Truck Grounding

[kooman]

When you do ground your truck do you completely unwind the ground? There is a video out there that shows what happens when you do not, pretty violent.

yes we allways unwind all the way, no coils on the ground either. I have seen the videos that you are talking about, pretty scary stuff.

[whiskeygetters]

We use 2/0 copper grounds on all of our trucks, even service buckets ( trouble trucks). They are required anytime we go up. Except when working in an non-energized zone, and when using a stick for switching. Other than that you are required to have it connected to the primary neutral.

[Highplains Drifter]

I'd roll up on a Trouble call, and before I would go up and refuse the transformer, whip out my shotgun, attach, my 2/0 ground lead from my truck to the primary neutral. Never a Pole ground.

What's ya'lls requirements?

So explain to me and I am assuming because you never stated what system you where doing this to. It must have been a common neutral wye system that the neutral is grounded at every pole for you to rely on using the “Primary Neutral” . When I hear Primary Neutral I know that the system is only grounded at certain points such a down feed into an underground development. So I wound not consider the neutral a good ground when it is a primary neutral. Now it being a common neutral what is the difference of placing the ground on the neutral or a pole ground? Also would you explain where you would ground your truck on this single phase xer pole?









Or this three phase xer pole?




I don't know if you can see but the pots are csp and we all know the trick of lacing a P-line through the eye of the lever.....and when you pull down on your rope you close the csp in....so it is in the up position in the photo.

[lewy]

For us we are mostly in the city so all of our neutrals are tied into all of the stations, but out in the rural when it comes to grounding they would also like us to run a lead to a ground probe as well.
They also prefer us to ground to the system neutral compared to down grounds because most times the system neutral is 3/0aa or 336acsr compared to #4 or 1/0 which would be better able to handle the fault current.
Almost all of our neutrals are below the phases, but some of the real old stuff is still on arms.
As far as the picture you are showing I have never seen anything like that before, but it looks like a real pain to install or replace if had to you change the transformer.
Is there a down ground at the bottom that you could attach your truck ground to as I am sure that pole is well grounded?

[Highplains Drifter]

I have never worked those steel distribution poles, I do know the secondary leads run down the center of the pole and feed the customers U.G. My self I will not ground a truck I am working high voltage in. I rely on the two fiberglass inserts to protect the people on the ground. I believe in a qualified observer on the ground and your boom will never get into any thing hot. Other wise they can barricade the truck and isolate it. I am not going to have someone on the ground send me a grounded ground to install, talk about handling dynamite. The ironic thing is now the bookies have all these stupid rules and they are getting folks so shaken they are afraid if they miss up it is their job. So the other factor is showing up, accidents are down but fatalities are up, so it looks like to me all these rules are not stopping anything. I do know if you go by all the rules production is way down, so do what you have too, but I am still going to do what I want and knows what works.

[doug]

Yes we are supposed to ground or barricade,except on #6 hd cu.We just barricade.

[MI-Lineman]

So explain to me and I am assuming because you never stated what system you where doing this to. It must have been a common neutral wye system that the neutral is grounded at every pole for you to rely on using the “Primary Neutral” . When I hear Primary Neutral I know that the system is only grounded at certain points such a down feed into an underground development. So I wound not consider the neutral a good ground when it is a primary neutral. Now it being a common neutral what is the difference of placing the ground on the neutral or a pole ground? Also would you explain where you would ground your truck on this single phase xer pole?






Or this three phase xer pole?




I don't know if you can see but the pots are csp and we all know the trick of lacing a P-line through the eye of the lever.....and when you pull down on your rope you close the csp in....so it is in the up position in the photo.

GISH! We had "upside down locations" but it's the secondary above the transformer NOT the transformer above the primary!!

[Trbl639]

We were required to ground or barricade anytime the boom could contact energized conductors..if a bucket had a lower boom insert, it was not required to ground or barricade........about the only time my truck was ever grounded was when working inside a sub.........of course all pulling equipment/4 rope trlr/puller/tensioner all had to be grounded........

[lewy]

I have never worked those steel distribution poles, I do know the secondary leads run down the center of the pole and feed the customers U.G. My self I will not ground a truck I am working high voltage in. I rely on the two fiberglass inserts to protect the people on the ground. I believe in a qualified observer on the ground and your boom will never get into any thing hot. Other wise they can barricade the truck and isolate it. I am not going to have someone on the ground send me a grounded ground to install, talk about handling dynamite. The ironic thing is now the bookies have all these stupid rules and they are getting folks so shaken they are afraid if they miss up it is their job. So the other factor is showing up, accidents are down but fatalities are up, so it looks like to me all these rules are not stopping anything. I do know if you go by all the rules production is way down, so do what you have too, but I am still going to do what I want and knows what works.

Our rules only call for it when we do not have a lower inset as well, but I am guilty when working perpendicular to the line & there is no chance of getting my knuckle or lower boom into the line of not always grounding the truck. As far as the primary or system neutral not being a good ground, in the city they are tied into the stations so you would have a direct path in the event of a fault. In the country it is possible that your neutral could be broke somewhere, that is why anytime we are relying on the system neutral in the country we also have to use a down ground.

[Highplains Drifter]

I'd still...have to screw down a groundrod...and...attach my truck to it.[/B]...before I would work on....whatever the fu$k that thing is.

That statement tells me how long you have been out of it. Are you going to wait three days for USAs (Underground Service Area) to work that pole? The days of just installing a ground where and when you please are over. The transformer has lifting eyes just like any other pole mounted pot. So you have no neutral and can not wait for the locates, what are you going to do and you'll be breaking a rule that you might get fired on.