How to distinguish a high voltage power line from low voltage power line (prices, company)
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The house I am looking at has a wooden power pole in the end of its back yard, about 150 feet from the house. The wooden pole has three power lines on the top. Survey shows it has a 45 feet utility easement. I heard that low voltage power line normally will not require easement. How can I tell these lines are high voltage or low voltage? Are they transmissions line or distribution lines? Thanks.
Last edited by artking09; 03-16-2014 at 02:28 PM..
Reason: add sentence
How to distinguish a high voltage power line from low voltage power line
HIGH voltage will on those BIG steel catenary transmission towers LINK
MEDIUM voltage (up to 600 AC) can be on just about any pole anywhere
with the lower ends of that (up to 240V) tied into your house
LOW volt is coax cable and telephone and control wiring.
You can call the local power company and they will tell you, but those tall wood ones are main distribution lines for neighborhoods. High voltage ones are metal.
Any power line that has wires running directly to houses is quite low voltage (220 V, that is low for the power company).
If you see a large can that is a transformer and the wires connected to it will operate at higher voltage (I think 600 V).
If it's not connected to ANY house, and has big insulators it is a high voltage line. I do not recall ever seeing anything like this with wooden poles, although I suppose it might happen somewhere.
Generally, easements are required on any lines that are shared with other homes. The line connecting directly to your home does not require an easement.
My last home had an easement not only across the back lot line, but also up the side lot line for underground connection to a street lamp.
Any power line that has wires running directly to houses is quite low voltage (220 V, that is low for the power company).
If you see a large can that is a transformer and the wires connected to it will operate at higher voltage (I think 600 V).
Transformers are fed by 2000V at the primary and have 2 phases of 120V coming from the secondary. 240V household circuits for electric ranges and dryers are connected to two pole circuit breakers that connect the two rails in the breaker panel.
All poles will have the 2000V lines that feed the transformers which can power more than one house but it is possible for poles to carry a post secondary line, two insulated conductors and a bare ACSR twisted together.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We live in an area where all of the power line are underground, but many areas especially in big cities have all of their power lines (medium voltage) on poles a lot closer than 150 from the houses with no affect on anyone, nor on home prices. You just want to stay away from the high power transmission lines which are very high metal towers. Despite the fact that no ill-effects have been proven, they are a definite turnoff to home buyers.
You say there are 3 lines? By the sounds and description you have a rear easement "jump pole". The top line being electric, the middle being cable TV and the bottom being phone.
Just an update, local power company confirmed that the power line is 34K voltage transmission line, used for transmission between substations. It is on 30 feet wooden pole. It is 150 feet away from the house, the electrician said it is safe distance.
Last edited by artking09; 03-20-2014 at 08:54 AM..
Reason: add sentence
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