Pole Numbering
Pole Numbering
(OP)
I was searching the web for a new way to number our poles at a small Co-Op in the New England and ran across this smthread238-208577. Since that thread was closed I thought that I would ask if anyone has a different way to physically number a pole that could be tied more to sub, circuit, location, etc. We are now using a numbering system that uses the pole # with a left or right and then more of a pole # with a left or right, so it would look like this 134-R65-L12-L15-R5-L1, with the 134 being the main line pole, R65 being the 65th pole on a right hand circuit or tap, L12 being the 12th pole on a left tap off of the R65 pole etc.. The biggest problem with this is we have some poles on the system that can't be numbered with the correct pole # because it just will not fit on the pole, which has resulted in only some of the number on the pole, usually the last two. I have seen other companies with different numbering methods and was wondering if anyone can explain how their company or Co-op numbers there poles? Thanks.






RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
Within some geographic area, just number poles consecutively as they are installed and use you GIS system to keep track of where they are. For us the geographic area is a quarter township (3 miles by 3 miles) and so the designation for the quarter township becomes part of the pole number as well as the sequence number.
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
In a city.
Hundred block - pole number.
eg: The poles in the 300 block of a street would be numbered;- 3-1, 3-2, 3-3 etc. The odd numbers would be on the North side of the street.
eg: 3-1, 3-3, 3-5 would be on the north side or the west side.
A crew may be sent to Pole number 3-3, Oak Street. That would be the second pole on the west side of the Oak Street in the 300 block.
Transmission lines.
Miles from start of the circuit - tower number.
Thus Tower #68-2 would be the second tower in the 68th mile of the circuit.
In areas with parallel circuits you may wish to add a circuit number.
Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
The utility I worked with (In Quebec just a bit North or you)decided to go to a pure random numbering system composed of a letters and numbers sequence AND a good data base model that was coupled with GIS eventually and on board access in workforce vehicles. The decision was made in the 70' when we had a strong load growth and network expansion resulting in frequent network topology changes... and constant renaming/relabeling in some area. Some network sections were even transferred from one substation to the other to balance load. Advantage of having a random numbering were great in preventing accident. We had in the past linemen using the pole tag which carried the feeder #, to call for opening of a given feeder to then discover that the line was still live since the given section was now supplied by another sub or on a different feeder and not yet relabeled.
Today, a GPS or a smart phone could be used to find pole Z3D3F easily if you have the right x and y coordinates. We use Google Maps to show our customers where their network is after finding a fault.
RE: Pole Numbering
One reason I can think of is to track which wood poles have been tested for rot and treated. Should be part of a maintenance program so that one does not wait until the pole rots and falls over or ends up being held up by the tension in the wires.
Another reason is to track other parties attachments to your poles for tariff reasons.
How about to identify which poles are in which city/town/village for tax purposes?
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
hmm, could that be in VT?
RE: Pole Numbering
RE: Pole Numbering
I like Mbrooke's suggestion, but I would not call the Pole ID Tag a 'random' number, it should be a 'unique sequential' number (ie '1234567'). The sequential number is applied when the pole is procured, and stays with the pole until it is discarded at the end of it's life. Even if the pole is moved to another location, the Pole ID Tag never changes.
The pole dbase would include all of the relevent data, including, but not limited to;
- Prime Record
- Secondary Record
With a proper relational dbase, any previous locations, circuit numbers, etc can be related to the prime record, and thereby easily retrieved.
The above recommendation is consistent with modern dbase techniques.
If you wanted to add more data to the pole ID tag, I would strongly recommend that you only include data from the prime record, and nothing form the secondary record, ie;
1985_45_01_WRC_1234567
where
1985 - Date Procured
45 - Height
01 - Class
WRC - Western Red Cedar
1234567 - Unique sequential number
Incorporating data from the secondary record becomes onerous when things change in the field.
I trust that you will find something useful in my above blithering , but I am a database guy and I hate to see people get off on the wrong tangent so early and can't back themselves out of the mess that could have been avoided.
Regards.
GG
RE: Pole Numbering