examples of math on the job

[rob8210]

I do agree, math is a very big part of our job and it doesn't matter to me if the powers that be like it or not I firmly believe in a thinking lineman. You know , the kind of guy that will look over a job or a print and question things that do not make good sense. The job we are on right now is right full of problems, designed by the utilities engineering department. They also have a spec book to follow, but they seem to have trouble picking out the right specs. Get this , there is a railway crossing involved, prints say build to railway specs, but there is no railway specs in their book. Of course we know how it should be done, but we still need them to tell us how they want it!!

[Swamprat]

Yes you do have to know how it works & understand what you are dealing with, but day to day on the job we rarely use math.

That's your second post in this thread Lewy. Where you have said the same thing.

AND...all you're sayin, which is the TRUTH...is a Lineman, "rarely needs to use math". And all that high falootin Sh$t, these "Rocket Scientists" seem to want say they "Need". Is BS, on a workin Linecrew. Besides....we all got "Radios" and communication. If ya got a problem with the print, or "whats to be done"...call the office, and explain your "Problems" with the print, or the direction of the job.

Da$n.......

[reppy007]

...........I could be wrong.........its possible....very possible........but if Im thinking right...every time I create a timesheet.........and figure out my hours,weather its straight time or double......that could be considered math.....cant it?

[Swamprat]

...........I could be wrong.........its possible....very possible........but if Im thinking right...every time I create a timesheet.........and figure out my hours,weather its straight time or double......that could be considered math.....cant it?

You know quite well...THAT is not what anybody is talking about here reppy. When it comes to "Hours worked, straight time and overtime"...Linemen are "Matimatical Genius's".

No...that's not what we're talkin about...and ya know it. You just proved where Lineman "Math" is Important.

Otherwise...Read the print. You got enough "Math" understanding to know if it's right. Ya got a problem with it? Use your radio...or cell Phone...call in and talk about your "Problem". Bein the Rocket Scientist, most linemen think they are nowdays.

[hotwiretamer]

Ya'll sure are putting alot of smack on all us Florida hands, some of us will question things, and I don't think it's to much difference building lines wherever you go, you can either do it safely and efficiently or you can't.

To my knowledge, we are only putting alot of smack on one Florida hand! Unless all Florida hands think the same way!

Using math in this business is the same as it has always been, and there's those who can, and those who can't.

Now, do you feel the same way as others from Florida do on this site?

Your right, building line is pretty much the same anywhere you go, but it sounds like some have had there hand held there whole career and have retired from linework and assume that everyone must have had there hand held there whole career, therefore there's "no math in linework", "Union hands just build off the print".

I hope the rest of the linehands in Florida have more respect for the trade, and the linemen involved in it.

[Lineman North Florida]

To my knowledge, we are only putting alot of smack on one Florida hand! Unless all Florida hands think the same way!

Using math in this business is the same as it has always been, and there's those who can, and those who can't.

Now, do you feel the same way as others from Florida do on this site?

Your right, building line is pretty much the same anywhere you go, but it sounds like some have had there hand held there whole career and have retired from linework and assume that everyone must have had there hand held there whole career, therefore there's "no math in linework", "Union hands just build off the print".

I hope the rest of the linehands in Florida have more respect for the trade, and the linemen involved in it.

It was an attempt to lighten the mood a little, (hence the smiley face at the end of the post). I stated my opinion I thought clearly in post#16, also for the record I'm in a union and I don't believe in just building off the print, that's why I have an AS BUILT stamp to put on the print and sign.

[jozmo]

Do you guys use a lot of math on the job and if so what kind, give me different examples of the kind of things you need the math for thank you.

If you are a journeyman lineman , don't worry about it . I you are an apprentice or want to be , bone up on algebra and trigonometry . You will be tested .

[Hatteras]

Let's say you have to build an open 480 delta bank and you accidently connect both x1's or x2's together, instead of x1 to x2. You close the cutouts and prepare to take secondary voltage readings. You just blew up your 600 volt voltmeter. What happened? When you read between A & B you get 480. B & C you get 480. A & C 960 BOOM! Hopefully your PPE has protected you and the casualty was your voltmeter. To figure that out you need to draw a vector diagram and use a little math.

When measuring voltage what you are actually doing is measuring across transformer windings (which is actually a distance). On a delta bank, the windings of each transformer are connected in series. Measuring A to B to C you are measuring across one winding and you only see the one winding. In this case, each winding is rated at 480 volts. A to B - 480. B to C - 480. A to C - 480. Remember. this is an open bank, so measuring across A to B is just distance since there is no winding.

Now if both x1's or x2's are connetcted together, the relationship of one winding to the others change; it flips around. easuring across the winding that has flipped and another will produce double the voltage becuase the phase angle has changed. Those two windings are now a straight vector line, each one is 480 volts. You would never get the cutouts closed (the fuses would blow) if this happened on a closed delta bank. It is a lot easier to see drawn out. I will post a diagram soon.

A long winded response, I know. But this happens and people can get hurt and equipment is damaged when it does. So yes, math is important in many different aspects of our trade.

[Bighorn Ape]

Smarty pants...lol ^^^^

Let's say you are pulling wire and you need 1000 feet. You are trying to use up partial reels.

Count the number of wraps left on the reel. measure the diameter of the reel and multiply by 3.14 then multiply that number by the number of wraps that you counted. that will give you a very close estimate of how much wire you have.

(Reel diameter x pie x number of wraps left om the reel.)

I have also used the a2 +b2 = c2 to pre cut guys without wasting too much.

We have calculated pole weights before, and a number of other things...

Ummmm, the rest of y'all are too smart...I envy that, and my goal is to be just like that....an educated lineman..it's respectable.

Oh ya, I'm just a dumb apprentice.

[Bighorn Ape]

Just because it says on the print to do this and do that that don't mean you follow it.

Here's an example.

Print calls to install a open wye open delta bank 120/240. The lighting pot calls to go on B phase and the power pot calls to go on A phase.

Sorry I'm not going to install it like that no matter what that print says. Does anyone know why?

Maybe B phase has more load than A phase?.....

Why?