Throwline in high voltage?

Hunnicutt

Hunnicutt

TreeHouser
Joined
Jun 13, 2015
Messages
35
Location
NW Arkansas
I don't often visit the forums, but this question has been bugging me for a long time. What happens when you overshoot your tree and the throwline goes over and makes contact with power lines?

I've had this almost happen several times before and it scares the shit out of me. I've learned to be very conscious of this problem, but sometimes the only practical trajectory to make a shot or throw is towards power lines. Any thoughts, suggestions, warnings, or stories would be appreciated.
 
I've done it once or twice. Both times I've detached my throwbag and just pulled my throw line out of the tree.

One time back in the day something weird happened and I ended up pulling the two parallel high voltage lines together and they "clapped" causing LOTS of people to lose power for a minute. Whoopsie.

I think the throw line would have to be pretty damp or dirty for the juice to make it down to you.


love
nick
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6
Cool, good to know. It makes sense that the throwline wouldn't be very conductive. Still, it must be pretty scary when it happens.
 
IMG_20160224_145239.jpg IMG_20160224_145246.jpg IMG_20160224_145505.jpg

FWIW at 15KV DC 6 inches it leaked about 10uA and the throw weight was buzzin' like a bee hive with a charge.

Second picture is my high voltage tester, but it only goes up to 15kv.

Last pic a spark will make jumps in air at just over an inch, and maintain a spark at 3/4 inch.

I didn't bother to touch the throw line while it was energized....sorry.....
 
All request electrocutions.

At 2ft of wet throwline it pegged my meter, basically a dead short. I'd have to do some set up to figure out how long it will go. My thoughts is it will be several yards.
 
I don't know....I would not touch any throw line contacting live power.

If I could get it down by throwing a weighty stick at it multiple times fine. Otherwise I would call power company with hat in hand.

Prevention, still the best medicine. I try to do as Butch suggested earlier, reposition for the shot/throw.

Welcome Hunnicutt, sorry to hear that. (That you don't visit often.) :)
 
I've thought about this as well. I always reposition the shot as Butch suggests. I very rarely isolate my tie in and do a basal anchor till I get up there anyhow. I'm happy to get close to my final tie in and then switch to a canopy anchor.
And I don't think I'd touch it if it's contacting power. 12.5 and I have met once and I don't ever want to feel that again.
 
One more thought. I reach out and put the brakes on my throw line on a fairly regular basis.

I wear a thinner nitril palmed glove just during line placement, shoot or throw line that comes off a spool (so is always eminating from a 12 inch circle). I actually often shoot harder than needed to power through twigs and then just reach out and grab the line when it's over what I want.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14
treebilly said:
And I don't think I'd touch it if it's contacting power. 12.5 and I have met once and I don't ever want to feel that again.
Click to expand...

Ouch! Care to share your story?

Merle Nelson said:
Welcome Hunnicutt, sorry to hear that. (That you don't visit often.) :)
Click to expand...

Well, thanks. Ahh, you know how it is. I'd like to visit more, but it always seems to fall on the back burner. This is by far the best online resource for any tree related business and even though I don't visit often, I'm so grateful that this community exists.
 
I've done it as well. Not ideal for sure. Pulled by hand before but I was skeered. Pulled with pole lopper more comfortably.
 
If your commonly working around power lines with throw lines get a Hot Stick (certified insulated pole) for safe retrieval.
 
Sure. I was young and stupid. I planned on spiking a top out of a maple with a POS saw and it died on me. Top leaned over instead of falling. It came free but not how I planned. I was in the center of the tree so I didn't notice it had made contact. I reached out to pull it down. I remember it hurt every where. i was told I was damn lucky.
 
That's all it is, peace of mind - not safety. Power line workers have gloves and hotstix re checked all the time. Once contaminated they can conduct electricity.
 
Who does Electrical Hazard Trainings that can be asked about this? I think Willie (SOTC) knew EHAP pretty well too?

The EHAP class I took pointed out things I already knew, like that 110 volts can stop your heart if your grounded well. And then they went on to point out that electricity can kill you anytime anywhere - only slightly exaggerated.

They went on to share how all kinds of trained guys were electrocuted in this way and that, how even phone cables have been HOT because of shorts in the electrical system, guy wires have been found to be hot. Even the ground itself within a radius of downed wires is hot - sometimes, like when soaked, out for distances like 30 feet etc.

Take this seriously. And let someone who knows weigh in before you pull your next string down.

Heck, I just remembered my power company PG&E has an advertisement out, "Don't try to get stuck mylar balloons down yourself. Call us and let us get them down." Sure Mylar may conduct better but all any normal human would interact with is the string tied to it. They're saying Don't Touch The String.



Oops! Just went back up and saw your post Willie. Being 'skeered' as you do it is not a safety protocol either, you're suspended from the EHAP safety council...:)
 
Aside from being online with you guys I can survive without electricity. After that little recharge I'm overly cautious around power. I'll work around it but if things are to close I will have zero contact or a make safe done. That's what I pay an electric bill for.
 
Back in my last home town The Pas, MB. I remember shooting a line over a grid near the high school and a grocery market.
I touched the primary and secondary lines together and knocked the breaker out. The kids in the high school were doing their final exams and all the coolers in the grocery store shut down .
Luckily my linesmen buddies from Manitoba Hydro showed up within minutes:D
 
Merle Nelson said:
Who does Electrical Hazard Trainings that can be asked about this? I think Willie (SOTC) knew EHAP pretty well too?

The EHAP class I took pointed out things I already knew, like that 110 volts can stop your heart if your grounded well. And then they went on to point out that electricity can kill you anytime anywhere - only slightly exaggerated.

They went on to share how all kinds of trained guys were electrocuted in this way and that, how even phone cables have been HOT because of shorts in the electrical system, guy wires have been found to be hot. Even the ground itself within a radius of downed wires is hot - sometimes, like when soaked, out for distances like 30 feet etc.

Take this seriously. And let someone who knows weigh in before you pull your next string down.

Heck, I just remembered my power company PG&E has an advertisement out, "Don't try to get stuck mylar balloons down yourself. Call us and let us get them down." Sure Mylar may conduct better but all any normal human would interact with is the string tied to it. They're saying Don't Touch The String.



Oops! Just went back up and saw your post Willie. Being 'skeered' as you do it is not a safety protocol either, you're suspended from the EHAP safety council...:)
Click to expand...
Aww man!
 
FWIW, EHAP is a great class, but they'll have you crawling across a backyard to go under a 14' service drop. We're pretty friendly with the local line clearance guys, they'll come out if we call them and do a good job for us. That said, you'd never work if you couldn't climb a tree with a service drop in it nor would you get much help from line side
 
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