# Light Pole



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Electroman I took the liberty to open a new thread for you as the thread you posted in was over a year old.

BTW welcome to the forum.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

The couple of times I have tried this I could not find a way to work on the fixtures anyway. 

It will cost the customer about $400 for me to rent a basic lift for the day.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I have seen people use A frames and extension ladders. If I used an ext, ladder I would want an adapter for the ladder that rest around the pole. I have one that is made to put the extension ladder at the corner of a building-- it is V shaped.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I see you are a handy man.

Thanks for posting on ElectricianTalk.com. The Moderators of this forum would prefer if you post Do It Yourself related topics on our sister site www.DIYChatroom.com 

ElectricianTalk.com is designed for electrical industry professionals to discuss issues and topics related to the electrical trades and related industries. Many of our professionals are also members at DIYChatroom.com and are looking forward to assist you with your needs.

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We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused. This thread has been closed.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I am unlocking this thread after taking with the OP. There will be no questions about electrical just the safety of getting there to change bulbs, etc.


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## electronman (Jan 10, 2011)

*Thanks...*

Thanks, Dennis. This is a situation where we have a single light pole, which makes it tempting to dispense with the bucket truck. I do mostly residential work, so am new to light poles. Just wondering how commercial electricians do it. I believe those prior ladder marks were left by a commercial contractor, but the extreme flexibility of the pole (almost like a diving board) got me wondering. I'm pretty good at falling off ladders, but I'd really rather not break the pole... :001_huh:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Depending on the pole's surrounding, a scissors lift or a tow-behind lift might work out better. You can rent them fairly inexpensively for a half day.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I've used an extension ladder plenty of times to change pole light lamps. You're right... the pole is springy. First thing you do when you get to the top of the ladder is lash the ladder to the pole. I use a short lashing strap, very much like this one below to lash the ladder to the pole. I buy them at a local army surplus store for a couple bucks:










After the ladder is secured, some fixtures require that you reach pretty far behind you to undo the shades and work on the fixture. If you're uncomfortabe with that, or physically can't, you need to wear a body belt and use a pole strap. You can lean pretty far back (nearly horizontal), if you want to, when you're wearing a body belt properly. Plant both of your feet on the same ladder rung. I put the pole strap around the ladder, but you can put it around the pole if you want.


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## electronman (Jan 10, 2011)

Hey thanks, MDShunk. 

So should I ask what you weigh? :001_unsure:

I'm a one-hundred-thirty-pound featherweight, but was considering using a heavy-duty 25 foot ladder, instead of the lightweight 15 foot one I used to remove the fixture. Placing this higher and at a shallower angle would make things easier for me, but would place more weight on the pole. I haven't found any official information about how much side-pressure these poles are rated for, so was hoping for some real-world reports. 

The belts and straps are a good idea for sure.

Thanks...


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

We have an 16-foot A-frame ladder we use on some of the shorter light poles. Kind of a two-man job to haul it around but it does the trick.

Consider renting a tall step ladder if a lift is too spendy.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

electronman said:


> Hey thanks, MDShunk.
> 
> So should I ask what you weigh? :001_unsure:


Depends on the time of the year. Around 175-ish. 

Look at a light pole in a thunderstorm. They flop all over the place. I guess you could topple one, but I've never heard of that happening to anyone before. I have heard of tipping over rotten wooden poles, however.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

By the time I mess with the ladder, up down, tie it up. Cheaper to rent and have a lift delivered. And I don't have to try and kill myself. What happens when you get in the light and you have to change the ballast or starter or capacitor. Now you have to try and get your nut drivers over your head and up in there.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

nitro71 said:


> By the time I mess with the ladder, up down, tie it up. Cheaper to rent and have a lift delivered. And I don't have to try and kill myself. What happens when you get in the light and you have to change the ballast or starter or capacitor. Now you have to try and get your nut drivers over your head and up in there.


All true, but I own a lift and still occasionally do it off an extension ladder. The other week, at a Denny's, it was a "oh... while you're here" type of thing. It's not the funnest thing in the whole world, but I can't pretend like it's impossible or takes some inordinate amount of extra time. It's all in whatever you're most comfortable doing. The OP sounds like just the pole flexing scares him, so he's probably best off calling a real electrician and not even attempting this himself.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I've never done one off a extension ladder. I just know from experience every time I take a short cut and "try" to save time or money it bites me in the hiney. Might depend how long the arm is on the fixture : )


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

As I recall from various job-box talks, it's an OSHA offense to have a ladder leaning without a human at the bottom chaulking it.

Since you said there is a slight angle involved I'd go with a leveling
single man lift, again also a vioaltion not to have a ground man
below that!


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## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

I replaced a pole a few years ago that broke/fell over while the building maintenance guy was changing a lamp on an extension ladder. His leg got caught up between the rungs on the way down and jacked him up BAD.

The pole was in a grass landscaped area and the base, under the cover, rusted thru.

I saw a guy with an extension ladder in the back of a pick up, leaning on a pole at Dairy Queen. It was before the camera phone era or I would have stopped.


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## The Lightman (Jan 9, 2010)

Don't use a ladder.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

Fixing pole lights off an extension ladder huh?

:laughing::laughing:

You guys are nuts.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

We have a 16 ft a frame with a 8 ft extension. I have changed many pole light bulbs off of it. If the parking lot has more 3 then it's lift time.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> All true, but I own a lift and still occasionally do it off an extension ladder.



But you are the owner and not normal.:laughing: 

I provide lifts for the guys or the customer can call you. :thumbsup:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> After the ladder is secured, some fixtures require that you reach pretty far behind you to undo the shades and work on the fixture. If you're uncomfortabe with that, or physically can't, you need to wear a body belt and use a pole strap. You can lean pretty far back (nearly horizontal), if you want to, when you're wearing a body belt properly. Plant both of your feet on the same ladder rung. I put the pole strap around the ladder, but you can put it around the pole if you want.


Yeah but when you doing all that the harness covers up the giant "S" on your chest.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

This thread reminds me of the time my dad built a wooden adapter for our extension ladder. 
He made me climb it to put a rooster weather vane on top of his 35' flag pole.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

BBQ said:


> ...not normal.:laughing:


I must fall into the not normal category as well. I'll change lamps and what not as well as work on small antennas off a ladder that's strapped to the pole with my positioning belt on.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I must fall into the not normal category as well. I'll change lamps and what not as well as work on small antennas off a ladder that's strapped to the pole with my positioning belt on.



Everybody in AZ falls into that catagory....:whistling2::laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I must fall into the not normal category as well



Well no chit. :laughing::laughing:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Thanks guys :laughing:


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## electronman (Jan 10, 2011)

220/221 said:


> I replaced a pole a few years ago that broke/fell over while the building maintenance guy was changing a lamp on an extension ladder. His leg got caught up between the rungs on the way down and jacked him up BAD.


Thanks all for your comments. I finished the job without dying, but did conclude that using an extension ladder is unnecessarily risky -- at least with the lightweight posts they use in California. Next time I'll refer the job to someone with at least an A-frame ladder.

I'm guessing this is the kind of thing you could do 400 times with no problems, and then on pole #401, you hit a weak flange weld, rusted pole, or bad concrete, and down you go. I'd rather gamble in Vegas.... 

~


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