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RadonHuffer
05-17-2008, 10:54 PM
My original contact with powerlines was when I was 10 years old and throwing a piece of aluminium pipe in the air and it landed across all 3 phases and the pipe vanished forever, It was an accident.

I completed a 2 year degree in electronics engineering and hated working in a lab.

I took a job with the city of saginaw doing street lighting, Traffic signals and a little distribution and lots of broken promises. I was hooked on flying the bucket up and fixing things though.

This old Elmer named Harold Gates took me under his wing, He built lines in the pacific during WWII and made a living as a lineman ever since. At 86 years old Harold still climbed poles.Great Elemer!
He yelled at me and trained me on 40 KV. We built great things together.

Now I am working Iowa making a great living.

Still a geek at heart.

I still build gamma ray scintillators and lucas cell type radon gas detectors in my basement, But my heart and soul are outdoors with the crew.

I may be teaching electrical math at the local college this winter again instead of being out side.

So am I a lineman?

BigClive
05-18-2008, 08:26 AM
Aha! That explains the Radon bit. From that description you just sound like a technically versatile dude.

My own working year combines high altitude outdoor electrical work, workshop work and teaching basic electronics and helping design students with their technical projects. It's nice to be able to do a diverse range of work instead of being tied to the one job all the time.

I think there are a few loose technological canons on this forum.

So what's your fascination with scintillators?

topgroove
05-18-2008, 01:31 PM
hey bro, you sound like a lineman to me.teach me how to build 5kw hydrogen fuel cell and i'll tell you anything you want to know about linework.

RadonHuffer
05-19-2008, 10:29 PM
Aha! That explains the Radon bit. From that description you just sound like a technically versatile dude.

My own working year combines high altitude outdoor electrical work, workshop work and teaching basic electronics and helping design students with their technical projects. It's nice to be able to do a diverse range of work instead of being tied to the one job all the time.

I think there are a few loose technological canons on this forum.

So what's your fascination with scintillators?

I built my first geiger counter when I was 14 and a photomultiplier tube and a tantilum doped sodium iodide crystal where way expensive in those days.

Now there is Ebay I have about 70 PMTs a Dozen or so NaI(Tl) Crystals Plastic scintillation material, Heck I even built a Lucas cell with a 5 inch PMT.

I am a FEMA radilogical First responder as well.

RadonHuffer comes from the fact that my collection of radioactive rocks and materials emits enough radon gas to make the EPA a bit nervious, My one hot box typically has about 500 picocuries per liter of radon gas laying in the bottom.

I also built a couple radon gas generators that I use for radon isotope demos I do for the American Nuclear Society.

I love the technical side of things, But the money is much better doing line work than component level circuit board repair.

I am also a ham radio elmer and train new ham operators.

Nice to know there are some other techies out there.

RadonHuffer
05-19-2008, 10:52 PM
hey bro, you sound like a lineman to me.teach me how to build 5kw hydrogen fuel cell and i'll tell you anything you want to know about linework.


Fuel cells are not hard to build. Getting enough platnium may be a challange it looks like it cost about $1000.00 per kw for the platnium. Then where are you going to get that kind of hydrogen?

I had a windmill devoted to making hydrogen and I didnt get enough each day to cook a meal.

Wikki has a good write up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell

These guys have a kit that can get you through the basics.
http://www.fuelcellstore.com/

topgroove
05-20-2008, 06:04 PM
went to the hardware store today and for fifty bucks had all the stuff for a simple fuel cell. i'm using stainless steel instead of platnuim. it won't be as efficiant but its a lot cheaper to build. i'm gonna power it with 12 volts dc 1 amp power supply. can't wait to see how much hydrogen it puts out.

RadonHuffer
05-20-2008, 11:00 PM
If you cant find potassium hydroxide for your electrolite find Red Devil Lye (sodium Hydroxide) It will work just as good and Red Devil is pure NaOH many other brands have impuritys that load up on your electrodes like aluminium.

Ad a gram or 2 at a time and watch your amp meter closely. you only need 25 miliamps to make hydrogen the rest is waste heat.

BigClive
05-21-2008, 04:41 AM
One of my mates uses a micro brazing torch for jewellery making. It generates hydrogen and oxygen from water by electrolysis by passing current through a bank of stainless plates submerged in a sealed container of water and sodium hydroxide. The gas is generated on demand with a pressure switch turning off power to the unit via a contactor when the gas pressure is at the desired level. The combined gas is fed to the torch tip to create a tiny but intense flame.

You're not making a fuel cell topgroove, your making an electrolytic gas generator, so stainless is actually a good choice. A fuel cell is a device that takes a liquid or gas fuel and converts it directly to electricity. Quite hard to make.

Do a search for "browns gas" to find lots of info on electrolysis of water to create gas

topgroove
05-21-2008, 11:22 AM
true I am simply making hydrogen and oxygen but if the gas is applied back to the metal plates the hydrogen and oxegen will reform back to water and create electricity .

suddsy
05-24-2008, 08:01 PM
Sorry dude I understand you are probably fairly smart but as far as your experience you might be an electrician, Lineman have to go through 3 1/2 years of training performing in aspects of powerline construction. I have not seen your resume or have not spoken with you personally but it doesn't sound like you have the experience to be a journeyman lineman. It also doesn't sound like you have the dedication to go through an apprenticeship. I don't mean to be a Dickhead but you asked an honest question and you get MY honest answer. If you want to be a LINEMAN then go through the apprenticeship do a little more than streetlights. I am by no means saying that your worthless or that you cant post remarks. You do seem to have an area of expertise that others are interested in. just keep to the stuff you know about and nobody will laugh at you. I am a journeyman lineman I KNOW it.

RadonHuffer
05-24-2008, 11:45 PM
Sorry dude I understand you are probably fairly smart but as far as your experience you might be an electrician, Lineman have to go through 3 1/2 years of training performing in aspects of powerline construction. I have not seen your resume or have not spoken with you personally but it doesn't sound like you have the experience to be a journeyman lineman. It also doesn't sound like you have the dedication to go through an apprenticeship. I don't mean to be a Dickhead but you asked an honest question and you get MY honest answer. If you want to be a LINEMAN then go through the apprenticeship do a little more than streetlights. I am by no means saying that your worthless or that you cant post remarks. You do seem to have an area of expertise that others are interested in. just keep to the stuff you know about and nobody will laugh at you. I am a journeyman lineman I KNOW it.

Well most of my experience is in substations.

http://albert-cordova.com/_electrical/linework.htm

But I am doing transmission and distribution right now.

Subs are still more interisting..

Back to them this fall in minnasota.

suddsy
06-06-2008, 02:51 PM
The impression I got when you first posted was that you were some sort of technical wizard who had done a little bit of linework. I would have replied sooner but I have been away. it is great that you are doing linework after I reread everything I realized that I got the wrong impression. how many years have you been doing substations? how much time do you have on the highline? Distobution hours? Who are you working for? You have peaked my curiosity. I know quite a few lineman who had worked non-union for 5 years plus and still decided to head back and do an apprenticeship. I have yet to meet one who regretted it when it was all said and done. As far as lovin subs, I am glad someone does cuz I sure as hell don't. My previous post was to no way discourage you from doing what you want. I was trying to be honest. I get a little annoyed when a new lineman comes from the hall and my first step apprentice know more than he does. There are a lot of frauds and phonys out there who drove by a linecrew once so they know all they need to know. I have heard alot of good lineman say that the day they know it all and see it all is the day after they retire. I would encourage you to go through an apprenticeship. If substations are more interesting to you than there are apprenticships for substation techs as well look into your local investor owned utility for that job though. I don't think there is an organized apprenticeship for it on the construction side. check out what you can and good luck.

RadonHuffer
06-10-2008, 11:06 PM
12 years in subs, I can climb with anyone and keep up. I can also program and install traffic signals as much of my time was with the City of Saginaw, A bad move on my part the Afertive action hires almost got me killed more than once.

My union was the SEIU, I was promised a card at hire after 8 years I never seen the card. I got Fired from the City for Refusing Emergency calls over On call pay I sued them and got my old job back with Back pay. I hated calls from the police in the wee morning hours that a pole was hit by a drunk, Then the city manager would have an issue with my 13 hours overtime putting things back together.

The SEIU did good things for the 50 garbage men that where on the books but nothing for the 3 linemen.

one garbage man was found passed out in his car after lunch with a needle in his arm, He did too much Heroine and was back on the job in 2 weeks after rehab?:mad:


It took 2 years? During that 2 years I worked with an old hand that had his own business. I learned lots.

I quit the City as soon as I got my money and here I am.

I really dont trust Unions any more.:eek:

But I love my job.