Mains to the house

[10G]

I was up doing the gutters on the weekend near where the power comes in from the street. I took a look at the those big deadly cables, never bothered before. They're covered in insulation stuff.

Then I thought I guess they must have to be otherwise they'd be blowing up all the time.

Can I touch them without killing myself? I always thought it was instant death, but they look insulated to me.

[MudRunnerTD]

matfew is your guy. I probably would not. Make sure your wearing a go pro if you so though!! Go facebookLive!!!

[10G]

matfew is your guy. I probably would not. Make sure your wearing a go pro if you so though!! Go facebookLive!!!

Hahaha, facebook live, the world needs that stuff doesn't it.

It's not on my list of things to do, just curious.

[Winnie]

They are usually an aluminium conductor with 2 seperate layers of insulation. Safe to touch but don't do it on purpose anyway.

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[Plasnart]

Why do you want to touch it 10G? Those cables and the box they connect into belong to your electricity distributor , not you. So if there's an issue with it, get in touch with them to fix it. A few years ago I noticed the insulation on my power feed cables were badly cracked and weathered. I contacted the distributor and a few weeks later they came out and replaced it/them.

[Hodge]

Can I touch them without killing myself? I always thought it was instant death, but they look insulated to me.

If i had 10c for every time I got asked this, especially tradies like roof plumbers working near our lines, I'd be typing this from bahamas on my private yacht.

There is many variations of service cable from pole to house. Some of them you simply look at, and it blows up in your face, others you can put a 20T press on top off, and it'll still be fine.

Depending on the age of the property, the newer type should be XLPE insulated black cable. 2 to 4 core depending on phases supplied to property. (Photo taken from my work van just now). These began to be put up, mid-90s. Aluminium.

Then there is the plastic insulated variations, usually grey/white color. All of these have become brittle over the years and as soon as you touch them, the insulation cracks and falls off exposing live.

Then there is the old neutral screen type cable. These have a live core , then a layer of insulation and then the neutral wrapped around it followed by another layer of insulation. They come in copper and aluminium versions. Some of these are still good for another 100 years. But most of them are a death trap when disturbed.

Bottom line is, do not touch , move disturb... Electricity will only give you one chance before it makes your life miserable if youre lucky to live after.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79348&stc=1

[Hodge]

Why do you want to touch it 10G? Those cables and the box they connect into belong to your electricity distributor , not you.

Sorry Plassy have to correct you here.

On your house you own the FOLCB. (Fused overheard line connection box). You own the wiring from that box to the meter. You own the meter panel, switch board etc. If any of these blow up, you're up for the cost.
However, this still does not allow you to touch it. If you need access to it, you need the power dropped. Well, in reality.

The distributor owns the cable from the pole to house and the meter.

[10G]

Yep, nup, I sure as ship don't want to touch them, just curious as I always thought of them as being uninsulated and always gave them a wide berth, was just interested to see they were insulated, which of course they would be.

We have the white/grey stuff and yes, the insulation does look brittle.

But good to know that if you walk under them with the garden rake poking up you may have a chance.

[Plasnart]

Sorry Plassy have to correct you here.

On your house you own the FOLCB. (Fused overheard line connection box). You own the wiring from that box to the meter. You own the meter panel, switch board etc. If any of these blow up, you're up for the cost.
However, this still does not allow you to touch it. If you need access to it, you need the power dropped. Well, in reality.

The distributor owns the cable from the pole to house and the meter.

Thanks for that Hodgy. I always thought the FOLCB was the distributors but I stand corrected!

[Hodge]

Thanks for that Hodgy. I always thought the FOLCB was the distributors but I stand corrected!

And we own the fuse that goes in the box. :P

Years ago, SEC put up older porcelain variety fuse boxes... These were owned and fitted BY the SEC themselves. I think somewhere in the code it has been written that now customer is liable for it, not sure on this though.... But If these burn out or get damaged we usually replace them as we carry them as a stock item, providing mains are ok. But nearly all other junction box variety, is customers.

[matfew]

matfew is your guy. I probably would not. Make sure your wearing a go pro if you so though!! Go facebookLive!!!No no Hodge is da man here haha.

As above mate I would not touch it. I don't trust electricity hence I'm still alive. Our insulation for that matter seen plenty of times it hasn't held up. The old rake might just be enough to crack it off. I'd be wary it's there and not even tempt fate at all.

Can't see electricity. Can't smell it. Can't taste it. But you can definitely feel it!

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[10G]

I think I need to do some pruning of a flowering gum near this darn cable this weekend.

Hopefully see you all next week.

[Rodni40]

maybe kill

[pollenface]

I've sometimes had branches land on them and become suspended, I think I used something long and wooden to dislodge them but my heart was still in my mouth.