Supply companies overhead cable

[Darkone]

The overhead supply cable from a pole to my property is over my garage. The cable is a single phase concentric type. Is there any regulation as to the distance that the cable should be above any property?, at present it is less than 1 meter above the ridge and is inconvenient when doing work on the roof.

 

[Engineer54]

Not sure what you would want the DNO to do?? Any changes from the pole connection to your properties entry point will most certainly be to Your cost. They can't, and will not pull the suspended cable tort, the cable needs to expand and contract with the changing ambient temperature...

The overhead cable pole is Fixed, your entry point is not.!! So you can always get your electrician to run in a new cable entry point on your property that will (maybe) avoid traversing your garage roof...

 

[Darkone]

Not sure what you would want the DNO to do?? Any changes from the pole connection to your properties entry point will most certainly be to Your cost. They can't, and will not pull the suspended cable tort, the cable needs to expand and contract with the changing ambient temperature...

The overhead cable pole is Fixed, your entry point is not.!! So you can always get your electrician to run in a new cable entry point on your property that will (maybe) avoid traversing your garage roof...

Well this is the problem, the cable IS "taught" NOW, the pole has a considerable “lean” and is getting worse. It is so tight and is putting strian on the fixing on my property, any more tension and it will pull away brickwork.
My question was slightly “loaded” (as most are on forums). They are going to have to do something about the problems above, but I wanted to know if I have a case for them to move the cable from above my garage or if the is a regulation that I can quote.
At a future date I had considered raising the height of the garage, so the cable in its present position would have to be moved. My understanding is that cable upto the sevice fuse and meter belongs to the DNO and no one else is alowed to re-route it, yes/no

 

[Paul.M]

Reg 522.8.4 (in a nutshell) supported cables should not be under mechanical strain from their own weight.

 

[malcolmsanford]

The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002

Have a read of that and part 18( 5 & 6) in particular, as this if from The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002, the DNO might be a place to start .

 

[Paul.M]

"(5)*No overhead line shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, come so close to any building, tree or structure as to cause danger.(6)*In this regulation the expression “ordinarily accessible” means the overhead line could be reached by hand if any scaffolding, ladder or other construction was erected or placed on, in, against or near to a building or structure."

 

[oxocube]

Reg 522.8.4 (in a nutshell) supported cables should not be under mechanical strain from their own weight.

The Regs don't apply to dno's.

 

[JUD]

The Regs don't apply to dno's.

I was just thinking the same thing.

 

[Paul.M]

The Regs don't apply to dno's.

I agree but the DNO have the same rule under their regs I believe, just can't find it atm. Malcolm has pointed out the exact reg that the op needs.

 

[oxocube]

From ESQCR 2002

"SCHEDULE 2 Regulation 17(2)
MINIMUM HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND OF OVERHEAD LINES
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Nominal Voltages Over Roads Other Locations
Not exceeding 33,000 volts 5.8 metres 5.2 metres
Exceeding 33,000 volts but not exceeding 66,000 volts 6 metres 6 metres
Exceeding 66,000 volts but not exceeding 132,000 volts 6.7 metres 6.7 metres
Exceeding 132,000 volts but not exceeding 275,000 volts 7 metres 7 metres
Exceeding 275,000 volts but not exceeding 400,000 volts 7.3 metres 7.3 metres"

From ESQCR guidance notes, seems if insulated there is no specific clearance height.

"17(3)
This paragraph identifies three types of overhead line equipment that need not comply with Schedule 2, provided the equipment is not installed over a road:
(i) lines which are fully insulated (see definition of insulation at regulation 1(5));
(ii) exposed conductors connecting equipment (fixed to the support) to the line, provided the conductors are at least 4.3m above the ground (e.g. connections to pole mounted transformers or auto-reclosers); and
(iii) lines which are connected with earth, e.g. earth wires or neutral conductors on low voltage networks."

Regulation 1(5)

"insulation
This term defines insulation surrounding phase conductors which is designed to withstand the operating voltage of the equipment.
Insulation as defined does not include protective coverings or coatings (surrounding phase conductors) which are not designed to support the full phase to earth or phase to phase voltage (as appropriate). For example the covering on BLX overhead line conductors could not be described as insulation"

 

[malcolmsanford]

Agree OC but if a overhead cable that is 5.2m or 5.8m (over a road) can still be touched while standing on a garage roof then that minimum height may not sufficient, and I would have thought that a call to the DNO telling them this might be worth the OP's time.

Position, insulation and protection of overhead lines
18.—(1) Any part of an overhead line which is not connected with earth and which is not ordinarily accessible shall be supported on insulators or surrounded by insulation.
(2) Any part of an overhead line which is not connected with earth and which is ordinarily accessible shall be—
(a)made dead; or
(b)so insulated that it is protected, so far as is reasonably practicable, against mechanical damage or interference; or
(c)adequately protected to prevent danger.
(3) Any person responsible for erecting a building or structure which will cause any part of an overhead line which is not connected with earth to become ordinarily accessible shall give reasonable notice to the generator or distributor who owns or operates the overhead line of his intention to erect that building or structure.
(4) Any bare conductor not connected with earth, which is part of a low voltage overhead line, shall be situated throughout its length directly above a bare conductor which is connected with earth.
(5) No overhead line shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, come so close to any building, tree or structure as to cause danger.
(6) In this regulation the expression “ordinarily accessible” means the overhead line could be reached by hand if any scaffolding, ladder or other construction was erected or placed on, in, against or near to a building or structure.

 

[JD6400]

I would strongly advice not to move it yourself !
On recent new build development i know of very well the incomer needed to be moved prior to 4 new supply's being brought in , it was suggested by a representative from the supply company that this would be very expensive and take at least six weeks but if it's fixings were to become loose on the house awaiting demolition then someone should phone up there emergency call out department and they would be out that day to move it to a more satisfactory position for free !
I wonder if that would really work ???????

 

[Darkone]

if it's fixings were to become loose on the house awaiting demolition then someone should phone up there emergency call out department and they would be out that day to move it to a more satisfactory position for free !
I wonder if that would really work ???????

You are not suggesting I demolish my house are you? :smilielol5:

I have been out in the rain and taken a couple of photos, the cable is nearer the roof than I thought, about 400mm I am standing on my porch roof so I can quite easily reach out and touch the cable..

 

[Paul.M]

Darkone thanks for the photos, always helps. I think what Malcolm has said in post #11 gives you the bullets needed to fire at the DNO. Good luck and tell us the outcome.

 

[1shortcircuit]

Just a quickie

Was the garage in position first or was the Pole?

:thumbsup

 

[Paul.M]

Just a quickieWas the garage in position first or was the Pole?

Your looking at the lower catenary wire. Looks like its older due to the rust build up on the bracket attached to the garage. Another thing, you say you can reach this cable standing on your porch?

 

[1shortcircuit]

Just a quickie

Was the garage in position first or was the Pole?

:thumbsup

Your looking at the lower catenary wire. Looks like its older due to the rust build up on the bracket attached to the garage. Another thing, you say you can reach this cable standing on your porch?

I was actually wondering if there are any regs that exist that state buildings should not be built within a certain distance of supply cables etc and if they were and it could be proved by the DNO would the building need pulling down at the customers expense also lol

 

[Engineer54]

Your looking at the lower catenary wire. Looks like its older due to the rust build up on the bracket attached to the garage.

That looks like the telephone line catenary, which is often the case in rural locations of using the same pole, as the main LV distribution system.... Not sure if their are different height rules for them...lol!!!

Never any harm in trying, but i doubt if the OP will get very far with the local DNO, they sure aren't going to move that pole!!!

 

[Paul.M]

That looks like the telephone line catenary, which is often the case in rural locations of using the same pole, as the main LV distribution system.... Not sure if their are different height rules for them...lol!!!Never any harm in trying, but i doubt if the OP will get very far with the local DNO, they sure aren't going to move that pole!!!

Lol heights of phone lines, let's not go there . Looking at the pictures I would guess that the DNO would have to clip down the pole and bury the feed to the house. If its free of charge is another question?

 

[1shortcircuit]

If you can reach it standing on your porch then perhaps you could turn this negative into a positive and start using it as a second washing line perhaps?

:thumbsup

 

[Engineer54]

Lol heights of phone lines, let's not go there . Looking at the pictures I would guess that the DNO would have to clip down the pole and bury the feed to the house. If its free of charge is another question?

What!.... and create a president for the rest of the road to have an underground supply??mg_smile:

That i doubt even less, than moving the pole. ...lol!!!

 

[nickblake]

did an inspection yesterday , i reported a cable to DNO , concientric cable comming in joint to two out goings , problem was the joints on the cables were not insulated , if you climbed on the flat roof you could easily grab the connections infact they were only about 2 ft off the flat room , guy had just finished painting his barge boards lucky guy i say

 

[Darkone]

The pole was there before the garage, but the cable was moved and updated to it's current position on the house in the 1980's when we removed a chimney, cable was fixed to that. Original cable were the uninsulated types.

I passed the suggestion of an extra clothes line to the wife, the reply................... you guess!:49:

 

[Darkone]

What!.... and create a president for the rest of the road to have an underground supply??mg_smile:

That i doubt even less, than moving the pole. ...lol!!!

Funny you should say that!

Next doors bungalow supply cable is due to be replaced as it is the old uninsulated type, problem is that the incoming cables are fixed to one chimney, accross the roof to another chimney then into the house. The DNO contractors turned up and refused to do it down to "elf & safety", scafforing required all around the building. I casually commented for them to move the pole to a different position between our two properties wheras our two properties could be re cabled at a minimum of effort no scaffold required, bobs your uncle. As usuall a sound suggestion was ignored.

 

[JD6400]

You are not suggesting I demolish my house are you? :smilielol5:

I have been out in the rain and taken a couple of photos, the cable is nearer the roof than I thought, about 400mm I am standing on my porch roof so I can quite easily reach out and touch the cable..

Well it would solve your problem in the long run !:willy_nilly:

If it were to become loose on the fixings and pose a danger , they may be more inclined to do something if you were to point out the other problem and state that you are not at all happy about it being re fixed in the same position and want to escalate the complaint !

It could save a lot of time and money , you never know ?