Monday, December 17, 2018

If a tree falls in the backyard in the dark, will anyone here it?

DSKY SUBSTITUTE KEYBOARD CONSTRUCTION

I ordered a plunger from a 3D production house, which I should receive about the same time as the honeycomb housing that will hold these. I can test fit the plunger on the ends (VERB/NOUN side of the keyboard, for instance), then begin my attempt to cut down the slots to put a plunger properly into a central cell of the honeycomb.

A LITTLE SUNDAY EVENING EXCITEMENT

I heard a loud rumbling sound coming from my back yard, after nightfall. There had been some light rain but nothing too heavy and no winds to speak of. After looking around inside and out for the source of the noise, I spotted a very large tree limb that had cracked and fallen over at the rear corner of my lot, smashing my Tiki Bar but nothing else.
Tree limb collapse
The highest wires, just above the tree, are 12KV primary lines and further down but just above the broken limb are the 240V secondary lines. Even the telephone and cable wires below it were not disturbed. My fence survived, it missed the corner of my house and it didn't damage the pool equipment just to the left of the picture.

If it comes loose where it is still barely attached, it could wreak more damage. Priority removal is pricey, with an estimate of $1,600, but the premium cost for immediate removal is worthwhile when compared to the cost of pool equipment, fences and power outages.

2 comments:

  1. Surely a call to the utility company was in order? Did you think they wouldn't do a safe job of removal? But what private tree service (McLenahan is well known around here) would touch it with the wires still hot?

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  2. PGE came out, said that it is my responsibility. Apparently they have only a need to clear 18" from the 12KV lines and no clearance need at all from the secondaries (240). Valley Tree Service came out and removed it safely.

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