Steel utility poles on Discovery channel

solarvic
solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Did anyone see program on discovery channel, Dirtiest jobs about installing a metal electric pole? I didn,t even know they used them except in citys and for sign post and lighting on highway intervhanges. It was about a utility in Wyoming that has average of 3 customers per mile and is changing out the wood utility poles for steel ones. They said the steel ones are cheaper and last twice as long as wood. They just dug a hole 5 ft. 6 in deep with a back hoe to install the pole. I always thought they needed a truck with an auger to dig the hole for the pole. Pole looked preety shakey when 2 guys climbed it at the same time to connect the electric cable. They screwed pegs into the pole so they could climb it and removed all them when they came down the pole so no non aurhorized person could climb the pole. The pole only had 2 wires just like the ones that service me in my rural area. Wonder how common this will become. :Dsolarvic:D
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • snuffy
    snuffy Solar Expert Posts: 72 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Steel utility poles on Discovery channel

    Sounds like something I could use to mount my wind generator on.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Jim45D
    Jim45D Solar Expert Posts: 102 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Steel utility poles on Discovery channel

    I didn't see the article on Discovery Channel, but here in my neck of the woods the majority of utility poles are being replaced with steele. Some three year's past a severe wind storm took down wooden poles by the hundreds. They were sheared off about 3 to 4 feet from ground level. The new poles were set eventually, and the wind has been greater at times...no more shear. Practically every where one looks, you see miles upon miles of the steele poles. Mabey they're aluminum incased cement, but they seem to be doing the job.
    · Share on Twitter
  • TnAndy
    TnAndy Solar Expert Posts: 249 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Steel utility poles on Discovery channel
    solarvic wrote: »
    They screwed pegs into the pole so they could climb it and removed all them when they came down the pole so no non authorized person could climb the pole.

    Yeah.....somebody tried that with a deer stand in a tree of mine.....removing the climbing pegs. He came back to find a stump and no tree stand......ahahahaaaaaa
    · Share on Twitter
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Steel utility poles on Discovery channel

    around here the metal poles are used for street lights and such and don't last as long as the wooden poles. the steel rusts out. they're probably great for areas with low rainfall and low humidity. just speculating, but maybe the poles that gave them trouble were either too skinny or the wrong type of wood.
    · Share on Twitter
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Steel utility poles on Discovery channel

    Niel The dirt looked red like they have in Virginia, Not the clay we have here in Pa. Wonder if that is why we don,t see steel poles in our area? I saw this program on Discovery CA but we have the same programs in USA. :Dsolarvic:D
    · Share on Twitter

Categories