Why Tree Wire

[mbrooke]

A while back several members were asking me why I believe in covered tree wire and spacer cable. So this happened today- a tree branch fell on a bare 23kv wire segment taking out the main trunk line directly resulting in 1,404 outages including a dozen restaurants (McDonalds, Panera, Mom and pop), four dozen business, hundred unit apartments, and a portion of a mall. The cost of tree wire would have been offset several times over just from the lost revenue of everyone closing up early before the afternoon rush. Thoughts and comments welcome.

https://imgur.com/QaHteDR

https://imgur.com/POMVT4g

https://imgur.com/UKE6lXt

 

[romex jockey]

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Local poco's here declare a 15' minimum from OH wires, iirc even have this written in land owners deeds

They send out cutting crews, usually far behind the growth cycle

because it's far too much turf for them

I can take my 4x4 out any winter storm, to witness limbs on wires here

~RJ~

 

[mbrooke]

Local poco's here declare a 15' minimum from OH wires, iirc even have this written in land owners deeds

They send out cutting crews, usually far behind the growth cycle

because it's far too much turf for them

I can take my 4x4 out any winter storm, to witness limbs on wires here

~RJ~

Indeed, same can be seen here after every major storm.

The tree wire and spacer cable segments remain energized without issue provided they haven't come down, the bare wire segments smoke or usually just trip out.

During tropical storm Isais there were some 7-10 day feeder outages merely caused by limbs trapped in bare wire. Though to be fair most of the Isais outages were the result of whole spans being taken down.

 

[hillbilly1]

There is a stretch of wire a couple
miles long along I-71, in Ohio that is insulated. Don’t know why all the sudden they ran it, as it is next to an open field on one side, and the interstate on the other.

 

[romex jockey]

Via genny, i'm usually witness to thousands of outages per weather incident, not necessarily storms

Outage Center - Green Mountain Power

outages.greenmountainpower.com

~RJ~

 

[mbrooke]

Yup, thats how how it works in New England. Something like several thousand without power just this morning in CT.

CT Power Outages Town-By-Town: 21,000 Without Power Tuesday

Eversource: "Our people are ready and will work around the clock, if needed, to restore power as quickly and safely as possible."

patch.com

 

[romex jockey]

and so we've repetitive bandaids happening @ $$$$$$$ per ordeal ~RJ~

 

[mbrooke]

and so we've repetitive bandaids happening @ $$$$$$$ per ordeal ~RJ~

Pretty much.

 

[Fred B]

But think of all those lineman that will be out of work if you eliminate all those overhead wire that need to get repaired evertime weather or accident takes them down. Also all that overtime these guys get, think of the impact on the economy by the loss of buying power of these linemen. (sarcasm intended)

 

[romex jockey]

Pretty much.

how much?

realize that local crews are often taken out of town on mutual aid missions , some taking weeks

~RJ~

 

[petersonra]

Local poco's here declare a 15' minimum from OH wires, iirc even have this written in land owners deeds

They send out cutting crews, usually far behind the growth cycle

because it's far too much turf for them

I can take my 4x4 out any winter storm, to witness limbs on wires here

~RJ~

I have been known to call comed and report when I see limbs touching power wires. Usually they send a crew out to put some kind of insulation on it so the sparks stop. I guess it takes a while to get the tree cutting crews out to trim things back.

 

[petersonra]

Indeed, same can be seen here after every major storm.

The tree wire and spacer cable segments remain energized without issue provided they haven't come down, the bare wire segments smoke or usually just trip out.

During tropical storm Isais there were some 7-10 day feeder outages merely caused by limbs trapped in bare wire. Though to be fair most of the Isais outages were the result of whole spans being taken down.

I have been told that the reason the POCOs like bare wire is because most of the time if a branch touches a bare wire it will just burn through and there is either no loss of power or the recloser takes care of turning the power back on after it gives the branch a few seconds to fall off.

 

[mbrooke]

I have been told that the reason the POCOs like bare wire is because most of the time if a branch touches a bare wire it will just burn through and there is either no loss of power or the recloser takes care of turning the power back on after it gives the branch a few seconds to fall off.

For small twigs that can hold true. Less so for larger ones.