Painting near overhead cables

[Privatepyle11]

I am painting the exterior of my house and I have got to the last part,however there are overhead power cables that go to a point on the side of my house on the part I want to paint. What I wanted to ask is I need to use a ladder to paint this part of the house,so can electricity jump from the overhead cables to me or the ladder or will I be safe as long as the ladder or myself do not touch the overhead cables directly?

I have been wanting to paint this part of the house for a while now because the rest of the house is gleaming white but this part is rather dull in comparison - however I would sooner the wall be dull than me dead!!

 

[rssteve]

im an electrician and i would be very unhappy about doing that myself even. Are you sure the cables are not insulated? If they are then makesure it is a dry day, do not touch them and paint carefully. electricity at those voltages will not jump more than a couple of mm. Infect probably not any mm.

 

[joe-90]

If the power is into your house then it will be at common 240v. It's already been knocked down at the sub-station. Therefore is no more dangerous than your kettle lead.

 

[confidentincompetent]

Couple of years ago working on an old 30's house, iron gutters, the old overhead cables were joined onto the ceramic wotsits very close to gutter, one cable was bare the other had frayed/ weathered insulation. Like many jobs before I took no notice but one very damp morning I lay my alloy ladder onto iron gutter near the cables and got a tingle. Suppose it was rubber boots or whatever. But I told customer who phoned leccy company who came out whithin the hour and decided to renew the cable immediately and the whole street 6 mths ahead of schedule The live wire bloke said it was possibly arcing intermittently when it got damp, thats probably why I was able to live to tell the tale
If you got old 2 wires instead of one heavy wire I would try asking your company, they might replace it.
Or use a grp ladder

Happy Painting..

 

[joe-90]

Or wood.

 

[Zampa]

Or wood.

Eh?...power can travel down the wire bond cables that some wooden ladders have running down them.

I thought thats what apprentices are for anyway!

 

[joe-90]

Or wood.

Eh?...power can travel down the wire bond cables that some wooden ladders have running down them.

I thought thats what apprentices are for anyway!

Yeah but they aren't wooden.

 

[Zampa]

What apprentices?

A few of mine might as well have been for the amount of work they done....everything 'done their heads in'

 

[rssteve]

could quite easily be 400v as it may be a 3 phase feed. Also not likely to be double insulated like cables inside your house, and the uv rays will have possible damaged the insulation. Do it dry, and don't touch it, all will be fine.

 

[Privatepyle11]

Thanks for all the replies I have been really worried about doing this so I am pleased that a couple of you have said that it shouldnt be too much of a problem.

I will add a pic later this week if I get the chance of the cable going to the house so that someone can just confirm to make sure it will be safe.

Will paint the house at the weekend if the weather is fine

 

[54aardvark]

Weekend? Fine weather? Ho ho ho!

 

[Privatepyle11]

Ok here are pics of the cables running to my house.
So if someone can just confirm that it is safe for me to paint around these without the electric jumping then that will put my mind at rest !!!!

View media item 2282View media item 2283

 

[crazycanuck]

use a wooden ladder as opposed to aluminium,also use a roller with a handle just long enough to reach comfortably.also rubber gloves and rubber boots to play safe.

 

[rssteve]

im 99% sure them cables are not insulated, bare copper. You can see just before the insulator where they have them crimpped onto the insulated cables that run on your wall. As said you could use a wodden roller and wear some rubber gloves, but do not put your ladder near it, or go even as high as the cables.

Alternatively call the lecy board and they should put some insulation on the cables to make it safer, but they may charge you. its normally yellow or orange.