Ground currents associated with trees on power lines

[SouthSoundTree]

That's the best and safest option.




You're concerned you'l snap the rope?...............you just said you'd hang some amsteel or cable and pull it over opposite the lean. Wouldnt that also snap the rope? I must be missing something.

Maybe I misunderstood what you were saying about felling parallel to the wires, 90 to the lean. I think that it would dynamically load the rope. Amsteel doesn't take to dynamic loading. 5/8" double braid might not take the dynamic load, resulting in the tree going with the natural lean into the wires.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

That's the best and safest option.

We might have the PUD come out and kill the electricity for 20 minutes while we drop it, then turn it back on, just in case. In the very unlikely situation where where lose the tree, taking down the wires, PUD would be on the scene to put the line back up.

 

[NeTree]

Bow down to the Murph! lol

I have TWO feet, ya know.

 

[tophopper]

Hey, your the expert.




Hahahaha...........erik snuck a post in there

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Erik, the scenario is not super clearly painted, I know. We would just slam a bunch of wedges in the backcut as it is cut, preventing sit-back. If the tree is not solid enough for this to work, we'd have the lines dropped, and go with the natural lean.

 

[NeTree]

Are you just stirring the pot??

I wish I was.

 

[NeTree]

Hey, your the expert.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

BTW, these are relatively small country road lines, nothing super high power.

Anything more on the distance of a significant ground current with wet ground and wide roots?

Thanks.

 

[tophopper]

There is no science regarding step potential distance other than it is possible.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I can't freaking believe I'm gonna say this...

But this is one of those rare times where a hinged snap-cut would be the bomb. You know who uses that, right?

Oh God, Don't let that get back to Murph!

It could be that his secret cut does have some application, somewhere. I mean besides a suburban lawn with a vertical spar.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I would have the power shut down if possible JIC Sean if you have that option. Talk to Dave, That Tree Guy, about when one hits some juice...
Oh wait... He might have been knocked unconscious and would have a hard time describing it
Serious bad Ju Ju

 

[NeTree]

The wetter it is, the better the conductor. Exactly how much better? No way to know.

Using a rope to guide a leaning tree 90 degrees from the lean to a lay isn't new. Tried and proven.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Thanks, Top.

I'm a fast runner, especially when significantly motivated. My work partner isn't so fast at 58 y.o. with a bad knee, but he's great with the 40y.o. Garrett 16 PTO skidder winch (way before grapple skidders).

 

[NeTree]

Oh God, Don't let that get back to Murph!

It could be that his secret cut does have some application, somewhere. I mean besides a suburban lawn with a vertical spar.

It's not a new cut by any means; it's just so darn limited where it would actually be needed, I don't know why he's so in love with it.

 

[lumberjack]

If knocking the lines down is an acceptable risk, call the power company, have them cut them down, flop the trees where the lines were. The power company would be more than happy to take them down rather than replace a pole.

 

[Al Smith]

Not necessarily Al, it may eventually catch fire, but electrocution will occur immediately upon contact, direct or indirect.

Well yes I know that . I also know that a creosoted southern yellow pine pole called in the biz as a
"black jack " can carry enough juice to fry your butt if only in contact with 4160 . 13.8 would be worse and trust me 34.5 would be a fire .Single phase 34.5 to ground is 19,900 volts .

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Ya, I know, Erik, but this is a pretty big tree, 4-5' DBH, at least a hundred foot of spar to where it was topped 30 years ago (when the industry recommendation was to top trees to prevent blowover), where it has ~40' of candelabra. Trees probably 5-10 degrees leaning toward the wires.

 

[tophopper]

Id just insist the wires be dropped........... they could drop the lines, wait 10-15 minutes for the tree to hit the ground, and put them right back up.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

If knocking the lines down is an acceptable risk, call the power company, have them cut them down, flop the trees where the lines were. The power company would be more than happy to take them down rather than replace a pole.

It would quite likely mean road repair as well on the county highway.

We'd drill/ resistograph the tree to see what kind of hinge we are dealing with.

Highly unlikely we'd loose the tree.


Again, we have a Ph. D. supervisor that doesn't understand what we do. He gets something in his mind, and that's how it is.


We have another park with serious laminated root disease where there are doug-fir up to 195'. We were taking some of them down, some hollow, in a tight spot between a highway (school on the other side), shop, well-house, park residence. He wanted us to be sure not to break any trees, but not skid any out of the way, for a future, potential timber sale. He had in his mind that we could just wave our magic wand (Stihl wand) and make it so.

 

[NeTree]

Ya, I know, Erik, but this is a pretty big tree, 4-5' DBH, at least a hundred foot of spar to where it was topped 30 years ago (when the industry recommendation was to top trees to prevent blowover), where it has ~40' of candelabra. Trees probably 5-10 degrees leaning toward the wires.

Now the details emerge.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I did say old growth.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Thanks for the input, all.

Gonna head to the hotel (working on the road) fitness center for a bit, then dinner.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[wiley_p]

It sounds like you are unhappy because there is no hazard mitigation plan. Forget how the tree is going to get cut and pulled for now. You have two options, both include traffic control. 1. Get the utility company to put the lines on Non-reclose, they will do this on lines under 35Kv. 2. Get the lines down, Sometimes you can meet resistance from the utility particularly if there is a business that can't lose power or a homeowner with special needs.

As for the tree. You have a skidder, you have blocks, it is a Doug fir. Dead or not if the wood is sound you can pull it pretty much wherever you please.

 

[Burnham]

Back to the point you made on being concerned about dynamic loading of a restraint line to hold against what would amount to side lean in this scenario, Sean...

That shouldn't really come into play, I'd think. The line would be pre-loaded. There would have to be some slack that was then taken up to generate a dynamic load, no?

I know this isn't really the point of the thread at all, sorry to go tangential on it .