# Do you think this will ever be allowed in the USA?



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Hot sticking 132kv and disconnecting circuit breakers? 









More of DCBs:


https://library.e.abb.com/public/77...Application Guide Ed3 - 2013-09 - English.pdf


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I'd be surprised if it isn't done already in some places. Depends on the money behind the repair.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Perhaps it doesn't matter at HV, but i'd at least ask for non-conductive staging

~CS~


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

chicken steve said:


> Perhaps it doesn't matter at HV, but i'd at least ask for non-conductive staging
> 
> ~CS~


That stood out for me as well. They even lazily rested the cable on the metal rail while reconnecting it.


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

No safety glasses ?


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

Jrzy said:


> That stood out for me as well. They even lazily rested the cable on the metal rail while reconnecting it.


If you notice the manually operated disconnects mounted on poles will have a grounded platform to stand on to operate it. I am kinda surprised they aren't wearing conductive suits. If the arc is going to jump a 15 ft pole it isn't going to stop at you. I don't think the systems are grounded at that voltage level.

What I am surprised at is the fact that an arc didn't draw out to the tools on the end of the pole. You can hear that happen on 7200 from the ground when the linemen are working.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Wouldn't knife switches be more practical?


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

joebanana said:


> Wouldn't knife switches be more practical?



It would, but the whole point of disconnecting circuit breakers are space savings.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Jhellwig said:


> If you notice the manually operated disconnects mounted on poles will have a grounded platform to stand on to operate it. I am kinda surprised they aren't wearing conductive suits. If the arc is going to jump a 15 ft pole it isn't going to stop at you. I don't think the systems are grounded at that voltage level.
> 
> What I am surprised at is the fact that an arc didn't draw out to the tools on the end of the pole. You can hear that happen on 7200 from the ground when the linemen are working.



Question, don't those hot sticks need to wipe down with some type of solvent? Id imagine any sweat or dirt can track across.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

AcidTrip said:


> Question, don't those hot sticks need to wipe down with some type of solvent? Id imagine any sweat or dirt can track across.


There are OSHA requirements that the stick have a surface gloss, even condensation would be a problem, and there are regulations for daily inspection and maintenance. They are waxed so that water runs off or beads so you don't get a continuous water film in wet weather etc.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

splatz said:


> There are OSHA requirements that the stick have a surface gloss, even condensation would be a problem, and there are regulations for daily inspection and maintenance. They are waxed so that water runs off or beads so you don't get a continuous water film in wet weather etc.



Is there at a certain point where you can't hotstick a voltage? I always thought at the transmission level de-enrgizing and grounding down was the only method outside of "bare handing".


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm no lineworker , but i'm left with the impression osha would have a _cow_ viewing this.....:no:~CS~:no:


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

chicken steve said:


> I'm no lineworker , but i'm left with the impression osha would have a _cow_ viewing this.....:no:~CS~:no:


Utilities kinda fall into their own set of rules. Similar to how they are allowed to do things on services that actually counteracts what our code requires us to do.

I imagine Osha would have more of a stroke with the guys in the helicopter on the 500kv lines live.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Jhellwig said:


> *Utilities kinda fall into their own set of rules. * Similar to how they are allowed to do things on services that actually counteracts what our code requires us to do.
> 
> *I imagine Osha would have more of a stroke with the guys in the helicopter on the 500kv lines live*.




YES, they sure do.


They would but the job at hand still remains to be done with or with out them.


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