More than one phase.

[linedog56]

Can anyone tell me if there is a regulation that covers tying more than one phase of primary to a bucket truck? I have seen this done many times and it doesn't look safe. One phase held in the wire holder on the jib, one phase held by the lineman, and the third phase tied to the boom behind the lineman. If someone can help me find a regulation that prohibits this maybe our linemen will discontinue the practice.

Thanks,
Linedog

[JAKE]

we used to do this with one of our older buckets, all our buckets now have a wire holder setup for it.

the last time it was done there was dirt and oil on the winch cover of it and there was a little flashover. i dont know of any regs or rules on it i just dont like it. this happened in a liftall bucket with the winch on top big pile of crap bucket.

[scammy]

phase to ground is deadly,,,,if you are in an insulateted bucket,,your chances of survivale are good ,,,,,,,it dont matter about the bucket ,if you go phase to phase,,,,,,cmon guys ,,start using your heads,,,,,,work one phase at a time ,,,dont get into a bad situation,,,,,,just to get a job done ,,,scammy

[Orgnizdlbr]

What happened to all the other replies to this post, anyone know?

BTW, Scammy is right on the money......

[JAKE]

this sounds like when your changin out a 3ph pole and you gotta lift the phases off the insulators so the pole can get changed out. the one truck we had done this with we didnt have a tree for but we dont have it anymore. all our altec's have trees and they work great. get all three phases in the holder and lift on up the tree connnects onto the jib arm of the material handler so your lift cap is what your material handler can do. we had picked up some 477 to change a pole with one of our bigger trucks and it was spanned about 300' most of the time we will only go up to 4/0 and use the digger for anything bigger or if the spans are longer

[scammy]

we live in a dangerous environment,,,not saying sometimes you are faced with situations ,,but you can allways kill the power to make it safe ,if you cant do it any other way,,,,what we do is ,,set the pole,,put the b phase on top,,spread out the other two ,,that is normal,,I also use a lot of rubber,,scammy

[Ski_Digger]

We use to tie the phase to the boom hosed up when I started. But now we have a tree like what Canadanline is talking about (made by Chance). It is the only way to change out 3phase poles. Works really slick just untie and lay the lines on the arm hosed up and then clip them all into the tree and boom out of the way. There is something written about working more than one phase and having control of it. Try the tree.

[scammy]

ok,,,,chance has outsourced to mexico,,,,,their cutouts are a big problem,,also edison has a problem with mexican transformers exploding ,,welds are weak ,,so I believe the companys are trying to save money with this tree thing,,by only using one truck and crew ,,so like marvin gay said,,,,,(whats going on)scammy

[thrasher]

Don't blame Mexico or cheap management on this one. It was developed a long time ago by crews that wanted to CONTROL wires and get them out of the way, instead of "floating" a bunch of rubbered up wires. I've used the Chance tree for over 20 years. When it first came out there was a gizmo to hang a "socket" on the boom. Later the tree was modified to fit the jib bracket with adaptors for round or square jibs. One of the better pieces of equipment out there for changing out three phases poles.

[Orgnizdlbr]

Using a proscribed tool, such as a tree, is much different than the method that was originally asked about. Ive used a tree many time, I would never use the method described in the original post.

[Ski_Digger]

Scammy I agree with what your saying about Chance we have a lot of problems with the cutouts also. Just thought that I would say wich one we are using at this time, we do have a old one that is not in use. (don't know the make but it has grey glass on it.) There are other comp. out there that make them. On pole change outs we do have a large bucket and a digger. I have used the "tree" on the 1 ton serv. truck I am on most of the time.
It is a 550 Ford with a 40ft. Hi-Ranger on it, and yes the back tires have fallen off. Same problem every on is having.

[scammy]

thrasher ,,,its not the idea ,,,it is the cheap cost cutting methodes,,,many ideas are good ,,many bad products come from mexico and china ,,,scammy

[MGrossinger]

I guess I couldn't see taking more than two phases with a bucket. We take one in the jib, with the other in the winch line with an insulated link stick. This is typical on our C1 pole changes. We'll tie the other off with a rope and insulated link stick somewhere to the ground, a frost bar if we have too. I guess I would never attempt to take three, period. I don't care what anyone says.

[thrasher]

Truce... now that I understand your point I agree. For something to work right you not only have to have a good idea, it must be executed (built) right also. Yea I agree that we are getting a lot of crap made overseas brought in. I could make a list of things moved overseas that turned to crap.

[billfoster67]

When I topped out you try to be a superman. You do something your capable of, but if you do it a hundred times- something is going to go wrong. Taking all three phases without a tree or whatever someone else is calling it is ridiculous. I did it when I was younger the way you explained before, and I regret it. I showed apprentices, and I made the practice multiply. I regret it. I lost too many friends. You could start a levelling cable failure or get in a bind and have phase to phase in your face and you look like Freddy Kreuger. Its one of those catch 22s, you can do it but your taking a big chance. And if you work for a contractor-that truck is going to be transferred to another lineman, and he gets a levelling cable failure-gets dumped and you don't know you might be the cause.

[Koga]

it might take a little longer but I'll go home. We never have used any device to lift all three hot phases or 2 at a time. It was always against our rules to work more than 1 at a time when its hot.

Koga

[scammy]

hey ,,we are all here to learn,,,,,,be carefull,scammy

[oldrosy]

I've done the one in the jib,one on the bucket and one on the boom thing also...in this day and age it is ridiculous to do things like that. Get a tree either hastings or chance. That little trick has caused plenty of problems over the years and needs to go away