Re-setting Electric Pole & Panel Pictures

[Obed]

The top eye-bolt will be used to physically support the wire that runs from the transformer on the power company's pole to our 16 ft pole.

I attached a smaller eye-bolt to the pole to anchor a guy-wire to the top of the pole. The guy wire will offset the pull on the pole caused by the electric wire. We bought 15 ft of 3/16" steel cable to use for the guy-wire. Unfortuately we didn't have the right tools to crimp the swage cable fasteners with us so we didn't get to install the guy wire.

 

[MrJimi]

I decided to jury-rig the pole with some large hose clamps to help prevent the crack from growing.

Get some resin and fiberglas cloth and wrap your pole with that and make sure you seal the top with fiberglas and make sure you have at least 2 or more layers and you will be fine for a long time
Jim

 

[CurlyDave]

Obed:

Instead of hose clamps, drill two thru-holes at 90 degrees to the eye-bolt and run machine bolts with large washers through the holes. This will stop propagation of the crack much more effectively. To really do it up right, add a third bolt just below the end of the crack.

I would also replace the lag-type screw eye with a machine thread with a large washer and a nut.

 

[EddieWalker]

I was gonna suggest screwing in a bunch of deck screws from all angles if it's something you're worried about, but that I would just leave it be.

Dave's idea is better if you want maximum strength.

Jimi brings up a good point in covering the end grain. You can put something over it like fiberglass, or a cover of some kind. I always cut the tops at an angle so the water can run off quickly. Standing water is the enemy.

There isn't very much preasure on the top of your pole to need a guy wire. I'd reconsider putting one in. It's just one of those things that complicates mowing and gets in the way more times than you'd think possible.

Eddie

 

[Bird]

Hose clamps, bolts, etc. may stop the crack, but will they stop the moisture getting in, and the rot? Fiberglass, or some other sealer, for the top of the pole will slow it some. The more I see and read, the more I'm convinced that the Navarro County Electric Cooperative is right in requiring round, treated poles.

 

[Ford960]

There isn't very much preasure on the top of your pole to need a guy wire. I'd reconsider putting one in. It's just one of those things that complicates mowing and gets in the way more times than you'd think possible.
Eddie

The weight of the drop wire is a major consideration around here and the power company will not hook to a pole that is over 100' from a feeder pole.

You can see old poles that are leaning toward the feeder pole.

If a guy wire is deemed necessary then the best attachment would be to screw an eye directly on the stud coming out the back of the pole and use two guys at an angle.

 

[EddieWalker]

Here you have to be within 40 feet of the pole. The further out you are, the more weight and preasure you have to deal with, but at short distances, the pole is plenty strong enough to not need a guy wire.

If you are out 100 feet, then it would make sense. I've just never heard of one being that far away.

Eddie

 

[randy41]

cutting the top of the pole at an angle exposes more of the end grain than would otherwise be exposed.
if you are putting on a guy wire you might want to use a through bolt with washers and a nut to hold it.
this is gonna be the best built meter pole ever.

 

[schmism]

We can thank the people we elect to office for this.

is that the fact thats its made in china? or that it has to also be in spanish?

 

[dqdave1]

Lag bolt for guy wire; no: Use existing top bolt with another bolt and washers. Concrete in hole; not needed and the concrete will hold water around the treated pole causing it to fail sooner. Is pole treated for below grade use? If it is, no concrete.
Cover top of pole with fiber glass as stated before.
Make sure all items are replaced at correct heights.
I believe that all you needed to do was retamp around electrians hole.
Why did you not use the backhoe to dig? I set Temp poles all the time with a 9" bucket, pole slids in easy, tamp WELL, no problems.
Remember that every thing you add to pole COULD cause you a failure on inspection.

 

[mudcat]

And FIRST PRIZE goes to............Obed. Congradulations Sir, You just received the TBN "OVER ENGINEERING" Award. What are you going to do now?
It looks good. Overbuilt, yes. Who cares, From what I see you are having a blast. Keep up the good work!

 

[Obed]

And FIRST PRIZE goes to............Obed. Congradulations Sir, You just received the TBN "OVER ENGINEERING" Award. What are you going to do now?

Guilty as charged. You guys crack me up!
Obed

 

[lopezian]

And FIRST PRIZE goes to............Obed. Congradulations Sir, You just received the TBN "OVER ENGINEERING" Award. What are you going to do now?
It looks good. Overbuilt, yes. Who cares, From what I see you are having a blast. Keep up the good work!

I'm sorry, but Obed will have to settle for first-runner-up. The winner and all-time champion over-engineer is...

khd for the solid Oak timber frame tractor shed!

( I think it was designed to he could park the tractor on the ROOF if he wanted to. It is a beautiful thing to behold, though. )

 

[Obed]

During the past week my wife purchased all the parts for the re-assembly. She cut 2 feet off of the conduit and glued the the plastic threaded collar to the bottom of the conduit where it connects to the top of the meter box. When we got to the property we re-assembled the conduit, meter box, and panel and carried them as a unit to the pole. The short plastic section between the meter box and panel are made of two plastic threaded collars glued to a short piece of conduit. You can't see the short piece of conduit. Unfortunately we broke the glue joint of this short plastic section when we leaned the assembly against the pole.

 

[Obed]

We detached the panel from the assembly and screwed the meter box and conduit as a unit to the pole.

 

[Obed]

We re-glued the plastic section between the meter box and panel and attached them to the pole. Then we reconnected the two hot wires and the neutral wire to the bottom terminals in the meter box. A little bit later we reconnected the ground wire to the meter box and ran it down the pole and re-connected it to the ground rod. I tacked the ground wire to the pole with a couple staples.

 

[Obed]

Originally the electrician had knocked out too big of hole in the bottom of the panel leading to the RV jack. The conduit connected to this enlarged hole did not connect very well. My wife purchased a ring adapter that effectively made the hole smaller. This adapter acts like a washer to close the hole so the conduit will fit snuggly.

 

[Obed]

Next we re-attached the 30A RV jack and the 120V GFCI receptacle. Notice that we screwed a piece of particle board to the post to create a spot wide enough to locate the RV jack and 120V receptacle side-by-side. The electrician had originally screwed both the RV jack and the 120V receptacle directly to the pole with the 120V receptacle located below the RV jack. This arrangement placed the 120V receptacle only 5 inches from the ground. I was afraid that a hard rain might splash water from the ground into the receptacle so we rearranged the RV jack and 120V receptacle to be side-by-side. This final arrangement situates the lowest part of the assembly 12 inches from the ground. I would have preferred it to be 18 inches above grade but that would raise the meter box another 6 inches and was afraid doing so would cause the electric company to fail the inspection. The center of the meter box is already a little higher than 5 1/2 feet above the ground.

 

[Obed]

Since we didn't have the swage crimping tools to attach the guy-wire, I re-nailed one of the 2X4 braces to the pole. The guy-wire will have to wait until our next visit. The FEL sure makes a handy ladder.

 

[lopezian]

How durable is that particle board when exposed to weather? Is that a weak point?