2025-10-27 – Weekly Power Lineman News : ACSR's bird names explained

Last week in our Power Lineman community, discussions spanned from technical queries to job opportunities and best practices. Members delved into the rationale behind bird names for ACSR, debated the depth for pole setting, and shared experiences about the high demand for linemen following recent storms. Safety and training were also focal points, with conversations about job briefings and cross-training initiatives.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Why the bird names on ACSR
This thread explores the historical and practical reasons behind the avian nomenclature for ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced) cables. It’s fascinating to see how these names relate to cable properties and specifications.
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2025-10-24 – Weekly Power Lineman Jobs: High demand for linemen post-storm
With recent storms wreaking havoc, there’s been a surge in job postings for linemen. This discussion highlights the urgent need and opportunities available in the field.
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Pole setting depth rule-of-thumb
A practical discussion on how deep poles should be set, bringing in various perspectives and experiences from seasoned linemen.
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Why we ask for meter numbers
Understanding the importance of meter numbers in operations and customer service is the focus here. It’s a good reminder of how small details play a big role.
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Would You Take This Job? — Commissioning Technician
A lively debate on the pros and cons of taking on a Commissioning Technician role. This could be insightful for those considering a career shift.
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Chasing intermittent feeder lockouts at 2 a.m
Tackling the challenges of late-night feeder lockouts, this discussion shares troubleshooting tips and personal stories from the field.
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Drills that improve outage coordination
A thread filled with practical drills and strategies to enhance coordination during outages. It’s all about keeping the lights on efficiently.
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CFR that mandates job briefings
This topic covers the regulatory requirements for job briefings, emphasizing safety and compliance.
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Cross-training for vegetation and line crews
Exploring the benefits of cross-training between vegetation and line crews, this discussion looks at skill enhancement and team synergy.
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FAQ/Guidelines
A helpful reminder to check out the community guidelines and FAQs. It’s always good to stay informed.
Read more here


Thanks for staying connected with what’s happening in our community. Your participation and insights make a real difference. Until next time, take care out there.

After storms, we Sharpie the ‘Cardinal’ ACSR on reels — avoids mispulls; tags work too. Anyone else?

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We switched to 2-inch color heat-shrink bands printed with the bird name and stranding on the first wrap of the reel and at each pull head — you can read it from the bucket and it won’t smear. Sharpie is fine for day one, but UV and mud kill it fast; if you need a quick spec check, this has saved us on storm shifts: https://www.southwire.com/wire-cable/utility-cables/acsr. Anyone tried RFID tags on reels?

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