I don't hear too many news reports of these guy's falling off the lines or being zapped....
I suppose everyone has to make a living, I'm not sure if it's for me but I'll bet the pay is pretty good though....

http://www.glumbert.com/media/highpower

 

That is an absolutely INSANE job !! Great video - Thanks for posting it. Pretty steady helecopter pilot too.


Ive seen some pretty ugly safety videos and demonstrations when I was working at a power plant. You do not want to see what happens when things go bad.

 

Finally a job I might like. Getting paid to have fun sounds good to me.

 

I remember a show on the discovery channel that featured linemen. Amazing (and dangerous) work they do.

I have always been fascinated by electricity. I have a small fear of it too, mainly since I know it could easily kill me. I am an electronics tech in the U.S. Coast Guard. I get to work with high energy circuits in radar units, HF radios, etc. I've been fortunate so far to get shocked only by 120 VAC, and a few DC circuits, nothing severe. I've had a two close calls though, one from lightning and another from a 1,000 Volt transformer in a radar enclosure.

Check this link out, several bad electrical mishaps. It has some downloadable videos, the substation fire is a real nasty one.

http://205.243.100.155/frames/longarc.htm

 

J.R., I was just about to post that link! Great minds think alike! (or, fools seldom differ, or we idiots just can't tell the difference!) What are those guys doing crawling on the lines? Looked like they might be heading for lightning arrestors or checking clamps?? How many of those jobs could there possibly be, and how does someone get into that line of work?

 

I used to work with guys that worked with the overhead power lines and I have all the admiration in the world for them.
When I think of electricty, I think of it as power.
The key word is POW.
That is why I leave it to the experts.

 

I work around it all the time. Got motors here coupled together that make 7000 HP, six 6000 HP reactor cooolant pump motors (they peg out a 3000 amp meter for over 30 seconds on start up), three 500Kv transformers, and a whole lot of other stuff that humms. You better respect it or you won't have to worry about it. 4160 will do funny stuff if you let it go where it ain't supposed to go. Even 480 is explosive with just a little #16 ampmeter lead shorting two phases. Not good.

 

We just got done testing a 10,000hp motor for schlumberger. Took 4 of our biggest gen sets and 2 transformers to get it to "start".

Its something to see the gen leads stiffin up on startup coming out of the transformer.

 

I get to see them up close and personal.

 

That guy on the high voltage cables......wow......definately a job i'd run away from.....

Don't know if this has been posted before....apologies if it has.........hope the link works.......

Its from the UK.motoring program Top Gear......The hamster sits in a car whilst being struck by lightning.....

Pretty amazing.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVIQH1EeJOs

 

A guy I know is looking at a apprenticeship program for line men. $25 to start! but very high risk.

Jon

 

I have been a Journeyman Lineman going on 17 years now. It can be one of the most dangerous jobs in the world if not properly trained and SAFETY rules are not followed. I have fallen off my share of poles, but never seriously injured. Have also seen acouple of high voltage phase to phase fires and it is not a pretty sight. Overall, it ia a great job, excellent pay and benefits, and you get to work outside. If interested you should go to a hot line school or hire on with a contractor and go through a 4 year apprenticeship with them or try to get hired by your local power company. Once you become a Journeyman, you can work anywhere in the world because electricity is everywhere and it will always be needed. I could go on and on, but this post is getting long. Have a great day!

 

Well now thats a job... Not for me!!! The electricity part i'd be fine with but not the heights!!

However, my hat goes off to them guys up there on those power lines.

Without em, we wouldnt have DTR

 

That is a sweet video. My dad was a high tesion lineman for about 10 years or so. He got a promotion that took him off the lines, but he still says that it was his favorite job.

 

Yeah, I know that. When they start up one of these reactor coolant pumps, they have to notify the grid and the lights dim for about 20 seconds.