Hotsticking and climbing

[terry52]

In the process of researching an article, looking for feedback on the art of climbing and trade practice.
Does your organization perform hotstick operations? If so, what voltage level determines whether you glove hand or stick? Thoughts and feelings on working different voltages via both.
As far as climbing, there are some who believe that climbing is a thing of the past, that it is too dangerous. Thoughts? What voltage level can be climbed and worked live?
Without getting too specific, please reference a part of the country (or world) that you work in.
Thanks.

[T-Man]

Climbing is not totally dead, there are too many poles set on private property. A bucket can't get to those. Now there are private property buckets, but they have limits too. Sometimes we have to get an outage with grounds to work those poles. So what voltages can we work from a pole?

my utility only gloved live up to 4800/8320 one phase at a time from the pole.

We could stick 7620/13.200 from the pole. Or glove from an insulated bucket.

We work 14.400/24.900 with hot sticks or gloved from insulated buckets. Or we got a hold off clearance and grounds to work it de-energized.

[bluestreak]

Gloving off pole 5KV. out of tested bucket 23KV. anything else sticks, the company was doing 345 barehand but stopped it because of some problems with someone taking shortcuts the program was put on hold a couple of years ago.

[reppy007]

Climbing is here to stay,at least in this area,lots and lots of poles that are not truck accessible....I do see someone inventing a portable lift that lineman will use.Ive seen places....towns and cities that have those ally-ways all over .We have some but ,so few that its not worth it to mention it....mostly in the real old areas.As far as hot sticking goes this area they hotstick only 34.5 or 12kv if your transfering primary from a pole.....The utility hotsticks 34.5 from buckets.....all the time....no...but thats the rule....Contractors are susposed to hotstick 34.5 but ,often they wont.I understand the rule and all,but if the bucket is rated for he higher voltage and your equipped with rubber gloves that are rated for higher voltage I see nothing wrong with gloving.....Thats as long as the lineman is experienced......Ive seen guys ok with 12kv and terrified with 34.5......until they have worked around it for a period of time.

[lewy]

In most places you can only rubber glove up to 5kv phase to phase off the pole. For us up to 15kv phase to phase can be rubber gloved off the pole on a insulated board and any voltage above 35kv phase to phase has to worked with sticks or bare hand. You can use sticks on any voltage off the pole, sometimes we will combine techniques.

[bren guzzi]

Spent all day today on spikes. .. We never work live although some specialist crews do. We are mainly involved in new builds ( off line )
we have to use a bucket " if we can " but not always possible due to terrain.
I'm 52 this year..been up several poles today IN THE RAIN :eek:....
good night !!!!!...

Ps got a new phone with better camera.. Waiting on case for it. As soon as ... I will be posting more pics. :D

[Old Line Dog]

Glovin over 5KV off the pole.

Honestly, I think this is WAY overblown. I've gloved 7.62 off the pole, quite a few times, with 35KV tested gloves. And honestly?
I would rate the "Safety Factor" right at 100%.

I'm not sayin this was, or is a Daily occurance,.....
but I do believe, with, correct Cover up material, and appropriate safety equipment...Yes, on occasion, gloving 7.62, or 7.2 off the pole is acceptable, and completely Safe.

I honestly can't count how many 3 phase straight line poles I've changed out crossarms on that were 7.2 KV. Off the pole.

Does anybody use "Hot Arms" Anymore???
BTW...there is No 5KV. What you're talkin about is glovin 4.16KV off the pole.

Again...I'm glad I'm retired.
You don't need Linemen with my thinkin nowdays....

Nice to still be able to speak my piece though.

[Rob]

[QUOTE=bren guzzi;140951]Spent all day today on spikes. .. We never work live although some specialist crews do. We are mainly involved in new builds ( off line )
we have to use a bucket " if we can " but not always possible due to terrain.
I'm 52 this year..been up several poles today IN THE RAIN :eek:....
good night !!!!!...



Bren... These " Specialist Crews"... Is there training different than yours? This is the first time I've heard you mention these crews, other than the engineers.

[bren guzzi]

[QUOTE=bren guzzi;140951]Spent all day today on spikes. .. We never work live although some specialist crews do. We are mainly involved in new builds ( off line )
we have to use a bucket " if we can " but not always possible due to terrain.
I'm 52 this year..been up several poles today IN THE RAIN :eek:....
good night !!!!!...



Bren... These " Specialist Crews"... Is there training different than yours? This is the first time I've heard you mention these crews, other than the engineers.

they receive different training.. And obviously their trucks are kitted out for the tasks they are doing.
i used to work on transmission " towers" live for the national grid.
400;000 volts. Out of the helicopter. The grid had two teams when I was with them.
Because we are "ONLY CONTRACTORS" the live line will always be done " in house" ...
we work for Scotish power... And they will only use their own employees to do live line...and make them " switching engineers..


Scotish power are the utility ....we are the contractors working for the utility ... I've worked for utility's and contracted...
I prefer contracting. :D

[Rob]

Understood... I've worked for both to. Currently working for a Utility but that could change at any time. We have several different contractors working on the property.

[reppy007]

Heres one....thought Id throw a wrench into this hotsticking thread...........As most of you know,Im in the south,so I dont know about this as much as others might.....This is what I need to ask.....how do you hotstick when your working on a energized line that is ....well frozen.....preforms, tie wire all frozen together.....do you isolate that section and work it by hand......do you try beating the ice off......dont give me that torch stuff either...:D

[US & CA Tramp]

Heres one....thought Id throw a wrench into this hotsticking thread...........As most of you know,Im in the south,so I dont know about this as much as others might.....This is what I need to ask.....how do you hotstick when your working on a energized line that is ....well frozen.....preforms, tie wire all frozen together.....do you isolate that section and work it by hand......do you try beating the ice off......dont give me that torch stuff either...:D

I have always used a hotstick called a hand. The tool has several tools in one used for tying and untying conductor. One part of the tool has a hook that works well digging through ice to grip the tie wire. This tool works best on copper but I have used it on aluminum as well.

[reppy007]

I have always used a hotstick called a hand. The tool has several tools in one used for tying and untying conductor. One part of the tool has a hook that works well digging through ice to grip the tie wire. This tool works best on copper but I have used it on aluminum as well.

Thanks,I was beginning to think that nobody would answer that one.You proved me wrong.....sounds like you been through some tough weather.....but have you seen anything like this? http://news.yahoo.com/video/whoknew-snowiest-places-earth-175008791.html

[rob8210]

Hey Tramp, would you have a picture of this tool? Just like Lewy we are allowed to rubber glove up to 5kv off the pole ( same rules) . Since we are a contractor we do whatever job we are given, safely. We are allowed to rubber glove up to 27.6 (technically 34.5kv but there is none around). Barehand 44kv midspan only. Hotstick as needed. There is allowance for rubber gloving under 15kv off an insulated platform but I have never seen that done in my time on. Most fellas just isolate and ground it! The only time I have ever been involved in working off a insulated platform was at lineschool, the same with hotsticking off the pole.

[T-Man]

Rob, I bet that tool will show up in the catalog at the top of the forums page.Just need to know what it's name is.

[Pootnaigle]

Umm My faverite wuzza 8 ft long triangular extendo thaT i KEPT IN THE BUCKET. It wuz awesum fer extendin my reach inna short pekkered bucket truck. I bleve they been outlawed now I dunno but I used it more than once thru a fence while werkin urd

[1sully]

The Hand. Never used a torch but road flares work well.

[rob8210]

Thanks Sully, I have never seen a stick like that, it looks like a real handy tool. You don't suppose it is made as an attachment for a universal stick ?

[reppy007]

I aint ever seen anything like it either...why would I..........I is in da south.

[barehander]

Thanks Sully, I have never seen a stick like that, it looks like a real handy tool. You don't suppose it is made as an attachment for a universal stick ?

That one is made by SafetyLine, I don't think they are in business, but Salisbury did buy them. Here you go...
http://www.hubbellcatalog.com/hps/datasheet.asp?PN=C4031416&FAM=hot_line_tools

[Old Line Dog]

That one is made by SafetyLine, I don't think they are in business, but Salisbury did buy them. Here you go...
http://www.hubbellcatalog.com/hps/datasheet.asp?PN=C4031416&FAM=hot_line_tools

Can't remember how long I been readin your stuff man....
You're one of the only people on this board I've ever truly respected.

Your posts have always been..."right to the point", and always right, as far as I'm concerned.

I've always considered your posts...straight up fact.

I've actually never seen a hotline tool like that, or had a reason to want, or need something like that.

Nothing I would need or understood, back when I was actually "Stickin" 7620...back in the day...I would ever need a tool like that for.

Nowdays, just lookin at it...I can see where it could have A lot of OTHER uses though.

If I remember correctly...Your "forte" is specifically in Transmission.

Possibly that tool is much more applicable in the transmission part of our trade.

Good to see you're still readin the mail BH.:cool:

[barehander]

Can't remember how long I been readin your stuff man....
You're one of the only people on this board I've ever truly respected.

Your posts have always been..."right to the point", and always right, as far as I'm concerned.

I've always considered your posts...straight up fact.

I've actually never seen a hotline tool like that, or had a reason to want, or need something like that.

Nothing I would need or understood, back when I was actually "Stickin" 7620...back in the day...I would ever need a tool like that for.

Nowdays, just lookin at it...I can see where it could have A lot of OTHER uses though.

If I remember correctly...Your "forte" is specifically in Transmission.

Possibly that tool is much more applicable in the transmission part of our trade.

Good to see you're still readin the mail BH.:cool:

Thanks Swamp, still read Knuckledraggin each day.
About 70% of my career is Transmission, but after 42 years in the trade, 30% is a crap load of Distribution.
That tool is a Dist. tie hand. Only tie tool I've ever used, I'm pretty sure it's a California thing. Have no idea how a prong or a swivel even works. In the hands of a good sticker, it's magic, don't need loops in a tie wire to use it. If you do need to make a loop, you can with the little notch on the bottom of the tool, to finish off the tie. You can use it for other things, but it is just a tie hand.

[rob8210]

Thanks for the link barehander, I have never seen a tool like the 'hand' before, but i sure can see how it can be a very handy tool. I generally only hot stick subtransmission but sometimes on distribution a good stick can make a job very easy. I am going to try and get one of those tools to add to my bag of tricks. Thanks! And a big thanks to Sully for mentioning it in the first place!

[lewy]

When ever we stick and jib our 44 kv and we are going from old glass tie wire to polymer we use the universal stick with the rotary prong at one end and the rotary blade at the other to untie. I have never seen the attachment that BH uses, but I think it would be better than what we use to untie our old insulators. Fortunately for us this is needed less and less because all of our new insulators have a single bolt clamp that you tighten with an all angle cog, much easier, safer and faster than dealing with tie wire.

[US & CA Tramp]

Thanks Swamp, still read Knuckledraggin each day.
About 70% of my career is Transmission, but after 42 years in the trade, 30% is a crap load of Distribution.
That tool is a Dist. tie hand. Only tie tool I've ever used, I'm pretty sure it's a California thing. Have no idea how a prong or a swivel even works. In the hands of a good sticker, it's magic, don't need loops in a tie wire to use it. If you do need to make a loop, you can with the little notch on the bottom of the tool, to finish off the tie. You can use it for other things, but it is just a tie hand.

I grew up in the north west and used that stick almost exclusively in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The hand hotstick in the paws of one that uses it a lot is fast and a great tool. Started using it in 1971, and continued using it until I moved east in 1990. If I had to pick hotstick tools for my arsenal the hand would be the first one I would pick.