Log Truck vs 7200 V

[dpc]

Log truck driver tried to throw a chain over his load and managed to throw it over a distribution line. Apparently the ground fault detection was not overly sensitive.

The driver was not injured (I assume the chain slipped out of his hands), otherwise he'd be in the running for this year's Darwin Awards.

My apologies if this has already made the rounds.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[jraef]

In the words of my mentor, Bugs Bunny; "What a maroon!"

You KNOW that the logging company will want to salvage those logs though...


"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe." -- Abraham Lincoln
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[dpc]

Maybe for making charcoal briquettes. I have some other photos showing a nice red glow from the middle of the logs. Of course, you're probably right - they'll just mill them down to 2 x 4 and sell the part that isn't charred too badly. "Kiln-dried"

Driver reported the tires caught on fire almost immediately.

 

[rmw]

Quite a campfire!!!! Also, I have thrown a few chains over loads, and all I have to say is to have reached those conductors, he must have eaten an extra helping of Wheaties that morning.

Jraef, I can't resist this one-maroon is a color close to purple. This guy was a moron-but a danged lucky one.

rmw

 

[waross]

It may be wire rope with a short section of chain on the end. That was common in this area many years ago.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[itsmoked]

I really can't see how he would survive this? You don't generally just heave the chain and step back do you? Wouldn't some part of the chain still be touching you? Wouldn't the truck liven up and you'd be touching it or leaning on it, or be closer than the rubber tire distance?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[jraef]

"Jraef, I can't resist this one-maroon is a color close to purple. This guy was a moron-but a danged lucky one."

It was a malapropism, something Bugs Bunny was famous for...


"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe." -- Abraham Lincoln
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[waross]

I suspect that one end of the chain or cable was attached to a hand winch on the side of the truck, and the driver did just throw and step back. It looks like it may take a two handed throw to get that high.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[jraef]

Or he did the swing trick where he spun it around and let it fly. I have seen loggers cast the cables that way, especially in old-growth areas where the logs are really big. Guess he didn't know his own strength.

More pictures:

http://tow411.yuku.com/topic/48827

"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe." -- Abraham Lincoln
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[rmw]

Well I am going to call him "sir." It is a cable with a chain and hook on the end. I once owned flat beds and for those guys that did it all the time (I wasn't one-I just owned, not drove) some of them could send a chain pretty high in order to get it over the load and to the other side.

Still, I think this guy must be in a class of his own.

I agree with one of the posters on that thread that jraef just posted, think of what you say to your insurance adjuster.

Is there any news anywhere regarding what it did to the neighborhoods electrical service? If it passed current long enough to set that much wood on fire, as well as burn the truck down, it must have really affected the voltage on that phase.

Notice the trailer tires aren't burnt. Suspensions for log trailers are normally rubber mounted and/or rubber bushed.

rmw

 

[itsmoked]

I notice the trailer tires are completely gone! You are looking at the bare rims.

I suspect the tires were the bulk fire energy used to get those logs up and running.

I can even see the red glow out of the core of that 'log reactor'!!

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[rmw]

I have to admit to an "oops" regarding the trailer tires after using getting up close to the screen and using the bifocals to get a better view, but the logs in the rear bolster don't appear to be burnt. At least not on the drivers side.

I think the fire was started by one heck of a big charcoal lighter driven by 7200V. Fires started by the tires would have shown evidence of burning from the outside in, not the inside out.

rmw

 

[itsmoked]

LOL:
As per the rear bolster tires:


Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[waross]

The oldsters here may remember when cars trailed static discharge straps to bleed of static charges. Static discharge straps haven't been required since the manufacturers started making tires fairly conductive. We had an embarrassing incident years ago. We were making up the connections to a 400 Hp motor. We were concerned with the tight fit in the junction box so we used some inner tube rubber to separate the connections. That's when we found out about the conductivity of automotive rubber.


Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[itsmoked]

Man...

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[dpc]

Here's another photo:

 

[Zogzog]

Explain that one to your insurance agent.

 

[waross]

Hi Keith;
You can see the end off the cable connected to the small hand winch on the front of the first bunk. The driver would have thrown and stepped back.That's how he survived.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[itsmoked]

Yep yep! I see that now. Makes sense. Big old 'wing it over', "kaBLOWIE", run like hell.

Wish there'd been video..

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[rmw]

A take on this that I hadn't thought of.....

I sent the link to an ex-employee of mine, a guy that is still in the trucking business and has been fairly successful at it.

His take was that the trucker had been scouting this parking place for some time while practicing his throw. A way out in a bad economy with sky-high fuel prices.

rmw