Table of Contents
How much is a utility pole cost?
With an average installed cost per pole of $3000, the total installed cost is $63 million per 1000 miles. Typically around 12% of these poles are inspected every ten years at an inspection cost of approximately $100 per pole using third-party inspectors.
Can I buy a telephone pole?
Utility poles are available from 20′ to 75′ lengths. The Utility poles all have a 6” tip and very in bases depending on the length of the utility pole. Pilings are a grade nicer than utility poles and start at 10′ lengths and also go to 75′ lengths.
How deep do you set a utility pole?
Poles are typically set into the ground: 10% of the overall height + 2 feet, except in questionable soil conditions. Example: Overall pole height: 30 feet, the pole should be buried: 3 feet + 2 feet = 5 feet below grade, and 25 feet above grade.
How much does a steel utility pole cost?
Shipping a steel pole would be approximately $120 per pole. It is recognized by utilities that linemen prefer to work on wood poles because of greater familiarity and maneuverability, as well as the low electrical conductivity of wood.
How long does a wooden utility pole last?
Assumptions About Service Life An Electric Power Research Institute study suggested that wood poles lasted 50 years. Most utilities assume that their poles provide 30 to 40 years of service life.
What wood is used for power lines?
For Tree Farmers, utility poles have the potential to provide an excellent return on investment. Southern yellow pines and Douglas fir are the most popular trees due to their size, but Northeastern red pine, Western red cedar and other softwoods that grow tall and straight are also used.
How deep is a telephone pole buried?
The standard utility pole in the United States is about 40 ft (12 m) long and is buried about 6 ft (2 m) in the ground. However, poles can reach heights of 120 ft (37 m) or more to satisfy clearance requirements.
How much does a wooden utility pole weigh?
Pole Weight Estimates Pole No. 3 Length: 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 No. of Poles: Est. Weight Range: to:.
How do you install a telephone pole?
Dig a shallow trench away from the pole in the direction the pole will lie as you pull it upright. The pole should lie in the trench, slide into the hole and brace against the pair of 2x4s as you pull it upright. Attach the winch high on the pole and, as high as you can attach it to a nearby tree or other structure.
How deep should a 35 foot pole be buried?
Set any pole with energized conductor 10% + 2 feet deep, i.e. a 35 ft pole should be set 5.5 feet deep.
How deep should a 20 foot pole be buried?
Make sure the hole is at least 2 feet deep and four to six times the diameter of the pole to accommodate the ground sleeve.
How long does a utility pole last?
Many utility poles are several decades old Most power poles are much older than their useful life expectancy, which is likely somewhere around 50 to 60 years. But some of them are much older. Metal and concrete poles can last much longer than wood, but eventually all utility poles need to be replaced.
How long do metal poles last?
Steel utility poles can be manufactured to the same dimensions as wooden poles but require no harsh chemical treatments. They’re often galvanized to protect them from corrosion and other harsh elements. It’s been estimated that steel utility poles can exhibit service lives of 50-80 years.
How much does a electric pole weigh?
The volume of that pole is 30 * pi * 0.5^2, so 24 cubic feet. The density of pine is ~30 lbs per cubic foot, so this hypothetical pole weighs 30 * 24 = 720 pounds. If you need something more specific, call up your power company and ask them.
How long does it take to grow a utility pole?
Most pole classes have larger diameter and height requirements than sawtimber. Growing a larger tree for poles typically requires a longer rotation (10–15 years). Longer rotations increase the time a landowner must carry establishment costs and increase the risk of severe weather damage to standing timber.
How many utility poles are replaced each year?
Steel utility distribution poles have a number of clear advantages over competing materials (treated wood and concrete). These include ease of installation, reliability, durability, life cycle cost and environmental considerations. An estimated 2.5 million wood poles are replaced annually.
How long will telephone poles last in the ground?
A survey of 150 utility companies found the average service life of utility poles to range from 25 to 37 years. The most common reason for replacement being, “strength degradation from ground line decay”.
What tree is telephone pole?
Poles are typically made from three species: Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and Southern Pine. Logs that have the potential to become wood poles are selected in the forest, often while the trees are still standing.
What are old utility poles made of?
Most poles are made from southern yellow pine, Douglas fir or western red cedar, though other conifers are also used. According to the North American Wood Poles Council, only 7 percent of the trees in a typical plantation will have the length, straightness, taper and other characteristics necessary for a utility pole.
How long does it take to replace an electrical pole?
The average pole replacement could take up to 3-4 hours under favorable conditions with no mitigating circumstances – or longer if unforeseen circumstances slow the crew down.
How do I identify a utility pole wire?
Cable and telephone lines are located further down the pole and are directly attached to power poles without insulators. Electric lines carry high voltages and are always placed at the top of utility poles. Telephone lines and cable lines are placed lower on the poles.
Will telephone poles go away?
So, while 5G may eliminate the need to have a cable running directly into your house (and so may be the downfall of line rental charges), it will not eliminate the need to have a central, wired network in place. Accordingly, for the foreseeable future, telephone poles aren’t going anywhere.
How many wires come from pole to house?
Primary and Secondary Line The service drop leads from the utility pole lines to a home. It is made up of three conductor wires. Two of them are insulated wires that carry electricity from the transformer; the third is a bare neutral wire that connects to the grounding wire.
