I noticed our power pole lacked a cable that countered the pull of the
lines. Someone had cut it. It had an insulator in the middle of the
cable , what is the insulator for?
and who responsibility is this pole, the meter reader seems to think
that since the pole is on our property and serves only us, that PG&E
will not replace the somewhat rotted pole.
any ideas , out there?
Patriotism is supporting your country all
the time and the government when it deserves it.
-Mark Twain

Call the service line and report it to them. The meter reader is not qualified
to make this decision. Generally speaking the power company owns everything up
to your "service point" which is usually the splice at your service mast drip
loop. You will notice the wire size changes there too. The customer usually
owns a service lateral (underground) out to the street.
Local tariffs are the final word but the folks at the service desk will have
that answer.
It is a lot easier to replace a guy wire now than to replace a pole after a
storm so they may just come fix it.

veteran wrote:

I noticed our power pole lacked a cable that countered the pull of the
lines. Someone had cut it. It had an insulator in the middle of the
cable , what is the insulator for?
and who responsibility is this pole, the meter reader seems to think
that since the pole is on our property and serves only us, that PG&E
will not replace the somewhat rotted pole.
any ideas , out there?
Patriotism is supporting your country all
the time and the government when it deserves it.
-Mark Twain


Yup! Like Greg said, the utility is responsible for everything up to
the weatherhead. They will core the pole and replace it if necessary.
That "cable" is called a guy wire. The insulator is so that, if the
upper portion becomes hot for some reason ( short, lightning, etc.) and
you touch the lower portion, you won't get shocked. Most poles set have
a ground wire from the top to the base of the pole. But if you look at
most old poles, a lot of the wire is missing from folks that figure the
copper is more valuable to them. ( Don't try this at home, every foot
of the wire is stamped with the utility's initials. At least since the
80's. Not that the scrapper looks! But revenue recovery does!) So you
can't count on the pole's ground to protect you and the insulator is
insurance.

Generally, the utility is responsible for overhead electric
line up to (something like) 150 feet from the 'right of way'.
After that, the overhead wire is your property. If wire is
underground, then you may be responsible for everything up to
the pole or up to the 'right of way'. Your electric company
may have different criteria. Talk to them.

Since meter readers are becoming a obsolete job, then many
electric companies are hiring third party companies to perform
the reading. IOW meter readers may not even know anything
about electric company other than how to read a meter and
where to file the papers.

veteran wrote:
I noticed our power pole lacked a cable that countered the pull of the
lines. Someone had cut it. It had an insulator in the middle of the
cable , what is the insulator for?
and who responsibility is this pole, the meter reader seems to think
that since the pole is on our property and serves only us, that PG&E
will not replace the somewhat rotted pole.
any ideas , out there?

From: w_tom


Generally, the utility is responsible for overhead electric
line up to (something like) 150 feet from the 'right of way'.
After that, the overhead wire is your property. If wire is
underground, then you may be responsible for everything up to
the pole or up to the 'right of way'. Your electric company
may have different criteria. Talk to them.

Since meter readers are becoming a obsolete job, then many
electric companies are hiring third party companies to perform
the reading. IOW meter readers may not even know anything
about electric company other than how to read a meter and
where to file the papers.

If the pole is on your property and not on a right of way then it's your
problem, not theirs.

I have 2 friends who live on "flagstaff" properties, basically the rear acre of
what used to be a 2-acre deep lot.

Our utility will feed a home directly from their pole only if that distance is
75' or less. Any further than that you have to either go underground to meet
their pole (and your entire underground service is your responsibility, even if
it must cross to the other side of the street to meet a pole) or, intall your
own pole on your own property. The utility will install it for you, for a
price, but with the proviso that you are paying only for the labor and
materials and their pole-setting prowess. After they're done the pole is your
property, your responsibility.



veteran wrote:
I noticed our power pole lacked a cable that countered the pull of the
lines. Someone had cut it. It had an insulator in the middle of the
cable , what is the insulator for?
and who responsibility is this pole, the meter reader seems to think
that since the pole is on our property and serves only us, that PG&E
will not replace the somewhat rotted pole.
any ideas , out there?

In article ,
Mark and Kim Smith wrote:

Yup! Like Greg said, the utility is responsible for everything up to
the weatherhead. They will core the pole and replace it if necessary.
That "cable" is called a guy wire. The insulator is so that, if the
upper portion becomes hot for some reason ( short, lightning, etc.) and
you touch the lower portion, you won't get shocked. Most poles set have
a ground wire from the top to the base of the pole. But if you look at
most old poles, a lot of the wire is missing from folks that figure the
copper is more valuable to them. ( Don't try this at home, every foot
of the wire is stamped with the utility's initials. At least since the
80's. Not that the scrapper looks! But revenue recovery does!) So you
can't count on the pole's ground to protect you and the insulator is
insurance.


In TN the 'copper' grounding wire on the pole is steel with a copper
flashing.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

Nick Hull wrote:

snip

In TN the 'copper' grounding wire on the pole is steel with a copper
flashing.

Bet that cuts down on the theft!

"HaHaHa" wrote in message
...
From: w_tom


Generally, the utility is responsible for overhead electric
line up to (something like) 150 feet from the 'right of way'.
After that, the overhead wire is your property. If wire is
underground, then you may be responsible for everything up to
the pole or up to the 'right of way'. Your electric company
may have different criteria. Talk to them.

Since meter readers are becoming a obsolete job, then many
electric companies are hiring third party companies to perform
the reading. IOW meter readers may not even know anything
about electric company other than how to read a meter and
where to file the papers.

If the pole is on your property and not on a right of way then it's your
problem, not theirs.

I have 2 friends who live on "flagstaff" properties, basically the rear acre
of
what used to be a 2-acre deep lot.

Our utility will feed a home directly from their pole only if that distance is
75' or less. Any further than that you have to either go underground to meet
their pole (and your entire underground service is your responsibility, even
if
it must cross to the other side of the street to meet a pole) or, intall your
own pole on your own property. The utility will install it for you, for a
price, but with the proviso that you are paying only for the labor and
materials and their pole-setting prowess. After they're done the pole is your
property, your responsibility.


This is Turtle.

I have never heard of a Power company not have full responciabilty for any wire
or pole installed on private or public property. This just does not happen in
the real world. If what you say the wire and pole is your resonciability then
you can do this. Call the power company and tell them that the wire and pole is
my responciability and can do as I please and will be re routing the wire to
make a new service drop to my Barn which you will not have to cut the power off
to the lines for i will just throw a steel pole across the wires to blow the
transformer trip fuses and you stay away from here for it is not your
responciability to do any work on these private service lines on my property.
The Sheriff department and the Power company rep. will show up to see what your
doing. You will find out that NO property owner or Electrician is allowed to
climb a public service pole to do anything without the Power company's
permission until the service hits the pecker head or meter pan. Also you will
find out that no body will go up that pole who does not work for or contract to
the Power company.

Have you been up any power company poles lately ?

TURTLE

In many places, meter readers have now been replaced by
radio waves.

wrote:
Where I live, we have to read our own meters and send in a card with
the readings every month. If we forget to send it in (or call it in
which they allow but hate), they estimate the charges for one month.
If we forget for two months, they send out a meter reader, and bill us
$25 for the guy to come. They also send out a truck crew once a year
or so, to (as they say) inspect the wires. I believe they are really
checking the meter readings ot be sure we are not lying.

From: "TURTLE"


"HaHaHa" wrote in message
...
From: w_tom


Generally, the utility is responsible for overhead electric
line up to (something like) 150 feet from the 'right of way'.
After that, the overhead wire is your property. If wire is
underground, then you may be responsible for everything up to
the pole or up to the 'right of way'. Your electric company
may have different criteria. Talk to them.

Since meter readers are becoming a obsolete job, then many
electric companies are hiring third party companies to perform
the reading. IOW meter readers may not even know anything
about electric company other than how to read a meter and
where to file the papers.

If the pole is on your property and not on a right of way then it's your
problem, not theirs.

I have 2 friends who live on "flagstaff" properties, basically the rear
acre
of
what used to be a 2-acre deep lot.

Our utility will feed a home directly from their pole only if that distance
is
75' or less. Any further than that you have to either go underground to
meet
their pole (and your entire underground service is your responsibility,
even
if
it must cross to the other side of the street to meet a pole) or, intall
your
own pole on your own property. The utility will install it for you, for a
price, but with the proviso that you are paying only for the labor and
materials and their pole-setting prowess. After they're done the pole is
your
property, your responsibility.


This is Turtle.

I have never heard of a Power company not have full responciabilty for any
wire
or pole installed on private or public property. This just does not happen in

the real world.

Sure it does Turtle. You just happen to reside in an area of Louisiana that is
completely out of touch with the "real world."

See Turtle, in your "real world" there are actually 3 bedroom homes on acr4es
of land for sale for less than 125,000.00. That won't get you a 45 degree
angled 1/4 acre vacant around here.

If what you say the wire and pole is your resonciability then

you can do this.

Now hold on there chummmmmmmmmmmmp. I didn't say the wire was the customer's
responsibility - At least not the first 75 or so feet of it which IS the
utility's responsibility.

Your utility probably varies as would many other utilities.

Ya see Turtle, we're not rural here. Therefore the public service commission
won't allow a utility to jump through major expense obstacles in order to carry
service to one single exceptional customer, and heap those expenses onto the
rates everyone else pays.

Most customers here in suburbia are fed directly off a pole, with 4 customers
per pole typical, at each and every pole the power company installed. (2
customers per pole in 1 acre zoned areas)

As for the senerio you make below...

Most of the "real world" has never heard of a sheriff. Or a posse. It's the
County or the State or the Township Police department that keeps the peace.
(Township = something like your "parish.")

While the power lines and poles if any, beyond the norm are the responsibility
of the homeowner, the electricity flowing within is not. This is also true for
municipal water supply companies, where the property owner must not only pay a
contractor to dig & place the water service and tap into the main, but also is
responsible for the integrity of that installation even though the meter migh
be located 100 or more feet beyond, in the owner's basement.

Call the power company and tell them that the wire and pole
is
my responciability and can do as I please and will be re routing the wire to
make a new service drop to my Barn which you will not have to cut the power
off
to the lines for i will just throw a steel pole across the wires to blow the
transformer trip fuses and you stay away from here for it is not your
responciability to do any work on these private service lines on my property.

The Sheriff department and the Power company rep. will show up to see what
your
doing. You will find out that NO property owner or Electrician is allowed to
climb a public service pole to do anything without the Power company's
permission until the service hits the pecker head or meter pan.

This all works out well in rural America where not only will a power company
spike a few hundred poles into the ground in order to pick up one customer with
a cabin in the woods, they also reserve right-of-way to service and maintain
that system, and often will even place the meter ON the last pole. A rural
company has to, by law, provide service to every customer within it's region,
in order to comply with the rural energy act which grants that company very
low, to zero intrest loans for going through the trouble whic likely will never
result in payback or profit.

Since many power companies cater to a clientele which doesn't qualify for
government subsidized rural-electrification loans, it must deal with the
regulations set forth by the public service commission in as far as what it can
and cannot offer it's out-of-the-ordinary customers.

For example, the local gas company could not hook up my home unless I paid them
10.00 per foot to extend the street gas main 1600 feet to meet my property
line. The main ended 1700 feet away. (They're only allowed to install, free of
charge, 100' of gas main per residential customer)

Sorry, wasn't worth 16,000.00 to me.

That was before the 1st Gulf war. During the 1st gulf war, a number of
neighbors on the street, ****ed off that home heating oil went from .68 to over
2.00 a gallon, got a neighborhood meeting together where luckily for me, 16 new
customers between where the gas main ended and my home all signed up and
promised to install new gas boilers. (Must be a boiler, not just water heaters
or gas stoves)

As it turned out, only 4 customers actually ever got the gas boilers, by the
time the main was extended and the laterals were installed to each home, the
war was over and oil had gone back down to pre-war prices) To my knowledge, no
one at that time, (including me) was ever penalized (pay their share of the
extention) for not holding up our end of the bargain. But then again out gas
utility changed hands and the paperwork probably got lost in transition.

Also you will

find out that no body will go up that pole who does not work for or contract
to
the Power company.

All power company poles around here have a metal ID tag and are (supposedly)
regularly inspected. The poles on my friend's properties are not. In addition,
yes. I have been on those poles. One to help trim some errant vines and remove
an old basketball backstop. And the other to install a floodlight set. The
floodlight set had to be back fed from the panel, though it would have be very
tempting to simply snag the power line to feed it, like a street light, but
that would be theft of service and is illegal.

Have you been up any power company poles lately ?

TURTLE

From: w_tom

In many places, meter readers have now been replaced by
radio waves.

Yes my meter reader only has to point the tranceiver through the fence to get
the reading.

I understand now there's newer meters which "transmit" their reading through
the power lines upon command prompts sent through the power lines.

No meter reader goes out. Looking closely at poles, one may
spot gray cubes with antenna. They in turn retransmit the
meter data to other transceivers. No meter reader exists. No
power line communication is used (which remains too unreliable
for utility requirements). Utility reads meters using
transceivers and repeaters without leaving the control
center. Utility also quickly identifies local power outages.

HaHaHa wrote:
From: w_tom
In many places, meter readers have now been replaced by
radio waves.

Yes my meter reader only has to point the tranceiver through the
fence to get the reading.

I understand now there's newer meters which "transmit" their
reading through the power lines upon command prompts sent through
the power lines.