Power poles

[Dave]

The power company has been replacing old power poles. Actually a contractor for the power company. There is three poles in my west field which all needed replacement. I went out there when they were doing the last pole. I knew the fence was in front of the old pole. I said to one of men the fence has to be right about there (it is all grown up in willows). He said it is back behind there. I went back later. Four strands of cut off wire sticking out of the brush both sides of the pole. hmmmmm Well I need to work on a gate a short distance away and no critters in that field. So I figured I would do the patch and didn't say anything. Fast forward a week or so. They were replacing a couple up on a rocky ridge. They had to go through a fence to get there. After they were done and all pulled out I went up to check. Sure enough they had to cut the fence to get through and never repaired it. I found the boss and complained. I went and check again today. They had fixed it. They used that heavy gauge copper wire they use for ground wire to patch my old ancient barb wire. Their patch will out live the fence.

 

[sstterry]

The power company has been replacing old power poles. Actually a contractor for the power company. There is three poles in my west field which all needed replacement. I went out there when they were doing the last pole. I knew the fence was in front of the old pole. I said to one of men the fence has to be right about there (it is all grown up in willows). He said it is back behind there. I went back later. Four strands of cut off wire sticking out of the brush both sides of the pole. hmmmmm Well I need to work on a gate a short distance away and no critters in that field. So I figured I would do the patch and didn't say anything. Fast forward a week or so. They were replacing a couple up on a rocky ridge. They had to go through a fence to get there. After they were done and all pulled out I went up to check. Sure enough they had to cut the fence to get through and never repaired it. I found the boss and complained. I went and check again today. They had fixed it. They used that heavy gauge copper wire they use for ground wire to patch my old ancient barb wire. Their patch will out live the fence.

Good for you. Not all utilities would do that.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Nice of them to "tell" you they cut your fence!!!

 

[Brute 23]

I had fishing on my mind when I read the title. What a downer.

 

[farmerjan]

Boy, they would get reamed out by their bosses if they did that here... Most will come and ask if there is access to x y or z field... and they will leave the poles for us if we ask. In fact the one guy said if we wanted they would bring all the ones they were taking out in that area, if the landowners did not want them, if we had a place they could drop them... so we got about 10-15 in about a week..... the boss said they had to take them back if they didn't have a place to leave them... so we gladly took them. Have done pole barns and all sorts of things with them. Helps that DS is with VDOT and has ties to about everyone under the sun.....

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have no clue how many I got after Rita. Today you can go to the yard and they will cut and load your trailer for a dollar a foot. They pretty much have a waiting list.

 

[Brute 23]

I'm really surprised they did that. That's a huge liability for their company.

 

[jltrent]

About a month ago a new fiber optic line was ran across my property by a private contracted company. I have locks on all the gates as it is a must. The evening they left I found one fence they cut to get their 4-wheeler through to pull the new lines and two gates the wires cut to get around the locks. Good thing I checked as I would have cattle miles away in a short time.

 

[Dave]

It is kind of a no big deal other than if they are going to take a fence down they need to put it back up. There is only about 50 or 60 acres over there on the other side of the road. It is a lot more rock than grass. I have never put a critter over there. The neighbor puts some young horses on it occasionally. He figures it is better for them to learn how to walk on that kind of ground before they have to do it with him on their back. A couple owners back would winter a couple bulls on that piece. There is a spring for water and a little flat ground next to the road to toss feed out.

 

[greybeard]

I'm really surprised they did that. That's a huge liability for their company.

Here, they used to leave them laying just as and where they pulled them but now will cut them into 8' pieces. They don't leave them long because they don't want anyone using them to build pole barns or other structures.

 

[Rafter S]

Here, they used to leave them laying just as and where they pulled them but now will cut them into 8' pieces. They don't leave them long because they don't want anyone using them to build pole barns or other structures.

I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe it differs between electric providers? I've got several poles from Entergy in the last few years, and they didn't cut them up, but left them like they fell.

 

[greybeard]

I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe it differs between electric providers? I've got several poles from Entergy in the last few years, and they didn't cut them up, but left them like they fell.

I think it often depends on the individual crew doing the pulling. I had one crew tell me they couldn't let me have the full length poles but wouldn't be back to remove them off the ground or to cut them up for a few days, with a wink and a nod.

 

[Dave]

Yesterday I went up to fix the fence in the west field where they put in a new pole. Instead of a simple splice I need about 10 feet on each strand. They literally tamped the wires ends into the fill around the post. Don't tell me they didn't notice the wire! A 4 strand fence so 8 wire ends. 6 of them are tamped in around the pole. They replaced 11 poles that are on my property. I really tried to be helpful. Showed them routes to get to difficult to reach poles. Then I find this. If they are still in the neighborhood someone will get their ears burned.

 

[greybeard]

Around here Dave, they use some kind of 2 part foam fill stuff that comes from a 5 gal can to pour in the hole around the new poles. Called Polecrete. But, they usually mix it up in a pasteboard box and just dump it in the the hole then lower the pole in and displace the excess chemical. They might throw a little dirt on to of the foam after it sets (about 15 minutes) but that's all the tamping they do.

This is one they are straightening. The just pushed the pole over straight with the boom on the bucket truck, mixed the 2 parts in the same box the 2 jugs came in and poured it in.



Every time I ever saw Entergy use the stuff, they seemed to waste quite a bit of it that has to be shoveled off in pieces after it hardens.



I can buy the same stuff at Lowes or HD but it ain't cheap.

 

[Dave]

All I could see is dirt. I grabbed hold of two the strands of wire and couldn't budge either one. No matter how they set the pole. The wire was in the hole and they set it in there permanent. Come Monday I am going to cruise around the neighborhood and see if they are still around. I am considering giving Idaho Power a call. There was a man from Idaho Power here the other day checking on their installations.

 

[farmerjan]

Yeah, Dave, no excuse for that blatant BS. The fence was there for a reason to start with. They are not supposed to damage personal property. Here there is real he// to pay if they don't leave it as they found it... gates shut and the whole 9 yards. No excuse for that. I would raise cain... especially since it was not the first or only one that they caused havoc around....

 

[D2Cat]

A couple of years ago the power company had a contractor replacing poles near the farm. The co. was doing the work from the road ditch and when I was there and saw them I talked to the sup. and said they would be welcome to work on me side if it would help. Told him I'd leave the gate unlocked and be sure to lock it when you pull out. Next day I'm there and the gate is no locked. As I go in I see a pile of white trash near the goose neck. When I get get over there I see someone took a dump and left a good portion of the TP everywhere.

I had the business card of the sup. so I called him and asked if any of his workers carried a shovel on their truck. He asked why, and I explained what I saw to him. He called me back in about 10 minutes. He said, "There are some guys working at the East end of your property. There is a boom truck. The man in the boom owes you an apology."

I told him I didn't need an apology, just instruct him to bury his shxt. About a half hour later the guy came to me and apologized.

I bet his co-workers gave him a new nickname after that episode.

 

[Brute 23]

I despise any thing related to power lines. The small companies and co-ops are not bad, in fact some are great, but the large transmission lines are ran by arrogant, slime and there is no oversight.

We had contractors leaving gates open and tearing stuff up and made no excuses for it. They would tell you right to your face they will do what they want.

When I was in O&G we put up a lot of power lines to locations. One day I'm in my office and in walks a salesman for the company who gave me so much hell. That poor guy got an ear full. I had supervisors and vps and all sorts of people calling and trying to take me to lunch and smooth things over. One of them even tried to go over me to my boss. I sent a reply to an email that had my bosses and their people outlining what went on with pictures and names on our place. It was nasty. They finally gave up but before they did they started throwing each other under the bus. It ended up being quite amusing.

 

[BFE]

A couple of years ago the power company had a contractor replacing poles near the farm. The co. was doing the work from the road ditch and when I was there and saw them I talked to the sup. and said they would be welcome to work on me side if it would help. Told him I'd leave the gate unlocked and be sure to lock it when you pull out. Next day I'm there and the gate is no locked. As I go in I see a pile of white trash near the goose neck. When I get get over there I see someone took a dump and left a good portion of the TP everywhere.

I had the business card of the sup. so I called him and asked if any of his workers carried a shovel on their truck. He asked why, and I explained what I saw to him. He called me back in about 10 minutes. He said, "There are some guys working at the East end of your property. There is a boom truck. The man in the boom owes you an apology."

I told him I didn't need an apology, just instruct him to bury his shxt. About a half hour later the guy came to me and apologized.

I bet his co-workers gave him a new nickname after that episode.

I've always been told it's ok as long as you flag it. Sounds like he did a good job of that!

Seriously, who does it in a high traffic area, or around equipment? Walk off a piece.

We've got a saying around here, old so and so's alright, he just shyts too close to the house. Means they ain't got sense enough to get far enough away that you can't smell it or track it back inside if you step in it. Applies to this feller.

 

[SmokinM]

Around here at least it just depends on what is in their ROW. Anything there is fair game, access to that cant be denied but they cant tear it up either or they have to fix it. Any gate that has a lock you should have them put one of their locks on as well otherwise you will buy more locks and they get pizzed because they have to cut their way in. You fence across the ROW without a gate and you will be fixing fence.