. . . . bear loses!!!

600 lb bear bites a 5000 volt line @ Kincaid park on the Sisson Loop trail (near Los Anchorage)





[just for the gals here] I figured the name of this bear should be "Homer" as only a male bear could do something this stupid. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />



Damn . . . something smells like it's burning!!!

MM

Ouch! That'll leave a mark....

I'd say it already did!! Thats the kind of fence I need around my moose camp!!

One of my pigs wound up like that after biting into a 120v AC extension cord.

Agreed.Also could like that for my backyard.If it isn't nailed down around here it's gone.

It wasn't the 5000 volts that got him. My horse fence is 10,000 volts. Its amperage that kills.

Brent

volts = quantity

amps = pressure

Nope . . . other way around

Volts = pressure
Amps = flowrate [volume of electrons delivered]

MM

I don't pretend to be an electrician, but I think you got that analogy backwards.

Brent

Ouch I hate it when that happens. has anyone ever heard of a bear doing the electric chicken before?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yup! Always heard it as
Volts = pressure
Amps = speed

I don't know how many jolts my elec horse fence is, but it's rated half mile (IIRC). Not much for current though.

It was the reference to ground that killed him.

Without a path to ground electricity is harmless, birds, squirrells etc, sit and run on powerlines with thousands of volts and hundreds of amps running through them. But just let that bird become the path to ground for the electricity and it is all over.

The reason you do not see birds on high voltage lines (over 69,000) is because of the inductive field is uncomfortable and that level of discomfort increases as the voltage rises.

Enough volts make a lot of things better grounded. It's amperage that kills.

Brent

Gives a new meaning to "bear wire" I guess he thought it was a "current" bush. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Without a path to ground volts nor amps do nothing

Used to work powerline constuction and the most respected(FEARED) was the 3140 volt line.Even it didn't burn the hell out of you or remove chunks of flesh it always caused fatal heart flibliration.I think I spelled that right.Under the right conditions half an amp can kill.

I used to work in the Wash. DC area mostly around 19.9/34,500 volts and man that can get hairy at times.

As you probably figured out that I like yourself am a lineman, we glove 14.4/24.9 where I work and truth be told I would always pick a higher voltage to work versus a lower one. It seems that at 24.9 and above it is always buzzing and tingling just to let you know that it is still there.

Worked 7.62/13.2 and 2400 for quite some time and it just sits there silently. I'll take 24.9 and above anytime.

Did you enjoy the rapp off of the hardware on 115kv and up strucures. Gotta love that stuff.

Bastids love to bite anything plastic, rubbery, or canned. I "cured" a persistent black bear oil can biter at my remote cabin by planting a couple aerosol bug juice cans with the oil. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Gave the fellar a nice taste I am sure <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Probably kept the bugs away for awhile, another benefit to the bear.

powerguy,Years ago we were pulling a new conductor on an out of service 17kv line next to a hot 500kv .The wire trailer was grounded as well as the tensioner.The wire was on the ground and we were making a splice using a hydraulic press and sleeve.When the ACSR was inserted into the sleeve it just exploded with one hell of a boom.Both my partner and I were blown down an embankment but really didn't get hurt.

Static carryover from the 500 line? I don't know but it was a day I won't forget.

Our work methods require us to bond any parted conductors togethor before we handle them.

Glad to hear that you were not hurt when that happened.

Why did you get out of the Biz.

There aren't hundreds of amps running through them, or they would be dead. No ground, so no current.

Actually you don't need a ground to get a current. All you need is a potential difference. If you get across two conductors of a three phase circuit, even though neither one is ground, you're in trouble. But the bird sitting on the wire is only touching one potential.

The post references amps running through the wires, not the birds, critters etc.

Thank you for your vast knowledge in this area. Are you an engineer by chance.

It was wonderful that you explained to two lineman how three phase and difference of potential work, who would have thunk it.

Please more input would be helpful <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Powerguy,

Let me start by saying I appreciate the smiley at the end of your last post. I had a total brain fart when I read your earlier post. Please don't fire up that broad brush and start painting all engineers. Some of us will actually admit to making a mistake, even in front of sweaty, don't get to work in the air conditioning types. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

mathman

Multiple reasons but the biggest was that I got tired of the long distances traveled and living out of a suitcase.
Distribution was not my cup of tea.Hangin' ninety degrees to a pole in my hooks working on alley arms in the city got pretty old and it's hard on the body.Tranmission work was always a blast.Shake down after erecting the towers was always fun as well as clipping in.But there was nothing like walking out on a hook ladder on top of a 500 line and making a double dead end and then of course there were the Canadian guys and the yahoos form West Virginia that made life interesting.
Now I work in a factory and life is good.13 miles to work and I don't have to pack a suitcase. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Your alright in my book <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I am the typical type A personality Lineman, sorry <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

OOOPS! I should pay better attention to what I type! I stand corrected

Electricity sometimes seems magic.
20 or so years ago I watched a fellow working out of a cherry picker hooking up power lines to a transformer that would soon be power to my place here in Alaska. The switch at the transformer was open and so no problem hooking it up, but then a strange thing happened that cloudy summer afternoon. Lightening struck the power pole about 5 poles down and a blue colored ball came down the line faster than my eyes could keep up with it. This fellow was not holding wires or anything at this time, but the fire ball or electric ball got him. When the hand on the ground lowered the cherry picker the fellow was still alive but badly burned. I was sure he would die from the event, but survived.
All the precautions in the world could not have done a thing for this fellow.
We joke now that he no longer works for the power company but has a job at the service station jump starting cars with just his hands on the terminals.
Max

We're remodeling here. I can swing a hammer and run a saw. Pretty much been able to handle everything in the bedrooms so far, myself.

Except the electrical.

I brought a contractor in, paid him $435 to do my son's room a couple weekends ago. 4 recessed cans, 5 outlets, one switch, all new wiring out to the breaker, materials (except for some trim) included.

Best $435 I've spent in a while.

You guys have my respect. You can keep your electrical work. That bear picture is all I need to see.

I gotta go put up some sheetrock.

Rick

Thats good Rick, it will keep you busy and you won't have time to fidle with the campfire. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />