So my neighbor did this

[Bill G]

I would call the power company and let them know that tree is likely to take their lines down also.

I do not know what the policies are with your power company but here those are not the power company's lines. The line shown in the picture is common overhead tri-plex which goes from a transformer to a weatherhead which is attached to a pole or structure. Here the power company is not at all concerned with that line. Here if the tree comes down and rips the line off the weatherhead it is the homeowners responsibility to have a qualified electrician repair, secure, and inspect the weatherhead. Once that is done, at their leisure the power company will at no charge come out and reconnect the tri-plex. If for some odd reason the tri-plex itself is damaged it might be a fight to see who pays. Here the power company does not supply tri-plex. Once the line leaves their transformer it is on you.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I do not know what the policies are with your power company but here those are not the power company's lines. The line shown in the picture is common overhead tri-plex which goes from a transformer to a weatherhead which is attached to a pole or structure. Here the power company is not at all concerned with that line. Here if the tree comes down and rips the line off the weatherhead it is the homeowners responsibility to have a qualified electrician repair, secure, and inspect the weatherhead. Once that is done, at their leisure the power company will at no charge come out and reconnect the tri-plex. If for some odd reason the tri-plex itself is damaged it might be a fight to see who pays. Here the power company does not supply tri-plex. Once the line leaves their transformer it is on you.

It varies. In some states they own it to the meter, some to the transformer. Most states I have worked in they own the meter, and own it to there. Having said that, they won't trim to the meter, and may or may not take responsibility for any damage. Almost all will drop the line for free for trimming.

 

[Del_]

It varies. In some states they own it to the meter, some to the transformer. Most states I have worked in they own the meter, and own it to there. Having said that, they won't trim to the meter, and may or may not take responsibility for any damage. Almost all will drop the line for free for trimming.

I would worry the failed tree limbs would yank the service entrance weather head off of the house, causing a short circuit, and start a fire.

It's something the homeowner should bring up when talking to his insurance company about mitigating this risk.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I would worry the failed tree limbs would yank the service entrance weather head off of the house, causing a short circuit, and start a fire.

It's something the homeowner should bring up when talking to his insurance company about mitigating this risk.

Yeah, nothing about this situation is good...

 

[Husky Man]

It varies. In some states they own it to the meter, some to the transformer. Most states I have worked in they own the meter, and own it to there. Having said that, they won't trim to the meter, and may or may not take responsibility for any damage. Almost all will drop the line for free for trimming.

I’m pretty sure that around here, the power companies own the meter, and everything up to it, there may be exceptions in really remote rural locations, where the customers may own a pole line from a distant feeder line, but those are likely the rare exception


Doug

 

[Del_]

The power companies responsibility stops at the transformer that drops line voltage from 10k+ voltage to 240v. for both above ground and underground lines. Ditto for underground 10kv+ underground lines.

 

[pdqdl]

Call the Code enforcer in your town and tell him the neighbor has created a dangerous situation, and you need it remedied.

I don't know about your city, but in my big city, absolutely nothing would be done. The city isn't about to step in on a clearly civil matter. They will seldom take any action on an obviously dead and dangerous tree, much less some highly questionable tree trimming.

 

[pdqdl]

... There is not a single person here that can give a definitive opinion based on a picture. Now with that being said, some can give some educated advice but it is still subject to interpretation of a picture and not being there on site.

That is nonsense. The damage is obvious and irrefutable.

The bad part about that unfortunately poor installation is that when the tree does start breaking down from the bad pruning, it will be the new fence that gets crashed.

 

[pdqdl]

I do not know what the policies are with your power company but here those are not the power company's lines. The line shown in the picture is common overhead tri-plex which goes from a transformer to a weatherhead which is attached to a pole or structure. Here the power company is not at all concerned with that line. Here if the tree comes down and rips the line off the weatherhead it is the homeowners responsibility to have a qualified electrician repair, secure, and inspect the weatherhead. Once that is done, at their leisure the power company will at no charge come out and reconnect the tri-plex. If for some odd reason the tri-plex itself is damaged it might be a fight to see who pays. Here the power company does not supply tri-plex. Once the line leaves their transformer it is on you.

You are sadly mistaken.
One of the pictures clearly shows the three primary wire passing overhead. They appear to be somewhat behind the tree, however. This suggests to me that the fence is also encroaching on the OP's property. In my experience, those utilities usually go right down the center of the property line & easement.

An inquiring mind would have looked at the picture with the transformer in it and wondered how it was being supplied with power. I couldn't see any primaries leading to it, and that is on the side pointing at the problem tree.

Furthermore, the utility company is fully responsible for the safety and liability of the service line up to the meter. I do believe that it is generally considered the property owners responsibility to do their own tree trimming for the service lines.

It varies. In some states they own it to the meter, some to the transformer. Most states I have worked in they own the meter, and own it to there. Having said that, they won't trim to the meter, and may or may not take responsibility for any damage. Almost all will drop the line for free for trimming.

Yep. You are right on the money, as usual. I am surprised you didn't notice those primaries, though.

 

[pdqdl]

Primary at the top circle, providing power to the transformer in the back corner of the lot.
Bottom wires circled are communication wires. Probably an old 600 pair telephone cable and some other cable company wires.

 

[pdqdl]

An inquiring mind would have looked at the picture with the transformer in it and wondered how it was being supplied with power. I couldn't see any primaries leading to it, and that is on the side pointing at the problem tree.

Seek and ye shall find!



Back when I was a more youthful idiot, I damn near electrocuted myself by accidentally sweeping a branch across that very top wire. The ancient old bucket truck I was in still had enough electrical resistance to keep me from getting hurt. Still, I felt the tingle off that 7000 volt primary wire.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Seek and ye shall find!

View attachment 1124942

Back when I was a more youthful idiot, I damn near electrocuted myself by accidentally sweeping a branch across that very top wire. The ancient old bucket truck I was in still had enough electrical resistance to keep me from getting hurt. Still, I felt the tingle off that 7000 volt primary wire.

Yeah, cleaning up after Ike, I had a guy I was contract climbing for assure me a branch would clear a primary... luckily it tingled the groundie through the rope and he let go. We had words...

 

[pdqdl]

How many volts on that primary? I've been told by linemen that clean ropes are safe for primaries. I personally had one get thrown clean over a primary once, and it never tingled me at all.

Scared me a lot, getting it down. I wish I had a picture of it. Dead, falling elm tree threw a branch backwards at least 60 feet after it smashed into the ground. Dragging the pull rope with it.

When it was all said and done, the rope was dangling from a clean span of primary wire, about 30 feet from the transformer serving a single farmhouse. And no linemen to call for about 30 miles.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

How many volts on that primary? I've been told by linemen that clean ropes are safe for primaries. I personally had one get thrown clean over a primary once, and it never tingled me at all.

Scared me a lot, getting it down. I wish I had a picture of it. Dead, falling elm tree threw a branch backwards at least 60 feet after it smashed into the ground. Dragging the pull rope with it.

When it was all said and done, the rope was dangling from a clean span of primary wire, about 30 feet from the transformer serving a single farmhouse. And no linemen to call for about 30 miles.

I have no idea, and the rope was wet, hell, everything was wet. If I wasn't so damn tired, I would have done a better job of double checking the cut. It was a lesson learned that didn't cost as much as it could have. That was always the worst thing about contract climbing, working with different crews all the time. After that, I hired my own groundie, and we worked as a team. I needed at least one guy that I could trust.

 

[pdqdl]

... and the rope was wet,...

That'll do it.
Having actually felt 7000 volts through a branch, I can tell you a bit what it was like. Kinda like touching one of those Tesla coils, if you have ever tried it.



It was not a shock so much as you could feel the voltage pulsing without feeling the current. Being ungrounded as I was in the bucket truck, it was kinda neat. Scary as hell, though.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

That'll do it.
Having actually felt 7000 volts through a branch, I can tell you a bit what it was like. Kinda like touching one of those Tesla coils, if you have ever tried it.



It was not a shock so much as you could feel the voltage pulsing without feeling the current. Being ungrounded as I was in the bucket truck, it was kinda neat. Scary as hell, though.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yeah, fun is not a word I would use... Like I say, we had words.

 

[Del_]

I've felt the power line 'tingle' twice.

Dropped my saw one time!

Both times I was climbing and had 10k running through back yards at the back property line. And each time I was a parallel path to ground with the limb still being attached to the tree as it was sweeping down, just tipping the line, and then swinging by the holding wood past the line, then ripping out and falling to the ground. In my home town lots of small city blocks had the 10kv lines running through the alley ways in people's back yards. It made for a nice street side look but made trimming from a bucket almost impossible because there was no alley in many blocks.

 

[Deb Lane]

It varies. In some states they own it to the meter, some to the transformer. Most states I have worked in they own the meter, and own it to there. Having said that, they won't trim to the meter, and may or may not take responsibility for any damage. Almost all will drop the line for free for trimming.

The power company cleans the tree out around the line about every 5 years. They do not do the line from the pole to my house, I have had to take care of that, it is trimmed before it reaches that line.

 

[lone wolf]

How many volts on that primary? I've been told by linemen that clean ropes are safe for primaries. I personally had one get thrown clean over a primary once, and it never tingled me at all.

Scared me a lot, getting it down. I wish I had a picture of it. Dead, falling elm tree threw a branch backwards at least 60 feet after it smashed into the ground. Dragging the pull rope with it.

When it was all said and done, the rope was dangling from a clean span of primary wire, about 30 feet from the transformer serving a single farmhouse. And no linemen to call for about 30 miles.

So pull it down with a fiberglass pole.