Huge Electiricty Pole advice required

lbyrne121

Hi All,

I am thinking of buying a property but there is a huge electricity poles in my garden, a double wooden pole one.  It is one with two poles around 30ft high that sits in the middle of the garden on the edge

I was wondering does anyone know if I can block of a certain part of the garden with a fence but have a gate that is not locked for access incase works etc need to be carried out of are there restrictions? 

Does anyone know what is the difference between these electricity poles and pylons?
Are they dangerous for your health.


does anyone know of a number in esb I could ring to get this information?
Would greatly appreciate any advice

Thanks

Luckysasha

You can certainly fence off your garden if you want to but bear in mind the ESB has a right to access your property to carry out any maintenance or inspections the poleset might require. The only difference between poles and pylons is to do with the construction of the line i.e.: poles are used to support the conductors along its length where as pylons are designed for taking the strain of the line at both ends etc.
Another point worth noting is if the land the poles are occupying is farm land you are entitled to a payment for the space they take up. This only applies to farm land as far as I know so in your case if it's just your front lawn it won't qualify for payment

lbyrne121

Would you know if there is any implications on health having these lines in your garden?

Metric Tensor

They are replaced every so often - I think you're talking 10-20 years or so and it's a fairly big operation which involves machinery (tracked excavators, etc.) and also a shift of the entire pylon set up by a small distance so that both sets of posts can be up at the same time.

I've seen it done on farm land and there was a lot of equipment and people but it was done very quickly and not much mess left - I have no idea what would happen in a garden but they'd definitely need quite a bit of space around the poles.

lbyrne121

I believe that the pole is a wooden pole double circuit 33kv feeder.. there are no pylons in the area at all

Luckysasha

Health implications is not an issue I'd be trying to find out on a forum like this to be honest. Do your own research and see what you come up with. As for the replacement aspect there are no set lifespan on these poles. So in theory they could last 50 years or 5 years no one knows. They are inspected every year and that is the gauge for pole replacement. There should be a name plate on the pole with the circuit and voltage reference. We don't have 33kv in the republic its either 38kv or it could possibly be 110kv you have

lbyrne121

would they ever replace the wooden poles ones with higher voltage pylons?
Many thanks for all your responses

Luckysasha

As I said before the pylons are only used at strategic points along the line. So unless they decide to change the direction of the line or tie another line in to it I can't foreseen any reason to change a poleset to a pylon. In any case if any of the above scenario where to happen they would pick a more suitable poleset to change. Dealing with yourself and destroying your front garden etc would be a nightmare for ESB. They would change a poleset in the middle of a field quicker to avoid all that hassle

lbyrne121

there is actually no voltage sign on the pole just a danger sign. do you know who I could contact to ask about this in esb?

Luckysasha

You could just ring the number for ESB networks and they will direct your call but to be honest I'm confused about what you want to find out ?

Water John

Fairly sure that is 38kv at most, not 110 kv at that height. The insulators on 110KV are quite long with 10/12 rings. 38KV will have 3/4 rings.
The poles last at least 40 years.

lbyrne121

I have attached a picture of the Double pole in the garden, I think it has a good few rings on it and maybe a 110kv..
Would you know by looking at it?

Water John

Yeah, try again.

lbyrne121

lbyrne121

Let me know if you see that

Water John

It is 38KV. If they wanted to change them, they will reach them from the field, I'd say. Very little disruption. Can't see accurately but there seems to be a break point at those poles, so it is strained each way. See the insulators on the poles further away.
Every pole set has a number, I think, possibly on the silver tag. Handy if talking to ESB.

lbyrne121

thank you for your help.. I was also wondering would having this pole so close to the house have any interference with electricity usage in my house, like static tvs etc?  I don't know if that is a silly question but I was just wondering.

lbyrne121

sorry also what do you mean by break point on the poles and strained each way?

Water John

No. I would not like to live within 50 m of 110KV but wouldn't worry about 38KV. That's a personal opinion.

punisher5112

lbyrne121 wrote: »

sorry also what do you mean by break point on the poles and strained each way?

Cable isn't one as in there is a connection at that point.

Of course not a nice thing to have right in eye view but you will so use to it you will forget its there.

lbyrne121

if you don't mind me asking Water John why would you not like to live beside a 110kv one is there implications living close to one?  I understand they are quite an eyesore but I was thinking of putting a fence around it or putting shrubbery so its out of eye line

Luckysasha

The black squares you can see hanging down under the glass insulators are counter weights for wind not for breaking the line. It's a 38kv line small enough by the looks of it might be 50s or maybe 70s. That photo looks familiar is it over trim direction by any chance

lbyrne121

does that mean that it would need to be replaced soon?   no not in trim in the louth area :-)

Luckysasha

Nope. In fact they are fairly fresh looking poles I'd say they where replaced recently enough. If they did decide to upgrade the line they wouldn't change the poles just the conductors. Which wouldn't impact on you too much as all the work would be done from the field side

lbyrne121

thank you very much for your responses everyone greatly appreciate it.. Just another question would it be possible to put shrubs or a small hedge beside the pole just to block it our from eye level.. only talking 5-6ft max..

Metric Tensor

They're also much smaller poles than the poles I was talking about above. So changing them wouldn't be as big of a deal.

wally79

Luckysasha wrote: »

Nope. In fact they are fairly fresh looking poles I'd say they where replaced recently enough. If they did decide to upgrade the line they wouldn't change the poles just the conductors. Which wouldn't impact on you too much as all the work would be done from the field side

the field side is actually a soccer pitch. Not sure if they would be allowed ruin the surface there rather than the garden the poles are in

Luckysasha

Come out about 5 foot from the base of the poles and you should be fine. Leave a walkway up along the boundary fence save the lads walking across your lawn. Last guess jenkinstown ?

ted1

lbyrne121 wrote: »

would they ever replace the wooden poles ones with higher voltage pylons?
Many thanks for all your responses

No they wouldn't

lbyrne121

it is in the Dundalk area.. Sorry just another question.. I am reading that you would hear buzzing from the pole, would it be loud?

punisher5112

If there was a transformer you would hear it but the cables alone not too bad.

It won't keep you awake.

Luckysasha

You might hear a bit of a sizzle noise if there is dampness in the air but it will be very low in fact you would have to be standing at the base of the pole to hear it. I'd say there would be more noise from the traffic on the main road

Water John

The 110Kv are much stronger lines. Part of EirGrid, the national transmission system(TSO) whilst 38KV, 20Kv and 10KV etc are part of the national distribution system (DSO).

There is an electro magnetic field (EMF) around the 110KV. For example, old car radios wouldn't work under them. Some evidence that cancer risk is about doubled by living very near or under them.
Yours is not that size.

lbyrne121

Waterjohn sorry to bother you again but I was trying to find out from ESB for definite what the voltage is but they cant give me an answer I have attached more pictures.. Is it definitely not a 110kv pole?

lbyrne121

Metric Tensor

I don't know if this is of any help:

https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/2016-Transmission-System-Geographic-Map.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwj9_8vQ6M3QAhUMAcAKHcikC-kQFgghMAA&usg=AFQjCNFwiBtaLpxF_xm14ao52wGi8ofsIQ&sig2=InDosleFleKJSNVJh8VqUg

The 110kV line beside me is shown correctly on it anyway. It's on much higher poles than your one and as Water John says there's about 10 insulators swinging between the top bracket and the wire.

eeguy

The ESB actually released a document addressing cancer concerns: https://www.esb.ie/docs/default-source/default-document-library/keeping-safe/esb-electric-magnetic-fields-in-environment.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Water John

Pretty sure it's 38KV. Wires on 110KV are much further apart as well as higher.

I just would not live under or very near, as in 50m of 110KV. But that is a personal choice. No problem with any such infrastructure nearby.

ethernet

I had two sets of these in the garden of my family home. Never recall any issues with them. I recall a helicopter going over a few times inspecting them. Eventually they were put underground when an estate was being built behind our house and two pylons put in between further away from the house.

They seemed to have some effect on analogue TV reception back in the day - not much of an issue nowadays. Apart from that, as another poster already mentioned, just the sizzle when it rained but nothing too noticeable.

Chisler2

Luckysasha wrote: »

You can certainly fence off your garden if you want to but bear in mind the ESB has a right to access your property to carry out any maintenance or inspections the poleset might require. The only difference between poles and pylons is to do with the construction of the line i.e.: poles are used to support the conductors along its length where as pylons are designed for taking the strain of the line at both ends etc.
Another point worth noting is if the land the poles are occupying is farm land you are entitled to a payment for the space they take up. This only applies to farm land as far as I know so in your case if it's just your front lawn it won't qualify for payment

I purchased my (small) farm four years ago.  Five ESB poles carry electricity up the hill to the cottage.  How do I claim payment as the fields they are set in are not farm-able.  Could I claim "rent" from ESB retrospectively?

Luckysasha

I nearly sure LV poles are not eligible for payments. You can look it up on esbnetorks.ie.

Water John

I think he is either taking the 'mick' or just home from the pub.