Removing trees around power lines

[Treecutr]

I'm curious what you guys do. In Ma, or in my area, we have to have Electric company disconnect power at weather head, and lay cable on ground, or hang it on pole while work is done. Then they put it back. The HUGE problem is waiting for them. They tell you to schedule it 5 days out, but in the 6-8 times I have requested them, they NEVER show, and I either work around the wires, or have to wait. How many of you just work around them, and or what other options do you have. I have a fairly good sized job to do, but lines are against almost everyone of the 6 trees coming down. I am an electrician by weekday, and can take them down myself and safe them off ( illegal, and have never done it for tree removal ) And the HO wants the Electric company to do it anyways, as they have a problem with the line anyways. I don't want to wait 2-3 weeks to start this job ( I have my military obligations that are in the way too, national guard. ) not to babble, but suggestions, or anyone in western ma have a connection that can get me an in to get it down on my schedule, and the homeowners schedule????

 

[tree md]

I have never had a problem having them show up here. I have actually had them show up on the same day that I called but this is OK not MA. A lot less population density here and they don't have nearly the amount of customers to service. Here they would rather come out and take them down than have someone tear one down and possible have a prolonged outage.

I will work around them when possible but drop them if I have any reservations. I can be hell on the utilities... Never hit a house in 20 years of service but I have taken a few lines out before... :monkey:

 

[Treecutr]

I'm pretty sure its western ma electric just being lazy. I did a huge pine in Hadley Ma, about 45 minutes away. They have their own power company. Called and saked when they could come, they said 15 miuntes. They showed up and had them down in about 20 minutes. I called when done, there were there in like 5 minutes, awesome. Whats do they nail you for when you rip the power lines down?? I've never hit anythings other than a couple cinder blocks that were under so much grass I didn't know they were theere

 

[Golf]

The last time I did a removal around the Power Line was a single phase primary that carried 27kv. I had the Hydro company come in for a grounding, meaning they shut the power off for us. Other lines such as secondary or service lines, I would not be bothered with Hydro. I would suggest that you wait and have them do it. No point in messing around with hydro when it comes to primary lines.

 

[tree md]

I'm pretty sure its western ma electric just being lazy. I did a huge pine in Hadley Ma, about 45 minutes away. They have their own power company. Called and saked when they could come, they said 15 miuntes. They showed up and had them down in about 20 minutes. I called when done, there were there in like 5 minutes, awesome. Whats do they nail you for when you rip the power lines down?? I've never hit anythings other than a couple cinder blocks that were under so much grass I didn't know they were theere

I have hit service drops maybe 6 times in 20 years hard enough to do anything to them. Some telephone, some cable and some electric. Only ever had to have anything reconnected two times and it was a cable and electric drop at the same location (both happened at the same time). The cable guy said that they were supposed to charge a $30 reconnect fee but he waived it. Power company did not charge a thing but the electrician charged about $250 to replace the weather head. I took another tree down for the lady and knocked $30 off of my initial bill to pay for it.

Other than that, all I've had to do is screw connection plates back into the wood trim a time or two.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

Only a few times have I had the power taken down. Once it was a big maple that I could flop if the power was taken down, the other ones it was just worth it monitarily to have it taken down to make the job easier. Usually we just work around it...... Mike

 

[tree md]

Only a few times have I had the power taken down. Once it was a big maple that I could flop if the power was taken down, the other ones it was just worth it monitarily to have it taken down to make the job easier. Usually we just work around it...... Mike

They charge you to drop lines where you live?

I have them dropped most times for crane access.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

I make it the homeowners responsibility. They pay and that makes the job cheaper/ easier for us..... Mike

 

[Treecutr]

Several of these trees are in contact with the lines about 12' off the ground, in the heart of the tree. If there was 5-10 feet it would be easier. I will do what I can ahead of time with them up, then do rest when they make time for a paying customer who helps keep them in business.

 

[Treecutr]

Several of these trees are in contact with the lines about 12' off the ground, in the heart of the tree. If there was 5-10 feet it would be easier. I will do what I can ahead of time with them up, then do rest when they make time for a paying customer who helps keep them in business. I have seen their trucks in the neighborhood 3 times since I first called to have them check the break in the neutral at this house too.

 

[RacerX]

You can do what Mike suggests and let it be the homeowner's problem or you could hire another electrician to take it down and reinstall it. If there's a problem with the POCO it would become his problem.

 

[tree md]

The power Co here charges nothing to disconnect and roll the line up to the pole. Never lived or worked where they would charge to do so. I imagine I would have the HO handle it as well if they did charge.

Like I said, they would rather do a disconnect than a repair here.

If I can save some time or rope work by having one dropped I'll usually opt for that. And I most always have them dropped when I am doing crane work and they are in the way.

 

[Treecutr]

Theya don't charge, just take too long to get there. HO has called in the proble with the line thats seperate from need to remove for trees. I have also called for trees, no return calls on scheduling the disconnect/reconnect. Gonna keep on em. I'm sure it will all work out.

 

[Wishie22]

I would wait till the power company removes the lines.

If the trees are currently touching and swaying like today, the insulation could be compromised.

I would express that concern to the power company when you make the call they will be there mighty quick. Have the homeowner call tell them the trees are have been rubbing the lines (maybe the lights are flickering as the wind is howling) and he has a tree service scheduled to remove the trees. They would like the power line to be inspected for damage at that time. Speak to a supervisor and mention how they haven't come out and someone mentioned the DPUC may need to be contacted if the issue doesn't get resolved.

First moved into my current house the cable installer was almost electrocuted. Tree branch had rubbed through the power line so much that the neutral was compromised. When he connected the cable line, everything grounded through the cable line. Took out almost all my appliances and the house. House is set up with several surge protections (has a lightning protection system), which are only good for initial surge not multiple.

We took a tree off a house last wind storm, one leader broke on house. After removing the lead off the house it was getting dark. As we were explaining to the customer that, we will be back in the morning to finish. She asked if we hit or the tree hit any power lines or anything, power seemed low and pulsing. No, power line was underground, box at road on other side of house were the fuse-box is (took a look at everything). Advised her to contact the power company, see if it was a local issue or isolated to her place. The next morning the dirt was all disturbed and she had full power. Said they were there most of the night replacing the lines, water issue.

It is your life, be safe.

 

[lxt]

If its free? Wait....for the power company! I have never had to request a line drop yet, hell even when I worked for the utility I didnt get any aide, they wouldnt rubber the lines up or disconnect.

The cost here is $325-$350 not sure & im just going by when I had a new service put in my house???

I would say if you have no Line clearance exp., leave it untill they show up, being an electrician dont mean squat!!! do it the safe way, military dont like their men fried!!

Be safe, Take Care!!!!


LXT...........

 

[VINIFIREWOOD]

I'm curious what you guys do. In Ma, or in my area, we have to have Electric company disconnect power at weather head, and lay cable on ground, or hang it on pole while work is done. Then they put it back. The HUGE problem is waiting for them. They tell you to schedule it 5 days out, but in the 6-8 times I have requested them, they NEVER show, and I either work around the wires, or have to wait. How many of you just work around them, and or what other options do you have. I have a fairly good sized job to do, but lines are against almost everyone of the 6 trees coming down. I am an electrician by weekday, and can take them down myself and safe them off ( illegal, and have never done it for tree removal ) And the HO wants the Electric company to do it anyways, as they have a problem with the line anyways. I don't want to wait 2-3 weeks to start this job ( I have my military obligations that are in the way too, national guard. ) not to babble, but suggestions, or anyone in western ma have a connection that can get me an in to get it down on my schedule, and the homeowners schedule????

Around here the power co won't move the wires for someone else to do the work. They figure the tree is in thier line so its thier job to take care of the tree and if someone else cuts it down then its taking work away from thier guys. But getting them to come take care of it is still like pulling teeth.

 

[Treecutr]

Well had a very rude phone chat with the guy today who sets up the take downs. He called back, I missed his call. his message seemed a little rude in tone, and it sounded as though he slammed phone down. So I call back, leave message for 3rd time. He calls back and says this is so and so with Western Ma Elec, what can he do for me. I start to explain that I tree removal and whats going on ... he cuts me off and say " Cut the BullS(*&, and tell me what you need!!" I was pretty csught off guard, and was silent for a moment. I said, Ok I need lines down and back up 2 days in a row. he replies " whats the FN work order number ?" I said I don't have one, as I was told to call him to set it up. He said he can't untill I schedule it with another dept. He asks if I have a pencil. I tell him now I'm driving and on cell phone, he laughs in that irritated tone, like he saying you're kidding me. I lost it. I told him that he was completley unprofessional, and offensive whith the swearing. ( I swear to no end, but NOT to a paying customer ) Told him I'd go another route and report his attitude, and hung up. It was like I was inconviencing him by asking him to do his job. I later discover unfortunately due to WMECO being the only game in town, that I will probably still have to deal with this lowlife. I did some of the removal today, stuff away from lines, but not much of that left.

 

[tree md]

Well had a very rude phone chat with the guy today who sets up the take downs. He called back, I missed his call. his message seemed a little rude in tone, and it sounded as though he slammed phone down. So I call back, leave message for 3rd time. He calls back and says this is so and so with Western Ma Elec, what can he do for me. I start to explain that I tree removal and whats going on ... he cuts me off and say " Cut the BullS(*&, and tell me what you need!!" I was pretty csught off guard, and was silent for a moment. I said, Ok I need lines down and back up 2 days in a row. he replies " whats the FN work order number ?" I said I don't have one, as I was told to call him to set it up. He said he can't untill I schedule it with another dept. He asks if I have a pencil. I tell him now I'm driving and on cell phone, he laughs in that irritated tone, like he saying you're kidding me. I lost it. I told him that he was completley unprofessional, and offensive whith the swearing. ( I swear to no end, but NOT to a paying customer ) Told him I'd go another route and report his attitude, and hung up. It was like I was inconviencing him by asking him to do his job. I later discover unfortunately due to WMECO being the only game in town, that I will probably still have to deal with this lowlife. I did some of the removal today, stuff away from lines, but not much of that left.

Here's the deal: Dealing with power Co's is like dealing with a governmental bureaucracy. Sometimes you have to find creative ways of maneuvering around obstacles to get what you want.

I had three large removals to do with a crane a couple of years ago and had to have the line dropped to get the work done. I can tell you when you are scheduling a 64 ton crane for the day it could be very costly if you are held up by the power co. and have to reschedule. I happen to have one of the head haunchos for a client in the same neighborhood when I did that large job. I went to his house one evening and talked to him and told him what the deal was with the crane job. I told him it could be very costly if the power co did not show up when scheduled. He gave me a number of another hauncho to call and said to tell him that he said to call. It didn't hurt that I brought a load of Pecan for smoking to said first hauncho that he had requested a month earlier when I pruned his tree.

Where there's a will there's a way. You just have to get creative and figure it out.

 

[Rftreeman]

I just work around it, that was my job for 21 years....

 

[briggstwiggs]

let me tell you what happened to me I was in a large oak along with some power lines that were about 15 feet away plenty of distance to get the tree down safley. I thought. I was taking a large limb off over the house we had to hinge the limb around and down at the same time told the groundy the plan o about three times what the plan was thought he was on the same page that is why i told him three times just to make shure but he was older and knew more i guess. but anyways I cut the limb and he just let the limb hinge right around into the lines he didnt let it down at all. He got knocked on his ass. I seen what was coming and shot down on my rope as fast as I could without touching the tree. The worst part was the finger was pointed at me when osha came out told me that if I were to hit the lines again 10,000 dollar fine and the mall that lost power for an hour wasn't happy either. just make shure that you trust your groundy and knows what he is doing the best groundies are ones that know what your doing before you do it I had told my boss about 4 or 5 times I didnt want this guy roping for me he never listens and look what happen. It is a good thing no one was hurt really bad. I was all shucken up and boss still made me finish that day

always have a good roper when working around power lines