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#25102 04/25/03 08:34 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Being a Line Mechanic myself, I was just wondering, if there are any other people at ECN, that work on High Voltage Lines.
If you do(or used to) this sort of work, give us a yell!. [Linked Image]

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 308
E
Member
Hello Trumpy,
Since you work on high voltage lines, I am interested in becoming a high voltage technician, however, i am only interested in the position that the chopper takes the technician close to the power lines then the person climbes on to the power lines and inspects the lines.( i have seen this on the Discovery channel) but i can not find any info on it any more.
Do you have any info on this?

Edward


Thanks
Edward
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,116
Likes: 4
Member
Edward,

Which guy do you want to be?

[Linked Image]
Bill


Bill
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
B
Moderator

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 717
G
Member
Hey Mike,
Don't leave me out of this fight. Class A lineman. Call it a personal choice though, won't do transmission, call it quits at 40kv. Certed to splice up to there too.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 308
E
Member
Hi Bill,
I am interested in the position that requires you up on the lines.

It is exciting for mr working on live high voltage lines.
Do you guys know what the pay is??

Edward


Thanks
Edward
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,236
Likes: 1
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Edward, I know what you are speaking of... they wear chain-mail suits and have a wand to control the initial arc, then bring themselves to the same potential to work on the lines... Neat stuff, and I'm sure one could retire in just a few years doing it too. Gotta have a chopper pilot you can trust like your own Mom. I wouldn't want to hover in a 3" 'bubble' (space of error) with mega-volt lines within inches of my skids...

[Linked Image]

But, I too was intrigued by the same TV special you saw.

Anyone know anymore about it?


-Virgil
Residential/Commercial Inspector
5 Star Inspections
Member IAEI
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,116
Likes: 4
Member
Edward,

Good Luck to you !
I prefer 2 feet on the ground at all times.

[Linked Image]
Bill


Bill
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 552
T
Member
I watched them inspecting lines from a chopper and then rigging pulleys for a new cable pull, here in The Woodlands,Texas.All this was done next to a main road without a road closure.(maybe 30 feet from the shoulder ) I would hate to pay their liability insurance. It was awesome to watch as well as scary as h**l ! All I could think of was " No way I'm ever gonna do that !!"


Donnie
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Edward,
We have a similar system over here in NZ for washing insulators and also testing the integrity of joints in Live 110 and 220kV transmission lines.
The guys that do this sort of work are of a breed, all thier own.
The system is called a Flying Work-bench and the line mechanic sits out on a platform attached to one of the skids on the chopper.
The line mechanic wears a suit that is bonded to the Line under test.
The helicopter is also bonded to the line,
(this is a specially made chopper that has extensive bonding and isolation as part of its structure, because of the severe Eddy currents, from the Line, which would upset the instruments of a normal machine, not to mention, vibrate it to pieces).
A test jig is then connected to both sides of the joint and the voltage drop across the joint is measured by a guy inside the chopper(not the pilot!), with a lap-top.
Bear in mind, that sometimes the main rotor or the tail rotor of the chopper may be as close as 100mm(4") away from the nearest line or insulator, you would hope that the pilot was not thinking of something else. [Linked Image]

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