SECO Transformers

[Bobski]

SECO visited my home earlier this spring to inspect a electric transformer that happens to be on my property. I subsequently got a letter stating my plants and shrubbery were impeding access to the transformer. I removed and trimmed some bushes and hedges and sent pics to SECO showing that there was now plenty of clearance in front of and on the sides of the transformer. They sent me an email back saying I was still not in compliance with their 'Terms of Service' stating they required a 10 foot front clearance and three foot side clearances. I have a 5 foot front clearance , a three foot side clearance on one side and one foot on the other side. The rep from SECO said there is no tolerances and all clearances must be met . They are threatening to shut my power in (30 to 45) days if I do not comply. Has anybody had any similar issues with SECO ?

[JoMar]

Maybe call the State Utility Commission to get their view. Especially if they put the threat to terminate service in writing. I do know that if there is an issue with access they can dig up your stuff and have no obligation to restore. I suspect their clearances are there in the event they need to bring in back hoes or other equipment to get from the transformer to the easement. Just curious, did you verify their "Terms of Service"?. Should be online.

[Altavia]

Unfortunately, they need to be consistant in enforcement for the situations that are truly difficult.

[juneroses]

The clearance topic was just addressed in the SECO October newsletter which was enclosed with my bill:

SECO News, October 2019 – SECO Energy (https://secoenergy.com/seco-news-october-2019/)

[Marathon Man]

Looks like your hoping to avoid removing your bushes. Probably best to give them what they are demanding.

[SKIMAN]

Having been in the trade and dealing with homeowners. Do you love your plants or power.. You could be a part of the green new deal.

[l2ridehd]

They sent me that letter when I lived in Sunset Pointe. I trimmed my bushes around their unit to about what you said you have. They sent me another letter because I only had about 3 feet around it and 5 feet in front. Threatened to shut off my power. I decided to ignore them and never trimmed them again. They never did shut off my power. When I added their surge protection they brought it up again and I ignored them again.

I do want to provide them access and they had very good access after I trimmed them. Could they get a backhoe around it? In front yes, all around no. But the backhoe could remove the bushes in about 15 seconds if required. And a workman could get easy access all the way around. So my suggestion is to trim them and keep them trimmed so someone can always access the unit to do any required work. If for some strange reason they need a backhoe to dig it up, the bushes will just have to suffer.

[Tom C]

If one digs deep enough into the clearance request, one will find there are NEC code requirements for “clear access” to electrical services. This means the electrical panel in your garage, the panel on the outside of the house, and yes, the transformers in our yards.

I have found that USUALLY a utility works WITH the homeowners on these issues to come to an understanding. If a field visit / mutual understanding is not found, I would suggest you request the reasoning behind the utility requirements (this is where you may find they are simply making sure their workers are able to work on equipment that has code access requirements.

Good luck.

[njbchbum]

All of these posts make me wonder what the difficulty is in complying with the utility requirement? Why is violating compliance such as this and TV deed compliance the thing to do?

[New Englander]

Looks like your hoping to avoid removing your bushes. Probably best to give them what they are demanding.

:agree:

[l2ridehd]

The best solution is to provide them the access they really need while being able to hide the utility box from view. 5 or 6 feet in the front allows them to open the panels and access everything inside the box. Should the problem be greater than 3 feet around allows them to remove all the covers. And they should never need to dig unless your box is hit by lightening, but should that happen they will bring in a backhoe and remove your shrubs and dig. The space requirements they want is so they don't damage shrubs if digging. Otherwise for 99% of what they need, it's a bit of an overkill.

[Velvet]

You could probably pay to have it relocated, not sure how much it would cost. Mine is at the back shared by neighbors and so discretely located I did not see it the first couple of times I visited the house, yet there is full access. I really want that. If the power goes out I want it up as fast as possible.

[JoMar]

All of these posts make me wonder what the difficulty is in complying with the utility requirement? Why is violating compliance such as this and TV deed compliance the thing to do?

It's the elite expecting everyone to comply with what they want. As long as there is no enforcement that attitude will continue. It is The Villages way :)

[njbchbum]

It's the elite expecting everyone to comply with what they want. As long as there is no enforcement that attitude will continue. It is The Villages way :)

Based on the number of property owners in the Villages compared to the number of complainers/violators in the entire populated area I don't see it as "The Villages way" at all! Sorry that you do.

[JoMar]

Based on the number of property owners in the Villages compared to the number of complainers/violators in the entire populated area I don't see it as "The Villages way" at all! Sorry that you do.

Yeah probably right but if you regularly attend the CDD meetings just or the District meetings it seems to always be about finding a way to circumvent the deed restrictions or find other ways to not take personal responsibility. I also have learned that for all those that are verbal there are a silent majority that agree but won't speak up. Just seems to be more than when I moved here and in conversations with some who have been here since the 80's and 90's they seem to agree.

[Bogie Shooter]

Yeah probably right but if you regularly attend the CDD meetings just or the District meetings it seems to always be about finding a way to circumvent the deed restrictions or find other ways to not take personal responsibility. I also have learned that for all those that are verbal there are a silent majority that agree but won't speak up. Just seems to be more than when I moved here and in conversations with some who have been here since the 80's and 90's they seem to agree.

Really? If you came here in the 80’s at retirement age. You could be nearly 100 years of age. You are stretching your argument...........

[Velvet]

In the 90’s I met a young man at the Webb pool, I was just old enough to go, who wanted to invest in a home here in TV. He’s probably living here now, he was in his late 40’s at the time. I remember how delighted he was at the idea.

[JC419]

The reason for the ten foot clearance in front of transformers is safety. The feeder cables are connected to the transformer by an elbow. At times linemen need to disconnect the elbow from the transformer. This is done by using what is called a “hot stick”. The hot stick itself is about 8 feet (don’t remember exact length) long and requires strength to pull the disconnect the elbows. Bushes could create a tripping hazard etc. Also, at times if there could be a problem with transformer or cable which could cause an electric flash when pulling elbows - the clearance makes it safer.

[asianthree]

Really? If you came here in the 80’s at retirement age. You could be nearly 100 years of age. You are stretching your argument...........

Some of my family came here in 1989. Still live here, go to the squares, attend club meetings, and definitely not 100.

So back to original post, home we looked at last week had seco box completely covered with plants and bushes. It was so dense had no idea it was there until we walked the property

[JoMar]

Really? If you came here in the 80’s at retirement age. You could be nearly 100 years of age. You are stretching your argument...........

Actually both are in their mid 80's, they came here in '87. I also play with several who bought in the 90's. The 80's were only 30 some years ago. Those that moved in 87 were retired military and were in their 50's when they arrived.

[villagetinker]

The reason for the ten foot clearance in front of transformers is safety. The feeder cables are connected to the transformer by an elbow. At times linemen need to disconnect the elbow from the transformer. This is done by using what is called a “hot stick”. The hot stick itself is about 8 feet (don’t remember exact length) long and requires strength to pull the disconnect the elbows. Bushes could create a tripping hazard etc. Also, at times if there could be a problem with transformer or cable which could cause an electric flash when pulling elbows - the clearance makes it safer.

Well said, I am guessing you are former utility guy, me too. My former address far from here did not enforce rear yard right of way for many years. Then came the October 31st snow storm....What should have been a 1 day outage, was 5 days due to the lack of clearance and the inability for the electric utility to get trucks to the trouble spots, all the work had to be done be hand and by climbing poles. Even though the utilities are buried here, cables and associated equipment still fail, and the utility workers need access to repair. Keep the bushes away.

[Bogie Shooter]

Some of my family came here in 1989. Still live here, go to the squares, attend club meetings, and definitely not 100.

So back to original post, home we looked at last week had seco box completely covered with plants and bushes. It was so dense had no idea it was there until we walked the property

Actually both are in their mid 80's, they came here in '87. I also play with several who bought in the 90's. The 80's were only 30 some years ago. Those that moved in 87 were retired military and were in their 50's when they arrived.

I said retirement age assuming 65, not early.
Sorry to rattle your cages...…………………………...

[JoMar]

I said retirement age assuming 65, not early.
Sorry to rattle your cages...…………………………...

Then you would have been right but more likely they would be dead lol

[Bruiser1]

I don't know if it was explained to you but the 10' clearance is a condition to operate the transformer.

Using fiberglas "hot sticks" requires the operator to pull the energized elbows off . It is necessary to have that clear zone to provide separation from the energized 7,200 /7,900 or 19,900 primary voltage to ground (what ever the existing operating voltage is.

[rustyp]

Now that the OP has been educated on why the clearance is ten feet any bets on those bushes being moved ?

[skip0358]

My Daughter lives outside of TV. SECO cut down the tree/bush in front of the transformer on her property and left her a note explaining why.
She didn't plant it it was there when she moved in. Also she works for SECO so they will do what the notice says. Period

[tagjr1]

Who planted the Shrubs in the first place? If the homeowners did, then who authorized planting so close to the boxes?

[skip0358]

Who planted the Shrubs in the first place? If the homeowners did, then who authorized planting so close to the boxes?

Sometimes people plant what and where they want without regard. I to was a utility worker and in a rear yard utility supply system. Check your surveys and don't plant in the utility right away period!

[Chellybean]

Sometimes people plant what and where they want without regard. I to was a utility worker and in a rear yard utility supply system. Check your surveys and don't plant in the utility right away period!

You can't fix stupid or arrogants.

[Bobski]

So, thank you everyone for your comments , concerns and recommendations on my transformer situation. I was an electrician for 45 years in MA so I for one appreciate working clearances and know of there importance. So I completely removed one shrub to make a 5.5' complete total clearance in front of the transformer . There is another small shrub that is only 3' high in the 10' clearance zone. I will also be removing this one. Coincidentally a SECO rep was at a neighbors house yesterday on a unrelated manner and I was able to show him my situation. This guy , Robert, couldn't have been any nicer and we were able to come to an agreement regarding a side bush that's not quite 3' from the transformer. My biggest problem with this whole situation is after driving around TV , I have noticed literally dozens and dozens of transformers in violation, some completely buried, some with trees in front of them and quite a few on TV properties like golf cart paths, roadways, etc. I was not looking for any special treatment but just want to make sure the rules of compliance apply to all SECO customers. I recommended to the SECO rep that decals should have been installed on these transformers in large letters stating 'KEEP 10' CEARANCE in FRONT and 3' EACH SIDE.

[villagetinker]

Bobski,

Thank you very much for the update, nice to know how things ended up, and I agree that it needs to be enforced uniformly.

[Gerald]

as a retired worker for an electric company. I can try to help you understand the problem.
When there is a problem with the equipment, the equipment can cause harm to the worker when repairs are needed.
The clearance gives the worker a distance to use extended poles to work on the problem without being hurt.
By not allowing the safety distance, you are placing the person in danger.
Because the reason is not explaining to the home owner.
I can understand how you would want to hide the equipment from view, and ignore their request.
Please don't ignore their request and end up hurting someone because of it.

[ColdNoMore]

as a retired worker for an electric company. I can try to help you understand the problem.
When there is a problem with the equipment, the equipment can cause harm to the worker when repairs are needed.
The clearance gives the worker a distance to use extended poles to work on the problem without being hurt.
By not allowing the safety distance, you are placing the person in danger.
Because the reason is not explaining to the home owner.
I can understand how you would want to hide the equipment from view, and ignore their request.
Please don't ignore their request and end up hurting someone because of it.
Thanks for taking the time to explain to folks. :thumbup:

As can be said of many jobs & industries..."rules/regulations are written in blood."

And even being only 5 years old, I still remember vividly visiting one of my Dad's coworkers who was recuperating in the hospital...after having been severely shocked by high voltage.