make damn sure the bolt pattern is the same as the base and a large socket set. Setting them should go quick.

- always cone off the area around pole in the event of an accident... been there, done that

I am referring to light poles 30' +
 
Hire a crane.

Have everything prepped before the crane gets there. Pre level your nuts. Make sure your bolts are aligned. Tape your wires so you don't have to fight with them. Lay the poles in smart places. Sometimes you can set more than one from the same location.


If you don't have a bucket truck it's not a bad idea to get power and test them before they go up.


If the fixture arm is bolted thru the pole you can just loop the strap around it.

If the fixture is slip fitted you need to pick them up by the hand hole. A "C" clamp works nicely. One end of the strap goes on the clamp and the other end, slip knot style so it stops near the top. The crane hook is at the top but the load is on the bottom. Attach a tag line so you can pull the strap down when you are done.

The only point where it becomes really dangerous is when you stick your arm under and inside to help the wires feed thru. Avoid it if you can. If you keep your hands on the pole, your eyes open and obstacles out of the way, you should be able to get out of the way in case of catastrophic crane failure.

If prepared, you can set 10 poles an hour.

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The company we use has a custom made sling that has a hook on the end, you just put the hook in the hand hole slide the sling up the pole far enough that when its lifted the pole is slightly bottom heavy so its easy to manuver, but stands up as its lifted. Once its set and the nuts are on, the rigger lets off the upward pressure, and the sling slides down. Have set smaller poles by walking them up from the roof of a van with plywood on the ladder rack to walk on. Do not use a bucket truck unless it is rated for the weight. I worked for one company that used this method, and the pole broke loose from the bucket and caved in the roof of the truck. Luckily no one was hurt.
 
220/221 said:
We always put them @ 36" high. I want to make sure they can take a bump.
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...also makes it easier when troubleshooting/rewiring ~ at least you can stand up.
 
I have seen some pretty dangerous pole installations in my day.
Some morons think they can set the pole in a small bucket truck and expect you to put your body and hands under the pole while they insist on picking up the pole by hand.
I refused.
Call me back when you get a rope and secure it to something capable to lift this thing.
The same genius was removing a 45' 4 arm x 400 watt metal halide pole and was rushing the ground man who wasnt removing them fast enough for him.
The pole was hooked at the handhole with a halfhitch at the top. So he was trying to lift this heavy pole but the ground guy didnt see one ground wire was still attatched as he was trying to lift it and he put a lot of tension on the pole with the bucket truck screaming to cut the ground.
The ground guy cut the wire and the pole shot into the air about 5 ' up.
The whole thing was like in slow motion and the rope and the half hitch relaxed when it went weightless and the half hitch slid down to the bottom of the pole.
I yelled run!! and everyone ran for thier lives.
As the 4 metal halide heads reversed position with the base they smashed all over the parking lot.
as soon as the heads smashed off the base became the heavy end and once again changed places with the newly smashed light end with no arms and the base came smashing down again.
As soon as I had realized that no one got hurt I had to laugh at the genius.
Who was screaming at the poor ground guy who he quickly layed off.
 
Also makes it easier for trouble shooting/rewiring
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That reminds me. ALWAYS stub your conduit to the bottom of the handhole so it is VISABLE. I HATE when I have 3 or 4 sets of wires and I can't readily tell how to pair them up.

Then there is the genius who pulls the wire too short and pigtails then at the bottom of the pole.


Use the right color wire also. Color to color = no brainer.




As soon as I had realized that no one got hurt I had to laugh
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Holy crap !! That sounds like the lengendary tale of the bricklayer who was hoisting down a load of bricks that outweighed him but he hung on. The load smashed him on the way down, and dumped on the ground....which now made him heavier so it clipped him on the way up. When he hit the ground he let go and it nailed him a third time.

Urban legend but still funny.
 
I subbed a pole job out one time. 17- 30' direct bury concrete poles.
They showed up with an auger truck and a crane.
The auger guy started drilling holes, the crane dropped them in the hole, and we backfilled. We were finished in time to go to lunch early
 
That reminds me. ALWAYS stub your conduit to the bottom of the handhole so it is VISABLE. I HATE when I have 3 or 4 sets of wires and I can't readily tell how to pair them up.
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Of all the issues covered in this forum this has seldom been brought up and is a VERY GOOD POINT.

How many times have we discussed driven electrodes at a light pole, but something as important as this gets little attention.
 
We used an all terrain forklift to transport AND set a bunch of 15" poles in a park/common area that was not crane acessable. I think it would have set 20 foot poles easily.


mon004.jpg


mon006.jpg
 
masterinbama said:
any one used one of these I'm gonna see if they might come out and "demonstrate" one for me.
http://www.ezspotur.com/prod_hdpole.html
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when used on the bob cat you need a minimum 12" hole to have enough play room..they also clamp close to the base and it requires quite a bit of torque to move them so make sure the skid steer is a beast..:grin:

metal poles require a crane..other wise you damage the pole or scare it don't expect full compensation..remember pole are seen by everyone be careful and safe..as everyone is watching you..
 
quogueelectric said:
....
The ground guy cut the wire and the pole shot into the air about 5 ' up.
The whole thing was like in slow motion and the rope and the half hitch relaxed when it went weightless and the half hitch slid down to the bottom of the pole.
I yelled run!! and everyone ran for thier lives.
As the 4 metal halide heads reversed position with the base they smashed all over the parking lot.
as soon as the heads smashed off the base became the heavy end and once again changed places with the newly smashed light end with no arms and the base came smashing down again.
As soon as I had realized that no one got hurt I had to laugh at the genius.
Who was screaming at the poor ground guy who he quickly layed off.
Click to expand...


Cue the circus music!
LMAO
:grin: :D :grin:


Thankfully no one was hurt...except for the rocket scientist's ego and pride.
 
I was asking because I've got to set some fiberglass poles (60 of them) and will have my skid steer and 2 rentals. Thought that would work well 1 digging 1 setting poles and 1 cleaning up.
 
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