Bucket Trucks

[wjmst]

Ok. I live in the country (hence the post in the rural living forum) and whenever I go to the big city I drive by the electric company. On the weekends they have all of their bucket trucks in their parking lot with the bucket extended up into the air about 90% of the way up.

Why? What is the purpose of this procedure?

I don't park my tractor and put the FEL up in the air.

Just curious. Thanks

Wes

 

[Mendonsy]

I see that a lot with high lifts like JLG also. I know of two reasons but there are probably more.
1) To keep people (especially kids) from climbing on them and away from the operator controls in the bucket.
2) It makes good free advertising.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I know that cherry picker operators also raise the boom up to about 45 degrees when parking for the night. I was told by one operator it was so that any rain water that might get into the boom sections would drain out rather than accumulate and then dump on the operator when the boom is raised. I don't know how true that was.

 

[Country Geek]

A lot of times at job sites you'll see them raised with a generator or some other expensive piece of equipment dangling from them, to keep them out of the hands of thieves.

 

[LD1]

I see that too and have also wondered. Just assumed it was to keep people out.

As to the Boom type lifts like genie/JLG/skyjack my guess is to save space and keep people from running into the basket. We do that at work with the boom lifts. Saves space.

 

[bcp]

It attracts lightning, causing thunder. That's why they are called BOOM trucks.



Bruce

 

[/pine]

...Saves space.

This is the reason a lot of tractor dealerships invert the rear wheels on their machines lined up on their lots...

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Most contract lineman leave their bucket tools in the bucket, if the bucket is left in the cradle there is a better than average chance in a lot of places that your tools will walk off, if you leave the upper boom raised they will be there when you get back the next morning.

 

[MossRoad]

It attracts lightning, causing thunder. That's why they are called BOOM trucks.



Bruce

NICE!!! :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

Search for it and you get some interesting reasons....

- Keeps homeless people out.
- Someone mentioned that there are security pins locking the toolboxes and the chip box has to be lifted to get the pins out. The chip box can't be raised if the boom is up. So its a security measure.
- Many mention tool storage.
- Many mention free advertising.
- Many mention its harder to steal the truck with the bucket up... you can't trailer it or tow it. That's interesting. Kinda like those shopping carts at the mall with the pole on them.
- And many mention drift testing... if the valves hold overnight. I find that one hard to believe. What kind of damage could be done if it came down with no one around, for example?
- Number one reason keeps going back to tools in the bucket, hydraulic saws, etc....

 

[coobie]

A lot of times at job sites you'll see them raised with a generator or some other expensive piece of equipment dangling from them, to keep them out of the hands of thieves.

THIS !! Being a retired electric lineman I have spoke to contractors why they leave there booms in the air.

 

[MarkF48]

I used to work for an electric utility in MA, but usually tried to avoid going near work on the weekends, so I'm not sure we had a practice of leaving buckets up. Nothing is ever left in buckets as far as I know, nor equipment hung off them to guard against theft. The only reason I can think of to put the buckets up for the weekend is if you find any have come down on Monday morning it's time to look at the hydraulics for leakage in the system.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

As I stated in an earlier post lineman leave their hand tools ( bucket tools ) in the toolboard inside the bucket, the upper boom is raised so the bucket is not easily acessible to theives and bandits, I've worked all over the country and have never worked for a power line construction contractor or utility that takes everything out of the bucket everyday, tree trimming outfits different story. Charlie.

 

[Mace Canute]

As I stated in an earlier post lineman leave their hand tools ( bucket tools ) in the toolboard inside the bucket, the upper boom is raised so the bucket is not easily acessible to theives and bandits, I've worked all over the country and have never worked for a power line construction contractor or utility that takes everything out of the bucket everyday, tree trimming outfits different story. Charlie.

Agreed! I'm an old retired Lineman who used to operate a double bucket truck for several years and leaving the boom raised would often be done for security reasons, both to keep thieves away from the tools and also to eliminate the possibility of people (more so kids) falling and injuring themselves while climbing in or out of the buckets and then suing the corporation.

 

[k0ua]

Agreed! I'm an old retired Lineman who used to operate a double bucket truck for several years and leaving the boom raised would often be done for security reasons, both to keep thieves away from the tools and also to eliminate the possibility of people (more so kids) falling and injuring themselves while climbing in or out of the buckets and then suing the corporation.

But what about the secondary controls on the truck body itself. Our bucket truck had a set. I cannot remember for sure but I though you could lower the boom without the truck running? But i am not sure about that.

 

[LD1]

Most aieral lifts have apilot operated check valve. So truck has to be running for the levers on the ground to work.

 

[coobie]

But what about the secondary controls on the truck body itself. Our bucket truck had a set. I cannot remember for sure but I though you could lower the boom without the truck running? But i am not sure about that.

James,I think you are correct on the older model trucks you could hit the dead man switch and bring the bucket down manually.The newer buckets have a electric motor that needs the ignition key on to do this now.

 

[MarkF48]

James,I think you are correct on the older model trucks you could hit the dead man switch and bring the bucket down manually.The newer buckets have a electric motor that needs the ignition key on to do this now.

Back when I was working we had bucket rescue classes that did teach how to bring a bucket down on a non-running truck. 10+ years of time since I retired has blurred the memory of how it was done.

 

[GMIslander]

But what about the secondary controls on the truck body itself. Our bucket truck had a set. I cannot remember for sure but I though you could lower the boom without the truck running? But i am not sure about that.

The lift cylinders and outrigger cylinders are equipped with hydraulic blocking valves to prevent the cylinder from collapsing if system pressure is lost due to a broken line or pump failure etc. Therefore the boom cannot be lowered without system pressure or removing a few hyd. lines.

 

[k0ua]

The lift cylinders and outrigger cylinders are equipped with hydraulic blocking valves to prevent the cylinder from collapsing if system pressure is lost due to a broken line or pump failure etc. Therefore the boom cannot be lowered without system pressure or removing a few hyd. lines.

Thanks guys for the info on the valves of the bucket trucks, it has been almost 15 years since I operated one, and it is getting a little fuzzy.