coobie
Super Member
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UNREAL.
Power Line to my house was broken
- Thread starter EddieWalker
- Start date
- Views: 40450
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I've been lax in following up on this, so I did a search this morning for the Public Utility Commission. It was easer to find them and fill out their online complaint form then to find a phone number to an actual person to fix the power line. I did that this morning and I now have an email to confirm it.
Now I'm back to waiting for something to happen.
Public Utility Commission of Texas
PILOON
Super Star Member
I had a complex power issue where everybody blamed the other* utility. (bell and hydro shared poles**)
Long short I lodged a complaint with the commission in order to get some action.
The result was that hydro claimed they had 1 year to rectify the situation and they proceeded to do just that! 365 days later they showed up to make the corrections.
BUT that put them into the dead of winter.
They could not get their truck the climb the hill so sent a second one to assist and that one had a mechanical problem. The result was the 2 trucks spent the W/E awaiting a HD towing.
*while they shared poles they are still obliged to provide minimum clearances and since the poles were installed years B4 we got Bell service in this area most lines are out of specs and hydro played hard nose leaving the bell lines on the ground in my driveway. Bell warned me not to drive over them and that was when I went to the ombudsman and thus created friction.
(Basically I tied the bell lines with a rope onto the hydro pole so that I could drive in.)
**In the 5 mile segment of shared poles I suspect that 85% don't meet overhead specs, in fact a dump truck once ripped the phone lines off as he drove by.
Experienced drivers have been accustomed to trusting that minimum clearances are respected on hydro lines as well as underpasses.
Long short I lodged a complaint with the commission in order to get some action.
The result was that hydro claimed they had 1 year to rectify the situation and they proceeded to do just that! 365 days later they showed up to make the corrections.
BUT that put them into the dead of winter.
They could not get their truck the climb the hill so sent a second one to assist and that one had a mechanical problem. The result was the 2 trucks spent the W/E awaiting a HD towing.
*while they shared poles they are still obliged to provide minimum clearances and since the poles were installed years B4 we got Bell service in this area most lines are out of specs and hydro played hard nose leaving the bell lines on the ground in my driveway. Bell warned me not to drive over them and that was when I went to the ombudsman and thus created friction.
(Basically I tied the bell lines with a rope onto the hydro pole so that I could drive in.)
**In the 5 mile segment of shared poles I suspect that 85% don't meet overhead specs, in fact a dump truck once ripped the phone lines off as he drove by.
Experienced drivers have been accustomed to trusting that minimum clearances are respected on hydro lines as well as underpasses.
kenmbz
Super Member
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Piloon-that is just plan ridiculous on the power companies side. What if someone got hurt?
At my first house a wire came down, phone company came out as the phone was dead. I was traveling.
Phone guy called me, the power line had fallen and taken the phone line with it.
Both had hit my car, but the ends were sticking out and not touching the car.
The power company came out the next day (most of the reports came from my neighbor).
But they were quick. Happy with PECO in my current house, they respond very quickly.
I wonder if you had told them someone could get hurt and your lawyers would hold them responsible if that would work in your neck of the woods. Though I think the US is more apt to lawyer up in these situations?
At my first house a wire came down, phone company came out as the phone was dead. I was traveling.
Phone guy called me, the power line had fallen and taken the phone line with it.
Both had hit my car, but the ends were sticking out and not touching the car.
The power company came out the next day (most of the reports came from my neighbor).
But they were quick. Happy with PECO in my current house, they respond very quickly.
I wonder if you had told them someone could get hurt and your lawyers would hold them responsible if that would work in your neck of the woods. Though I think the US is more apt to lawyer up in these situations?
Captain Dirty
Platinum Member
When I bought our 200 YO house, my father-in-law said, "Old house. You will have to re-roof it, re-wire it, and replace the boiler."
"Oh no," I replied, "I know the widow who lived here; she took good care of the place." Needless to say, my FIL was correct. The replacement of the service entrance wiring was interesting.
I was traveling; my wife called to say the lights were intermittent; I told her to call the electric company.
"My lights don't work."
"Have you checked the breakers?"
"The fuses look fine."
"Lady, you need to call an electrician."
"But I can make the lights come on if I turn the oven on 'broil'."
"We'll be right there."
The reported cause was a "flakey" connection. A threaded hole in a porcelain block was stripped so that the terminal screw did not hold the connection tightly. Apparently the increased draw for the oven caused the conductors to expand to sufficient tightness.
"Oh no," I replied, "I know the widow who lived here; she took good care of the place." Needless to say, my FIL was correct. The replacement of the service entrance wiring was interesting.
I was traveling; my wife called to say the lights were intermittent; I told her to call the electric company.
"My lights don't work."
"Have you checked the breakers?"
"The fuses look fine."
"Lady, you need to call an electrician."
"But I can make the lights come on if I turn the oven on 'broil'."
"We'll be right there."
The reported cause was a "flakey" connection. A threaded hole in a porcelain block was stripped so that the terminal screw did not hold the connection tightly. Apparently the increased draw for the oven caused the conductors to expand to sufficient tightness.
coobie
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2004
- Messages
- 6,302
- Location
- S.Michigan
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- Kubota RTV 1100c, JD 740,Kioti DK 40 with KL401 loader .
That is what a good trouble shooter is required to do.
goeduck
Super Member
Finally some found a "root cause". There is someone back east still looking for a "root cause". Oh, sorry......
Dsewell1963
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- 2021 Massey Furguson 1840E
Hey, I work for a power company. Been there for 39 years. What you had down was the neutral on what is most likely a single phase primary line. Your transformer and service to your house can still function with it down. You still have primary voltage in the top line. The transformer is grounded to the pole ground and also could be grounded from other side of line unless your house is the dead end of line. The neutral wire can still be dangerous especially if you get between the wires that are down. The fire department should never tell anyone that any power line down is safe. Leave that to the power company and linemen.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
My house is the last one on this line.
