Being a Lineman - Episode 20

[@tyleradrian2969]

Just wanted to say that I started my apprenticeship recently and have been watching you forever. Seeing your videos helped me decide I wanted to do line work and I love it so far! Keep up the great content

[@Bobsdecline]

Thanks so much for sharing! I love hearing this stuff. 👊🤟 With recent time constraints and general life busyness it's difficult to keep up with video editing. When I hear stuff like this it definitely helps keep me going. Cheers 🍻 I wish you and your family all the best in life

[@cesarginer98]

Which apprenticeship are you doing??

[@Bobsdecline]

Hey Everyone! It took about 2.5 hours to wrap this one up from start to finish (including waiting for pole crew). It was about as simple as it gets when it comes to a vehicle snapping a pole! The weather is cooling off... The next episode of Being a Lineman will likely be under a foot of snow! 🌨❄. Be safe out there all! 👊👊🍻

[@billman6364]

It looked like it was still pretty green up there.

[@Bobsdecline]

It's definitely been warmer then usual! Today was dipping near zero though, she's gonna come quick ☃️

[@sturnie1]

Hexarmor has a variety of industrial work gloves they sell direct to the public and to companies. They are trialing new water proof high vis gloves now

[@tysonlewis9039]

New sub for pole crew??

[@Bobsdecline]

@Tyson Lewis yup!

[@MaggotSr.]

HexArmor EXT Rescue Line 4014 barrier gloves are great. Cut resistant and water proof. Check those out.

[@combatrock3069]

Great to see you back educating us. I’m not in any way tied to your industry, but find your videos educational and entertaining. Be safe, thank you.

[@jessesmith7397]

I like how you brought up the first span with the hoist already on it. Some of the younger guys take notes, saving time anywhere you can!

[@usmandibrahim5839]

I am Othman from Nigeria I like the way you work shoulder to shoulder and the way you observe environment before diving into work and also how you love animals especially dog.

[@nathancrawford2620]

I started watching your videos months before I started my apprenticeship, and to say they helped me is an understatement. You do a great job when it comes to explaining things. I’ve even taught some of my co-workers a few tricks that I learned from your videos. Keep up the great work man!

[@HeathKentucky]

As someone else mentioned the nitrile gloves under work gloves work wonders especially during winter times they actually do a good job keeping hands warm at the same time. Not sure how cold your winter months are but I'm sure they are colder then Kentucky, but even at 20 degrees my hands stayed somewhat warmer outside running rigid and other jobs I've been on. It also allows dexterity, you will be surprised how warmer your hands stay. Good content enjoy watching even as a electrician I throughly enjoy all aspects of the industry. Stay safe

[@Bobsdecline]

I'm definitely trying this!

[@HeathKentucky]

@@Bobsdecline try and find at least 6 mil thick. Thicker the better

[@yurizhivago4848]

We can get -40F with a 30 mph wind in Manitoba. I used to work on rooftop HVAC units and it was brutal. Ontario is not as cold but the wind chill is murder. In 1978 when I started we did not have those nice Mechanix or nitrile gloves but yeah they sound like a great idea.

[@HeathKentucky]

@@yurizhivago4848 that's a bit to damn cold, I've always preferred to work in colder conditions than hot because I can always wear more clothes but I can only legally take off so many 🤣. Also they have those nice Milwaukee coats that heat your core up which are just awesome as long as you have a few batteries and not working a 18 hour shut down lol.

[@yurizhivago4848]

@@HeathKentucky Yeah they don't call us the GWN, Great White North for nothing. It gets even colder way up North like Thompson MB. Just like the severe cold in parts of Alaska.

[@THX113820]

So much awesome offtopic stuff in this vid. The changing leaves, and the goats!

[@michaelhofer9149]

👊🏼 from Maryland.

[@PinePowerLI]

The Fall Foliage Color is stunning, we have nothing like that down here on Long Island, it is very late this year. Overheight vehicles snagging wires happens here unfortunately as well.

[@scottfeatherstone7156]

Leaves are looking nice up there in eastern Canada

[@travelwithus750]

I figured y’all would have a hydronic tamp. We have one on our truck for the few line jobs we do at the plant but it blows a hose all the time.

[@t.r.4496]

We can't keep seals in ours, the hydraulic oil gets to hot.

[@ckerr636]

Happy to help! Thanks for the quick turnout, as always

[@tgi1900]

I tend to keep around 5-7 pairs of youngstown gloves in a bag and on wet days just swap out here and there when it starts to bug me and keep the wet ones on the heater air in the truck

[@sturnie1]

The defroster is a wet gloves friend I do the same thing.

[@t.r.4496]

My company finally broke down and bought me a battery crimper, 25 years of using a pop tool my rotar cuffs are going. A little late but I got me one. Carry on brothers.

[@grapphiiczak]

also from NB say the NB 112 sign and had a look kinda creepy but found were you were working within 1 min xD!!

[@apollorobb]

I know right where thats at played golf at the golf course down the road from there. Great Video sir

[@caymanbracpowernlight5448]

Im a linesman on a small island in the carribbean sea its called Csyman Brac apart of 3 islands that make up the Cayman islands realy enjoy your videos keep up th good work

[@Franny_the_Fisher]

Superior endura gloves with oil block aswell, they’re like 30 bucks a pop but they’re amazing in all the elements

[@Garylee17]

Very nice video!!!!

[@Jaakebooth]

Yo! Love the vids. I’m a pre ape right now, can’t wait to be where you’re at!

[@johnwalker890]

Good job Aaron.

[@Bobsdecline]

Thanks John 👊🍻

[@Gazer75]

I smile every time I see those outdoor meters you have over there. Just can't get used to it. Why not just have cables under ground to avoid problems like that?

[@donmclean1220]

In Northern California that pole is called a “clearance” pole I think. PGE will replace it but they charge the customer. I had my house service drop attached to a pine tree when I bought the house. When the tree died I asked if PGE would change it to a pole. They said I needed to replace the pole at my expense.

[@Gazer75]

That's cheap. Here anything outside the house walls is the utility company's responsibility. The meter is the only indoor item they own, which is in the fuse box.

[@DaPlume]

Hey just leaving a quick comment and as small question. Im currently 9 weeks into my 15 week lineman/ climbing school program, watching your videos definitely helped me land on this career choice and I can't wait to see where this takes me. As for my question what boots boots do you wear in the winter? I'm from New England and winters can be rough, just wondering what you use in Canada!

[@bamaslamma1003]

I recently saw a similar accident involving a semi with a trailer. As the driver was pulling out, he clipped a pole with 3-phase primary and a disconnect switch. The snapped off pole with the disconnect was being held up by the wires.

[@2dfx]

J-hooks and drop clamps are sturdier than you think!

[@chrislopez349]

Youngstown makes has FR waterproof gloves that are nice

[@Mano_421]

Sweet profile pic

[@erichofmann656]

Question. Does opening the cutout door satisfy your companies needs for de-energizing? I believe we need to take off the riser as well as our cutouts are not considered approved insulators.

[@tonyhill5348]

We have to have a visual open, cutouts don't cut it (no pun intended). Also, for us nothing is considered de-energized unless it's tested and grounded.

[@bertblankenstein3738]

Yes, locates. It goes fine until it doesn't. Cheap insurance. Damaging lines is expensive.

[@Bobsdecline]

Absolutely.

[@WilliamHaggerty]

Looks like it has been repaired once already. Copper on the load side, Al on the line side.

[@markbernier8434]

"Sag it up" must be a regionalism. Never heard that before. Question in my mind is how you decide when it is taut enough?

[@T6Tarek]

I typically wear a 6 to 12 mil nitrile glove under my gloves I haven't found any waterproof gloves that are actually waterproof and still gives you the dexterity to hold and handle tools let alone pull the trigger on a impact/ drill

[@_Steven_S]

There I was sat here thinking "the customer has to get their own sparky to fix the conduit the power company runs their cable through?" Thankfully, there is a video two years back explaining who owns what. And it's actually the customers cable that goes through the conduit that connects to the power company's meter 🤨 I just hope none of the UK's regional power distribution companies saw the UG setup from the same video because I can absolutely see them going that route when the "final leg" distribution cables need upgrading when we're all plugging in our EVs. 👍

[@mfk12340]

It's because it has to be different cable. The triplex is air cooled and thus can be a smaller cable without burning up and causing a fire. When it runs down the customers conduit it has to be larger for the factor of safety and keeping cool in the conduit so it doesn't cause a fire.

[@LeePorte]

Fortunately we're safe from that as only the DNO can touch the cutout.

[@bradleytordoff3914]

You may want to try rustoleum shield-h2o on the gloves you currently have. Might need the shoe version.

[@LuxAudio389]

To Bob or anyone: ....PSE&G is replacing the erector style high tension 230k volt wires with monopoles in my area in Illinois. My question is if they do this while the current bare/uninsulated lines are live? They literally have a crane in-between the the front of the old towers and are erecting the mono poles with a crane. How can they do this without being electrocuted or causing a short by an arc forming since the magnetic field between the lines can carry electricity?

[@richardcranium5839]

dump trucks are great for catching wires when the beds arent all the way down. do you always run alone? around here there are always 2 even if they have to yank a mechanic out of the shop

[@tonyhill5348]

Youngstown has a new glove out that's supposed to be waterproof and they have kevlar in them. Not too sure about them yet.

[@linehandibew6205]

That triplex with the red tracer is sweeeeet. Ours doesnt have that.

[@Bobsdecline]

We just started getting that in about 6 years ago. Real nice you don't have to look for that ridge!

[@linehandibew6205]

@@Bobsdecline honestly for triplex we get wire that has footage marks on one leg no ridges so that’s how you know the difference. Just installed new wire the other day that had a edge on one leg so that’s new. Our 3 phase quad has one ridge , two ridge , and 0 ridge. Colored legs would be sweet

[@rupe53]

@@linehandibew6205 ... our triplex has had a tracer on it for at least 20 years that I am aware of... and I am not even a lineman. (howdy from Ct in the USA)

[@jamess1787]

How does a communication line bring down a pole? It's not a messenger or thick conductor? Like a thin 3/8's wire st best? Or could be a thin fiber or twisted pair? Shouldn't it have just snapped before breaking a 18" diameter wooden pole?

[@Sugarkryptonite]

Those lines are usually messenger...otherwise how would you string it across the road and tension it.

[@LegoTux]

Two pair drop wire with integrated fiberglass messenger on the short sides, with the four copper phone conductors in the middle. They can take a lot of tension before break8ng, but I suspect the pole had some damage or ther compromise, as the phone line should have broken first.

[@Bobsdecline]

Yea, this one definitely wasn't typical. As mentioned, the phone drop usually breaks first and there was likely a weak point at the butt of that pole. The line being at the top of the pole does offer a fair amount of leverage tho... especially when hooked onto to high sided vehicle!

[@beefchicken]

That looked like a fibre optic drop. If it was: Fiber optic drops are usually built with a Kevlar strength member, because glass doesn’t like to stretch. They’re tough as hell, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all that it would take the pole down with it.

[@sturnie1]

@@beefchicken it was copper 2 or 3 pair optical drop is more rigid. Ive run millions of feet of both in 27 years lol

[@rupe53]

Not sure what your heights are up north but here in the states the max height for a truck is 13 ft 6 in. Typical wires on a pole are about 16 ft at the pole and 15 ft mid span. That means either someone was running a tall load or the wire was sagging. In a rural area I'd say it was a tall load as a first guess. Any hay wagons missing a few bails?

[@sturnie1]

We had 1 last year the roll off truck with a full dumpster raised up while he was driving took down a 300pr comm cable guy told.me he saw it coming and couldn't believe it

[@rupe53]

@@sturnie1 ... 300 pair will take quite a bit of time to test and splice back together!

[@richardcranium5839]

our township doing tar and chip got mine. he raised the bed to get more chips to the back , wasnt paying attention snap!!!

[@redneckbryon]

In the situation who’s responsible??

[@LeePorte]

Where is the delineation between network and customer? In the UK, everything up to the output terminals of the meter is the network. The rest is the customer.

[@caymanbracpowernlight5448]

Company is called cayman brac power and light

[@wgmskiing]

Is it common where you are for a farmer to hire an electrician for that kind of thing? Is that required? With an already deenergized service anyone could do that here in the almost Canada part of NY

[@cppat1]

Surprised you guys don’t have pneumatic tampers on the pole setting truck………

[@shaneharrison9609]

No power tamper lol?

[@Usmc2131]

Pair of nitrile rubber gloves (like drs wear)under your work gloves. Keeps the wind & water off you hands. My favorite combo is rubber nitrile gloves, pair of maxi flex gloves then repeat (2 pairs of rubber gloves and 2 pairs of maxi flex)

[@Bobsdecline]

Interesting 🤔 I'm going to have to try that!

[@alan.macrae]

Great tip, thank you Matt!

[@markbernier8434]

@@Bobsdecline I like grease monkey brand (auto mechanic product) nitrile gloves for underneath. Much stronger than medical grade. The extra layer is surprisingly warm.

[@mikeburnett7028]

Do you work primary voltage alone?

[@bertblankenstein3738]

I think he covers this in prior vids. Not working alone on the primary, pretty sure.

[@Bobsdecline]

Primary voltage... As I'm often first on scene, I'm allowed to open the line check for potential and ground using stick/gloves. Absolutely no hands on until another lineman arrives

[@assassinlexx1993]

With the old pole snapped off at the ground. What device do you use to pull out the stub? These easy jobs never equal the ugly ones. Where it is brass monkey weather and it is a spurs job. 🥶🌬❄🐧

[@sturnie1]

We used to dig around the stub and put a steel cable sling strap around it and wiggle it and lift up until it gives. The base is larger in diameter and takes time to free it sometimes.

[@assassinlexx1993]

@@sturnie1 Thanks man for the quick response. 👍🙋‍♂️

[@Bobsdecline]

Pretty much what we do also. Occasionally there isn't much room and we'll drive an anchor into and try'n pull it out. Either way, it's definitely way easier when it doesn't break right at ground level🤦‍♂️

[@assassinlexx1993]

@@Bobsdecline I think there is a direct connection between how bad the weather to how easy that stub comes out. Stay safe because you want to spend your paycheck 😏🍻

[@assassinlexx1993]

@@Bobsdecline I wonder if these gloves would fit the bill "4-Season Give'r Gloves"

[@bjornroesbeke]

4:48 Are those downed cables connected before or after the meter? If it's the former, i don't see why a customer would need to call an electrician. This should be the power companies' responsability! Edit: 5:00 "Their stuff" doesn't seem damaged, am i not seeing clearly? Edit: 5:47 I'd better watch the video 'till the end before typing a comment.

[@scott78911]

It's often the customer that owns the point of attachment and the stack/meter base. The power company owns the wire that feeds the stack. The company I work for use's the connection at the stack as the demarcation point.

[@bobwatkins1271]

I had the same thought -- that the meter should be the demarcation point -- but the web page of one Canadian utility company says that for overhead feeders, the mast is the customer's responsibility.

[@rupe53]

@@bobwatkins1271 From what I have seen over the years the customer owns from the weather head down (that's the top end of the wire on the outside of the building) and the utility owns out to the pole. Some utilities will replace the anchor point on the building and others push that onto the owner's electrician. If it's an underground service (240 volt) the customer might own the wire and the conduit running up to the weather head on the pole.

[@throttlebottle5906]

linesman are under-rated and many folks have no clue and "curse" at them for not working super fast! but many of us know how it goes and have no qualms against. I do cuss at the electric supplier and get pissed when the power goes out of stupid minor lack of maintenance issues, but never blame nor approach the field workers. except flagging a lineman bucket truck down in 1996 after a tree broke and hit the lines at an condo complex. we were one of the garages about 15' away from the tree at the open door watching the bad storm, when the tree folded over and BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT. (working on weekend play toys, after hours on call maintenance). now days if you drove up to a utility provider truck like and talked to them it would be considered a crime 🙄 times and idiocy has changed for the worse times 300%

[@evanvandenberghe7736]

hey i am finishing up highschool there and going to take powerline tech after electrical in a matter of fact wanting to work for the same company as you afterwards just wondering if you have any tips and also wondering if i would need to get my class 1 before or is that paid for by the company thank you have a great day

[@Bobsdecline]

Class 1 is included in the PLT course around here 😎 shoot me a DM

[@grabasandwich]

Ever see the same line get yanked down later the same day? 😳

[@OttawaOldFart]

As long as it's after work hours because if your going to do the same job twice it better pay more :)

[@peters6850]

Beaver fur gloves

[@unwired1281]

Did you have a falling out with your barber??😂😂😂. Local 1 retired. 👊👊

[@Bobsdecline]

Lmao, yes😔

[@unwired1281]

@@Bobsdecline sorry… I have the luxury of sleeping with mine. Sometimes I have a falling out with her though🙂

[@Bobsdecline]

Hahah don't we all! 🤣🍻

[@kr6061]

Matt, I noticed in your intro you wear a necklace thing. How are you allowed to wear this on the job? At the plant I worked for before retiring the electricians were not even allowed to wear rings and they only dealt with 600v max.

[@linehandibew6205]

No hydraulic tamp!!!!!

[@Bobsdecline]

I know eh🤦‍♂️

[@linehandibew6205]

@@Bobsdecline also we use a dirt tarp. Allot easier on your back when backfilling. Let the line truck drag the dirt in. Eh to each his own 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@РоманБогданов-э4в]

Смотрешь ваш видос и как Раз можно посмотреть Америку 😊

[@steveblake8766]

#477 Thumbs uP

[@maliqueldavis3461]

Cay ei ei to majestv jdh