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Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

Jon5

Premium Member

Overhead Power line Height requirements

Does anyone know if there is a height requirement for overhead power lines running over driveways?

The power lines that run across the front of my driveway are only 9 ft 5 in off the ground. It makes it impossible to get delivery trucks or other vehicles into my driveway. The line is only that low over mine and my neighbor drive. It's significantly higher after that on both sides.

I have been googling around and as usual found varying opinions. I know that it could vary state by state but some say the NEC covers it, others say no, only the NESC covers it. Neither of which I have access too.

I'm going to call them (comed) but using previous dealings as a guide have little hope of a resolution taking that route. Maybe if I had some ammo I could use it would get something done. I'd just like them raised a few feet.

Below the only actual information I've been able to find. Assuming it's correct. It was in a post on BBR somewhere. I can't find it again.
quote:
NEC 230:
(B) Clearances. Overhead conductor spans for system not over 600V must maintain the following clearances: Figure 230-11 230-24B.cdr

(1) 10 ft at the electric service entrance to buildings, at the lowest point of the drip loop of the building electric entrance, above finished grade, sidewalks, or platform or projection from which they might be accessible to pedestrians, where the voltage is not in excess of 150V to ground.
(2) 12 ft above residential property and driveways, and those commercial areas not subject to truck traffic, where the voltage does not exceed 300V to ground.
(3) 15 ft above those areas listed in the 12 ft classification, where the voltage exceeds 300V to ground.
(4) 18 ft over public streets, alleys, roads, parking areas subject to truck traffic, driveways on other than residential property, and other areas traversed by vehicles such as cultivated, grazing, forest, and orchard. Department of Transportation (DOT) type right of ways in rural areas are many times used by slow-moving and tall farming machinery to avoid impeding traffic flow.
Even 12 ft would be huge.

Dogwood
Premium Member
join:2001-01-14
Texas

Dogwood

Premium Member

Are they power lines, or phone/cable TV cables?

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

2 edits

Jon5

Premium Member

I assume the ones I have the issue with are power. It's a bundle of two or three big fat cables. They run down the street to some of those giant towers. All our phone and cable is buried and comes into the house from the back yard.




Better picture of offending line


Edit: I found this: »www.icc.illinois.gov/Ele ··· tricity/
Guess I'll start looking around.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

I don't think those are power. The ones at the top are and the middle two may be (hard to tell from the pic) but the bottom bundle I would guess is phone. I am sure someone can verify this, but it may help if you took a pic of the offending lines at the poles.

Ken
MVM
join:2003-06-16
Markle, IN

Ken to Jon5

MVM

to Jon5
I'm no expert on the matter, but usually those big thick low lines are cable tv lines.

brian
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mission Viejo, CA

brian to robbin

Premium Member

to robbin
looks like phone to me too. might be tv.

Dogwood
Premium Member
join:2001-01-14
Texas

Dogwood to Jon5

Premium Member

to Jon5
Those are telephone and/or Cable TV.

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

2 edits

Jon5

Premium Member

Okay, maybe you're right. I assumed because of their size they were power. These are poles on either side of my house.
If they're phone and cable, Who would own those "Bundles"?
Is there a height requirement for them as well?





Nothing comes to my house from those poles. As I said, everything comes to my house underground and from the back yard.

n1zuk
making really tiny tech things
Premium Member
join:2001-10-24
Malta

1 recommendation

n1zuk

Premium Member

said by Jon5:

If they're phone and cable, Who would own those "Bundles"?
The phone company, and the cable company?

LBDSL
Lightning Bolt
join:2002-01-07
Auburn Hills, MI

LBDSL to Jon5

Member

to Jon5
From what I know, and others have said, power is always on top, with other carriers which have rights are lower.

From a logic stand point it would make sense, you wouldn't want a telco or cable tech having to climb over/past a power line.

Just because the lower lines don't run to your house doesn't mean they are not cable or telephone, as they could by longer distance transportation lines, going a few miles, and could feed the under ground cable every 1/2 mile, or something.

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

Jon5 to n1zuk

Premium Member

to n1zuk
said by n1zuk:

said by Jon5:

If they're phone and cable, Who would own those "Bundles"?
The phone company, and the cable company?
Well yeah, but since they're bundled together, if they were to move them it would probably have to be all at once. Which company would own that responsibility, if either. Just wondering who I would call. Or if would take some kind of coordinated effort between them all. If that's the case. All hope is gone.

LazMan
Premium Member
join:2003-03-26
Beverly Hills, CA

LazMan to Jon5

Premium Member

to Jon5
Generally, shared use facilities (which is the fancy term for the steel strand that the cable-co and RBOC share, when they are on hydo poles like in your pic) are owned by the hydro company or local PUC...

Hydro height requirements across roadways can vary from State to State, but typically are around 20'. Across private driveways are lower; 15'. Cable/Telco is usually about 3' lower then that...

A call to the local PUC or the power company should get it checked; and they'll be able to advise if it meets standard or not...

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin to Jon5

Mod

to Jon5
Thanks for the better pics. The middle two wires are definitely power. In your second pic you can see that they are connected to the transformer on the pole. The bottom bundle looks to me like cable and it appears there may also be fiber with it. I think some of the cable systems use the hard cable and fiber together but this gets out of my knowledge base.

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

jack b to Jon5

MVM

to Jon5
Call the Cable TV company to rectify the sag. Those are their cables/fiber bundled.
dingo4
Premium Member
join:2009-02-08

1 edit

dingo4 to Jon5

Premium Member

to Jon5
The lower cable in the bottom set of pictures is CATV. I see no phone in those pics.

I can check the minimum clearance (here anyway) when I get to work tomorrow if you'd like
08034016 (banned)
Hallo lisa Aus Amerika
join:2001-08-31
Byron, GA

08034016 (banned) to Jon5

Member

to Jon5
»/r0/do ··· 5712.jpg

Top wire is Electric
Center is Telephone
Bottom is Cable.

Dogwood
Premium Member
join:2001-01-14
Texas

2 recommendations

Dogwood

Premium Member

said by 08034016:

Top wire is Electric
Center is Telephone
Bottom is Cable.
No
The top set of 3 wires are medium voltage line power.
The next down is a neutral.
The next is a secondary feeder, probably a street light.
The bottom is, as stated several times already, cable TV.

DocDrew
How can I help?
Premium Member
join:2009-01-28
SoCal
Ubee E31U2V1
Technicolor TC4400
Linksys EA6900

1 edit

DocDrew to 08034016

Premium Member

to 08034016
Just to add, the expansion bend (the wide U shape in the line) in the cable definitely makes it coax cable, more than likely property of your local cable TV provider.

Phone cable should be on a separate support strand, often higher up on the pole. I don't see any in this pic.

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

1 edit

Jon5 to dingo4

Premium Member

to dingo4
said by dingo4:

I can check the minimum clearance (here anyway) when I get to work tomorrow if you'd like
That would be helpful. I can call the cable co. I can only assume it's comcast. Though if there is fiber it could be ATT as well. My main problem if it's comcast is that I'm not even a customer of theirs. It shouldn't make a difference but it may. I'd like to be able to point out that they're breaking some ordinance and I will report them if they don't want to cooperate.

I'll try asking nicely first. But would like to have a back up plan. If there is even such a "code". I can't imagine there isn't. Or at least an internal company code/requirement. You wouldn't want trucks constantly ripping your lines down.
08034016 (banned)
Hallo lisa Aus Amerika
join:2001-08-31
Byron, GA

08034016 (banned) to Dogwood

Member

to Dogwood
said by Dogwood:
said by 08034016:

Top wire is Electric
Center is Telephone
Bottom is Cable.
No
The top set of 3 wires are medium voltage line power.
The next down is a neutral.
The next is a secondary feeder, probably a street light.
The bottom is, as stated several times already, cable TV.
Dude i have the Say setup outside my house.want a picture.

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

Jon5 to LazMan

Premium Member

to LazMan
said by LazMan:

A call to the local PUC or the power company should get it checked; and they'll be able to advise if it meets standard or not...
I can call my power company. I'm not familliar with the term PUC though.

ct0wn
@ameritech.net

ct0wn to Jon5

Anon

to Jon5
Here's one way to find out who's cables they are and get them moved: rent the largest U-Haul truck you can find, pull it in to your driveway about 3am. After the cables come crashing down, return the truck to rental facility and be sure to get home in time so you can come stumbling out of your front door at the crack of dawn in your robe with coffee in hand, looking up and scratching your head curiously...

Ok well that was a joke but in all seriousness they do appear to be CATV distribution lines. Maybe fiber bundled in there too but it's usually marked with an orange wrapper at some point. I would probably start with complaining to my city councilperson honestly.
08034016 (banned)
Hallo lisa Aus Amerika
join:2001-08-31
Byron, GA

08034016 (banned) to Jon5

Member

to Jon5
said by Jon5:
said by LazMan:

A call to the local PUC or the power company should get it checked; and they'll be able to advise if it meets standard or not...
I'm not familliar with the term PUC though.
Public Utilities Commission

Ken
MVM
join:2003-06-16
Markle, IN

Ken to Jon5

MVM

to Jon5
I can't imagine living at a house where I couldn't back a uhaul truck into my driveway because of low hanging lines.
Ken

Ken to 08034016

MVM

to 08034016
said by 08034016:

Dude i have the Say setup outside my house.want a picture.
Yes a picture would be great. Make sure to take a pic of a pole with a transformer on it.
08034016 (banned)
Hallo lisa Aus Amerika
join:2001-08-31
Byron, GA

08034016 (banned)

Member

said by Ken:
said by 08034016:

Dude i have the Say setup outside my house.want a picture.
Yes a picture would be great. Make sure to take a pic of a pole with a transformer on it.
Did i ask you don't think so.

DocDrew
How can I help?
Premium Member
join:2009-01-28
SoCal
Ubee E31U2V1
Technicolor TC4400
Linksys EA6900

1 edit

DocDrew to Jon5

Premium Member

to Jon5
Found this (hopefully I got it right):


»www.villageoflisle.org/h ··· page=318

contact Comcast at 1-866-594-1234

contact Comcast directly at the aforementioned number with your inquiry, or send your request in writing to them at: Government Affairs Manager for the Village of Lisle, Comcast, 155 W. Industrial Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126.

If you are unsuccessful in resolving any concerns or complaints with Comcast, please call the Village at 630-271-4125 and we will do our best to help with a resolution.

BTW, the NEC code you found should apply just fine, it is a National code after all. In which case the cable lines should be 12 ft. above your driveway.

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

2 edits

Jon5 to Ken

Premium Member

to Ken
said by 08034016:

Public Utilities Commission
Ah okay. Here we call it CUB. Citizens Utility Board.
The Illinois commerce commission also handles some of this stuff. Welcome to the Illinois Bureaucracy!
said by Ken:

I can't imagine living at a house where I couldn't back a uhaul truck into my driveway because of low hanging lines.
Yeah, I can't do that either. I've tried three times in the last two years to rent a stinking 10 yard dumpster. Everyone that has shown up couldn't deliver it because they can't get in my driveway. I live on a busy street so that isn't an option. I can't get mulch, or topsoil or anything delivered. The 1-800 got junk guys got in cause I went out and lifted the wires with a long 2x4. But they charge a ton. $200 to remove a pretty small pile of crap. I can get a 10 yard for a week for $260 and probably fit most everything in my house in it.

Furniture or appliance delivery guys have to block the street with causes all kinds of chaos as well. It's only mine and my neighbors driveways that are like this. Everyone else on the block seems to be at least 20 ft high.
Jon5

Jon5 to DocDrew

Premium Member

to DocDrew
said by DocDrew:

Found this (hopefully I got it right):
[att=1]
»www.villageoflisle.org/h ··· page=318
Only problem with that is I'm unincorporated. I don't pay village taxes or vote in their elections. Last time I went to the village with a question they basically told me to go F**k myself.

The township people are worthless. At least I know it's comcast for sure though.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

If you don't get it resolved with Comcast then take it to the electric company. They own the poles which cable rents space on.