Hey Everyone! Had a great opportunity to chat with some Lineman that are fresh into the trade! (3 months) A great topic that came up, and seems to be consistent with nearly every lineman I talk to - Working at heights... While you might not have a fear of heights, working off hooks is a whole new experience! It takes practice and trust in your equipment! Cheers all! Have a great weekend!👊🍻
Hey Bob, thanks for the interviews and insights in this latest video. I've been watching your channel for a while and one thing I've realised from some of your comments, is how long you've been in the job. By my guess, you were probably starting out during the "Northeast blackout of 2003". At some point, are you able to speak to whether or not that affected you and the team you're in? Were you on call during that or were you part of the start up sequence where you are? I am fascinated by the coordination that must be required in starting up the grid like that. Thanks for you content. I really enjoy taking a peek into someone else's career
It’s Not for Everyone but Thank GOD for ALL of you who Perform Safely day in and day out to Provide us the Electricity we Enjoy in our Lives. Great video, Bob👍🙏
Nice of you to interview and answer questions with the trainees. You have the qualities of a caring and understanding teacher. I hope that you will continue to pass on the knowledge and expertise you have accumulated in your 20+ years on the job.
I was an industrial journeyman electrician and helped build a few large substations for chemical plants. I love working at heights there is a sense of freedom you can't get when on the ground. I also had some pole climbing training at one place I worked so I know how that feels at first. My wish was to become a lineman so kudos for those electricians interviewed that did make the switch. Looks like a great group! The lineman career never happened for me but I did take advantage of training offered and had a good career in industrial automation and industrial robotics.
Complete side note - thanks for this channel. MAJOR thunderstorm ripping through right now and actually understand (the basics) as I see power flicker.
I am planning on working at Nova Scotia power. I hope I see you soon. Two more years and hopefully I get the job me and my father went up by Woodbine substation we were on our ATVs. I was saying you want shut the ATV off and see if we hear them buzzing they were buzzing. stay safe.
Great video- you nailed some thoughts that many prospective applicants always have, so getting some insights with those thoughts with some new hires provides excellent perspectives for those who have these questions and might be on the fence about applying- strong work, men!
Excellent video, we as workers need to reach out to new people coming up...Gives them a good feeling, and they'll remember that, like you said , one day they'll be your help out in the field. As an electrician, i mentored alot of kids coming out of high-school, they appreciate that, and remember that. As did i 25 years ago as a greenhorn in my profession....Keep it.up...Love the videos...🙂
Dude, that was awesome! And I really like the fellow with the French accent (I couldn't understand his name on my phone). There's a technical college about 2 miles from my house, and they a set of training poles. It's pretty cool to drive by and see a dozen students practicing their climbing. There's also some non-energized transformers on several of the poles. I imagine they're practicing climbing around them, and maybe attaching and detaching wires and other equipment, although I've not seen them doing that.
That was great. I am a electrician but did not dream of being a lineman . some of my friends did become linemen . this will be great for someone that wants to be a lineman watch this video. and the rest of videos on this channel. great info . nice to see the people that keep the lights on. I am in Boston NY and the trade is pretty much the same hear. we have been getting smoke from Canada wild fires hear. herd from some that climbing a poll can be challenge needing some kind of mask like a N95 to help breath. not so bad lately. was a few days waves of heavy smoke came threw.
WOW! I haven’t seen a yard like that with that much equipment & poles since before the pandemic. Here in CT. we sometimes have to go weeks or months without the right equipment. As it stands now any developer interested in building a housing development that is fed with pad mount gear needs to submit his request for that stuff 46 weeks out. We currently don’t have pad mount transformers. Plenty of overhead ones. Same goes for utility poles. They were short the CCA poles & used Penta poles for guy poles. Hopefully the supply issues will wane? I hear from electricians they are having the same problem securing meter cans with the circuit breaker built into them (new code). I heard there is a 52 week back log on orders. I heard that on e-bay they sell for $2700 brand new. I’m in the wrong business. I should have bought a container of meter cans to sell now 😅 As always Aaron thanks for the great content! 👊🏻👍🏻
@@chris76-01 I personally think there are plenty of them around without proof. Before everyone was buying Howard transformers I remember uncrating new ABB, Westinghouse & General Electric transformers. I bet it has to do with low bid? Power companies refuse to spend more than they have to to acquire equipment.
My grandpa did this shit back in the 60’s and 70’s before taking over system’s operator for Brazos electric co-op. Knowing him, I knew I wasn’t cut out for that shit😂
Excellent video, Aaron! My niece is thinking about doing this when she gets out of the military. Our programs in the States are very similar. I'm definitely going to forward the link to this to her. Thank you! Please stay safe, and God bless.
Good luck to her. As stated before lineman are a breed of their own, I have work with many military personnel who left line because the mental abuse. In our company I believe the number of line women is only double digits and that 8 States and 9 Countries. Again not being negative but just to keep in mind women are built different physically and power standards have not changed like military.
I've never climbed a pole,we don't have wooden poles here in South Australia,we have Stobie poles, which are two pieces of H mould steel,set at a slight angle to each other and filled in with concrete,they can't be climbed so it's an EPV or nothing.Cheers from Australia Aaron,work safe.🇦🇺⚡⚡🔌🔌🎇🎇
A good training program always takes that into consideration. Regardless of age, one who listens to instructions and follows instructions can certainly be safe.
@Bobsdecline I enjoy your videos even though I am not a lineman or electrician. I enjoy light electrical work. 110 voltage doesn't scare me but 220 volts does. I've been told that 220 is safer than 110 volts. What do you think is safer to work on Bob?
@@alanbean8222 "110" (120 actually +/-) is safer. Another advantage of a split-phase system in each line is typically around 120 volts potential to ground / neutral instead of 240 volts unless one touches both lines.
Great video! Hats off to all the guys training as new lineman. You guys keep the world running - 24/7. BTW, why cover the company name on the hard hats? Company rules I suppose…
People bitch when the power goes out . But You Men that are out there in all kinds of weather. Working to bring it back on . Thank You so much for the job you do. 👊🙏
@@Bobsdecline i heard that. I recently jumped from contractor to power company, IBEW local 50, and im working on a trainee job. Went from a 3rd class back down to groundman but gotta start somewhere!
Hey Bob, just curious on your thoughts. Im a union electrician apprentice, 3 years down, 2 more years to go till I top out. I was going to go to line school in the first place but got the offer to be in to what I am doing now first. I am in Michigan right now and trying to land an apprentice position in a municipal when I top out. From your perspective, if I were to get a CDL class A. The next 2 years, what are the odds I land the job?
Well I've never gone through lineman training per se but I have been trained in a lot of weird things that technically don't come under my job but I do not and will not Spike pause I'm too old for that stuff if they ain't got a bucket truck they calling somebody else LOL 😅
They weren't intended to be removed. Most have an epoxy material holding the inside part and the outer part would have to be cut in half with a grinder wheel and pry off.
@@chris76-01 thank you for the info. I didn't know about the epoxy probability. I have seen online that ppl repurpose them for lamp shades and other decorative peices, I was just wondering how. It seems like a task
Interesting video. Is there a "fast track" to journeyman for people with related experience? For example, I got a degree in Industrial Engineering, with a minor in Electrical Engineering. In my mid-20s I was really getting bored with my desk job and was looking for something different. I eventually found my way (factory floor automation), but if I had gone into being a lineman, would the college degree help any?
I did it the other way around lol. I went through apprenticeship to become an electrician, then I got my electrical engineering degree. I’m mid 30s now and just started my desk job. I’ve gain 10 lbs this year so far lol. And I’m missing my tools a bit.
Degree won’t really help. Maybe to get hired but not fast tracked. If u have hands on electrical experience like substation or commercial electrician experience maybe yes.
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." -Mike Tyson "Everyone has a plan until they climb a 50 foot utility pole." -Lineman instructors
Yep, I agree💯. These guys are lucky they are required to use a Buck Squeeze. Back when I was an apprentice we didn't have the Buck Squeeze and just had a regular climbing belt. I wonder how many of them would still be there just using a regular climbing belt climbing a 50 footer. I wish them all well and a safe career as a Journey Lineman.
They are going to be busy. I just read an article about how the entire electrical system will need significant upgrading to be able to handle charging millions of electric cars after the government bans internal combustion engine cars. They said millions of new transformers will be needed because many of the existing ones would overheat from the additional current flowing through them nearly the entire day. It said that summer nighttime transformer cooling would be reduced too much, so they would soon overheat. That might not be a problem in a cooler climate like Canada, where the electrical system is designed to handle a large winter load. Down here in Louisiana, summer air conditioning is the biggest draw. Add charging huge car batteries to the big AC loads, and without significant system upgrading, something will probably fail. The whole country might go down. I wonder if they can weld cooling fins to existing transformers as a cooling modification, or if all new design transformers will be needed. That will cost trillions of dollars, since there are something like 150 million transformers in the USA. Right now, at 5 p.m. it is 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius) outside.
I’ve been a power lineman for over thirty years. I have been very fortunate. I have never been laid off or had to walk a picket line. The money is good compared to my level of education (high school diploma). I have always had a roof over my head & food on the table everyday. I’m able to save for tomorrow & have a comfortable lifestyle.
way too many people worry about EV charging and never stop to think about how much the load drops off after sundown and industry closes at the end of a day. If you make a comparison, people have no issues doing a load or two of laundry in the evening, but it's about the same as charging an EV.... and an EV can be programed to charge after midnight when the load is further reduced. BTW, most people use more power doing laundry than their EV will use in a week.
@@rupe53 Too right. Lots of amps available in the wee hours. Toss in some sort of overarching control system to manage/coordinate the total loading from EVs in an area and it won't be a problem.
Eventually EVs themselves will control when and how fast they charge based on current and projected demand plus other factors, such as neighborhood capacity. Even with that, many transformers will need to be replaced, but aggressive EV charging management buys time to do that. Also, most utilities routinely plan for transformers to run well above their load rating at times, which is often deemed acceptable practice. Cheaper to replace those that fail versus proactively replacing them all.
Hey Everyone!
Had a great opportunity to chat with some Lineman that are fresh into the trade! (3 months) A great topic that came up, and seems to be consistent with nearly every lineman I talk to - Working at heights... While you might not have a fear of heights, working off hooks is a whole new experience! It takes practice and trust in your equipment!
Cheers all!
Have a great weekend!👊🍻
Same to you and Thanks Bob. 👍🙏
Hey Bob, thanks for the interviews and insights in this latest video.
I've been watching your channel for a while and one thing I've realised from some of your comments, is how long you've been in the job. By my guess, you were probably starting out during the "Northeast blackout of 2003". At some point, are you able to speak to whether or not that affected you and the team you're in? Were you on call during that or were you part of the start up sequence where you are? I am fascinated by the coordination that must be required in starting up the grid like that.
Thanks for you content. I really enjoy taking a peek into someone else's career
Big thanks to all these guys agreeing to be interviewed and share their experiences and growth into becoming linemen.
It’s Not for Everyone but Thank GOD for ALL of you who Perform Safely day in and day out to Provide us the Electricity we Enjoy in our Lives. Great video, Bob👍🙏
Nice of you to interview and answer questions with the trainees. You have the qualities of a caring and understanding teacher. I hope that you will continue to pass on the knowledge and expertise you have accumulated in your 20+ years on the job.
I was an industrial journeyman electrician and helped build a few large substations for chemical plants. I love working at heights there is a sense of freedom you can't get when on the ground. I also had some pole climbing training at one place I worked so I know how that feels at first. My wish was to become a lineman so kudos for those electricians interviewed that did make the switch. Looks like a great group! The lineman career never happened for me but I did take advantage of training offered and had a good career in industrial automation and industrial robotics.
Great to see the new young guns coming into the trade. God speed gents.
Best wishes to all the guys . Looks like a solid bunch .
Complete side note - thanks for this channel. MAJOR thunderstorm ripping through right now and actually understand (the basics) as I see power flicker.
Thank you for this. good insight for new Lineman
Great to see the brotherhood / sisters still going strong
Safety for all so you can all go home 👍
👍👊 Seems like an excellent group. Wish them all the best. Great video Aaron. 👍
I am planning on working at Nova Scotia power. I hope I see you soon. Two more years and hopefully I get the job me and my father went up by Woodbine substation we were on our ATVs. I was saying you want shut the ATV off and see if we hear them buzzing they were buzzing. stay safe.
Great video- you nailed some thoughts that many prospective applicants always have, so getting some insights with those thoughts with some new hires provides excellent perspectives for those who have these questions and might be on the fence about applying- strong work, men!
Love the east coast/French accents. What a bunch of beauties. New Brunswick is in good hands 😎
Excellent video, we as workers need to reach out to new people coming up...Gives them a good feeling, and they'll remember that, like you said , one day they'll be your help out in the field. As an electrician, i mentored alot of kids coming out of high-school, they appreciate that, and remember that. As did i 25 years ago as a greenhorn in my profession....Keep it.up...Love the videos...🙂
Dude, that was awesome! And I really like the fellow with the French accent (I couldn't understand his name on my phone). There's a technical college about 2 miles from my house, and they a set of training poles. It's pretty cool to drive by and see a dozen students practicing their climbing. There's also some non-energized transformers on several of the poles. I imagine they're practicing climbing around them, and maybe attaching and detaching wires and other equipment, although I've not seen them doing that.
Thanks for your video Aaron.
Hopefully they will be able to finish the class on line men training
I wish I had done this out of high school. But my parents made me go to community college for electrical engineering
That was great. I am a electrician but did not dream of being a lineman . some of my friends did become linemen . this will be great for someone that wants to be a lineman watch this video. and the rest of videos on this channel. great info . nice to see the people that keep the lights on. I am in Boston NY and the trade is pretty much the same hear. we have been getting smoke from Canada wild fires hear. herd from some that climbing a poll can be challenge needing some kind of mask like a N95 to help breath. not so bad lately. was a few days waves of heavy smoke came threw.
WOW!
I haven’t seen a yard like that with that much equipment & poles since before the pandemic.
Here in CT. we sometimes have to go weeks or months without the right equipment. As it stands now any developer interested in building a housing development that is fed with pad mount gear needs to submit his request for that stuff 46 weeks out. We currently don’t have pad mount transformers. Plenty of overhead ones. Same goes for utility poles. They were short the CCA poles & used Penta poles for guy poles. Hopefully the supply issues will wane?
I hear from electricians they are having the same problem securing meter cans with the circuit breaker built into them (new code). I heard there is a 52 week back log on orders. I heard that on e-bay they sell for $2700 brand new. I’m in the wrong business. I should have bought a container of meter cans to sell now 😅
As always Aaron thanks for the great content! 👊🏻👍🏻
Alot of the pad mount transformers are being installed in my part of Florida and removing most of the overhead system in neighborhoods.
@@chris76-01 I personally think there are plenty of them around without proof. Before everyone was buying Howard transformers I remember uncrating new ABB, Westinghouse & General Electric transformers. I bet it has to do with low bid? Power companies refuse to spend more than they have to to acquire equipment.
Very nice video!!!
My first 40ft pole, it was higher up than I thought, but I gradually got used to it.
My grandpa did this shit back in the 60’s and 70’s before taking over system’s operator for Brazos electric co-op. Knowing him, I knew I wasn’t cut out for that shit😂
Excellent video, Aaron! My niece is thinking about doing this when she gets out of the military. Our programs in the States are very similar. I'm definitely going to forward the link to this to her. Thank you! Please stay safe, and God bless.
As a lineman’s wife, it’s really not for women. Lineman are not politically correct people, nor are they patient.
@@kelliegrase4658 My niece is Army Airborne. She is far from politically correct and has no problem holding her own. I'm not worried.
Good luck to her. As stated before lineman are a breed of their own, I have work with many military personnel who left line because the mental abuse. In our company I believe the number of line women is only double digits and that 8 States and 9 Countries. Again not being negative but just to keep in mind women are built different physically and power standards have not changed like military.
Thanks
Really cool man!
Wow... I wish I was strong enough to do this.
Wish i had my time over again , prob would have gone that rout instead of electronics component level ect ???
I love hearing the Canadian accent. Lol
I've never climbed a pole,we don't have wooden poles here in South Australia,we have Stobie poles, which are two pieces of H mould steel,set at a slight angle to each other and filled in with concrete,they can't be climbed so it's an EPV or nothing.Cheers from Australia Aaron,work safe.🇦🇺⚡⚡🔌🔌🎇🎇
I tried to be a lineman out of high-school but KCP&L thought I was too young and would get hurt
A good training program always takes that into consideration. Regardless of age, one who listens to instructions and follows instructions can certainly be safe.
@Bobsdecline I enjoy your videos even though I am not a lineman or electrician. I enjoy light electrical work. 110 voltage doesn't scare me but 220 volts does. I've been told that 220 is safer than 110 volts. What do you think is safer to work on Bob?
@@alanbean8222 "110" (120 actually +/-) is safer. Another advantage of a split-phase system in each line is typically around 120 volts potential to ground / neutral instead of 240 volts unless one touches both lines.
Great video! Hats off to all the guys training as new lineman. You guys keep the world running - 24/7. BTW, why cover the company name on the hard hats? Company rules I suppose…
People bitch when the power goes out . But You Men that are out there in all kinds of weather. Working to bring it back on . Thank You so much for the job you do. 👊🙏
Do those trainees linemen get issued with full coveralls? Surely they do not work with sleeves rolled up?
Love that tshirt! Will we see you in Louisville?
😁🤫
Good vid, Aaron. This is something that you don't see much of here.
Hey Bob can you elaborate on the 5cft rule. I'm not a strong climber and looking for upper body/ shoulder saving tricks.
Man I can’t wait to get started and join the family
youre in a pickup now? congrats man!
Just helping out :) usually do in the summer... No desire to leave the truck anytime soon 😉
@@Bobsdecline i heard that. I recently jumped from contractor to power company, IBEW local 50, and im working on a trainee job. Went from a 3rd class back down to groundman but gotta start somewhere!
How to be a part of traning
No sailors in that group I guess. Pitch and roll makes climbing more interesting.
Well, I would fail the physical tests!
I have a question have u ever came to the u.s. for any jobs also love your vids im 15 and i wanna be a lineman
I wonder how many of the current lineman could pass the physical. Chuckle
Hey Bob, just curious on your thoughts. Im a union electrician apprentice, 3 years down, 2 more years to go till I top out. I was going to go to line school in the first place but got the offer to be in to what I am doing now first. I am in Michigan right now and trying to land an apprentice position in a municipal when I top out. From your perspective, if I were to get a CDL class A. The next 2 years, what are the odds I land the job?
Well I've never gone through lineman training per se but I have been trained in a lot of weird things that technically don't come under my job but I do not and will not Spike pause I'm too old for that stuff if they ain't got a bucket truck they calling somebody else LOL 😅
Hey. Does anyone know how to remove the metal links on old glass insulators for high voltage power lines? I want the toughened glass bells
They weren't intended to be removed.
Most have an epoxy material holding the inside part and the outer part would have to be cut in half with a grinder wheel and pry off.
@@chris76-01 thank you for the info. I didn't know about the epoxy probability. I have seen online that ppl repurpose them for lamp shades and other decorative peices, I was just wondering how. It seems like a task
Woooof!!
Does your Company/Utility run the lineman school, or is this through a trade school?
It's through a trade school but all the training is provided by our company.
Interesting video. Is there a "fast track" to journeyman for people with related experience? For example, I got a degree in Industrial Engineering, with a minor in Electrical Engineering. In my mid-20s I was really getting bored with my desk job and was looking for something different. I eventually found my way (factory floor automation), but if I had gone into being a lineman, would the college degree help any?
I did it the other way around lol. I went through apprenticeship to become an electrician, then I got my electrical engineering degree. I’m mid 30s now and just started my desk job. I’ve gain 10 lbs this year so far lol. And I’m missing my tools a bit.
Degree won’t really help. Maybe to get hired but not fast tracked. If u have hands on electrical experience like substation or commercial electrician experience maybe yes.
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."
-Mike Tyson
"Everyone has a plan until they climb a 50 foot utility pole."
-Lineman instructors
Yep, I agree💯. These guys are lucky they are required to use a Buck Squeeze. Back when I was an apprentice we didn't have the Buck Squeeze and just had a regular climbing belt. I wonder how many of them would still be there just using a regular climbing belt climbing a 50 footer. I wish them all well and a safe career as a Journey Lineman.
They are going to be busy. I just read an article about how the entire electrical system will need significant upgrading to be able to handle charging millions of electric cars after the government bans internal combustion engine cars. They said millions of new transformers will be needed because many of the existing ones would overheat from the additional current flowing through them nearly the entire day. It said that summer nighttime transformer cooling would be reduced too much, so they would soon overheat.
That might not be a problem in a cooler climate like Canada, where the electrical system is designed to handle a large winter load. Down here in Louisiana, summer air conditioning is the biggest draw. Add charging huge car batteries to the big AC loads, and without significant system upgrading, something will probably fail. The whole country might go down.
I wonder if they can weld cooling fins to existing transformers as a cooling modification, or if all new design transformers will be needed. That will cost trillions of dollars, since there are something like 150 million transformers in the USA.
Right now, at 5 p.m. it is 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius) outside.
Louisiana seems to have some of the most ancient power lines, besides California and a few other places 😂
I’ve been a power lineman for over thirty years. I have been very fortunate. I have never been laid off or had to walk a picket line. The money is good compared to my level of education (high school diploma). I have always had a roof over my head & food on the table everyday. I’m able to save for tomorrow & have a comfortable lifestyle.
way too many people worry about EV charging and never stop to think about how much the load drops off after sundown and industry closes at the end of a day. If you make a comparison, people have no issues doing a load or two of laundry in the evening, but it's about the same as charging an EV.... and an EV can be programed to charge after midnight when the load is further reduced. BTW, most people use more power doing laundry than their EV will use in a week.
@@rupe53 Too right. Lots of amps available in the wee hours. Toss in some sort of overarching control system to manage/coordinate the total loading from EVs in an area and it won't be a problem.
Eventually EVs themselves will control when and how fast they charge based on current and projected demand plus other factors, such as neighborhood capacity. Even with that, many transformers will need to be replaced, but aggressive EV charging management buys time to do that. Also, most utilities routinely plan for transformers to run well above their load rating at times, which is often deemed acceptable practice. Cheaper to replace those that fail versus proactively replacing them all.
Everybody wants to be a lineman until it’s time to do lineman shit !
Вот, и вам америка с деревянными опорами 😂
They’re in Canada… And we have an abundance of trees and save the metal for medical and scientific breakthroughs.