temporary power pole question

[terracore]

Does anybody have any information on temporary power poles? A previous owner had one on our property at one point and the SSPP has been paid in full. How long can you stretch out "temporary"? What is the installation cost?

[jerry]

The best solution is to call Helco, the rules keep changing.

Last I heard Helco was charging $650 or so to hook to a wooden temporary pole. They will not do it if you do not have a building permit. An installed pole will run $500 to $1,000.

If you put up a metal "temporary/permanent" I do not think there is a fee. But of course the installation is much more expensive...$2,500 or so. For this you need a building permit and an electrical permit since you need a county inspection and a Helco inspection.

I just finished a metal pole where the homeowner says Helco told him they will hook to it without an electrical permit (filed but not issued.) I am skeptical but will give it a try.

Jerry

p.s. unless they change or you make someone mad "temporary" means until the pole falls down.

[terracore]

According to the county website there is building permit on file. The realtor said it doesn't expire. How can that be true?

[Rob Tucker]

You are encountering the alternative universe known as The Big Island. Technically building permits do expire - in theory. On a practical level over the past decades they do not - in practice. That is something that will likely change someday as our county building codes get dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

[Kapohocat]

Actually there is no written code/statute on expiration dates on Bldg permits in Hawaii County. On the application, you set an estimated completion date which typically is placed at 3 yrs from date of submittal.

There is talk when the new codes go into effect, anything past not finaled will have 3 years from new code effective date to be completed or it will be considered expired.

[OpenD]

quote:

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Originally posted by terracore

Does anybody have any information on temporary power poles? A previous owner had one on our property at one point and the SSPP has been paid in full. How long can you stretch out "temporary"? What is the installation cost?

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My neighbor had one for 6 years. First drop from Helco to a temporary pole was free. Then when he was ready to switch over to the permanent hookup, the charge was $300 for a fairly short (approx 20')drop.And the funny thing was, he had to chase Helco to get the switchover done.

One thing to remember is that the rate to a temporary drop is much higher than the already outrageous regular rates.

Another neighbor was over 200' from a pole, and he wound up paying $15,000 to get poles and wiring that would support dividing his lot, so it allllllllll depends on your specific situation.

[jerry]

There seems to be no consistency to what happens. In many cases I have tried to file an electrical permit to go with an old building permit and have been told they will need a new building permit. But sometimes not. The rule used to be that to keep a permit open you needed to show "progress" every 180 days. But there was no definition as to progress.

All Helco temp power agreements specify that is only for a period of 12 months. Very seldom enforced, but it is there and has been used.

Helco rules and regulations and fees seem to change daily and what was true last year is probably not true today.

Open D, was that $15,000 to get Helco power to the lot or to get power down the lot to the dwelling?

Jerry

[OpenD]

quote:

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Originally posted by jerry

There seems to be no consistency to what happens.

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Yes, that should be the takeaway people get from this discussion.

quote:

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Originally posted by jerryOpen D, was that $15,000 to get Helco power to the lot or to get power down the lot to the dwelling?

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Both. The existing Helco line runs down the private road we're on. But his lot is a flag lot, off the road, so they had to run poles and lines and a transformer to get him hooked in.

[seekir]

I was forced to delay completion of my house and final inspection when the construction business (and my income) slowed a few years back and a friendly electrician helped me connect a "jumper" from the temp pole to the meter box so that my lights, outlets, and appliances would work till I was able to complete the house to meet the required completion standards. However, a strange intermittent flickering developed in the lights and outlets. The electrician who did my house and supplied the temp pole and temp box couldn't (or wouldn't) resolve the issue. I went for some time thinking that there were major flaws in his installation and paid another electrician several hundred dollars to pin it down. No luck. When I finally completed the house and the HELCO man came out to prepare to swing the power line to my roof-mounted mast permanently, he saw my jumper, made no big fuss, but then pointed out that the issue had been corrosion on contacts of one of the two 110v switches in the temp pole, and had nothing to do with the internal panel or wiring. So, if you decide to extend your use of the temp pole, you might consider building a shelter to keep water off the temp box, and check it out if similar problems develop.

[terracore]

How do I get a temporary power pole hooked up, including installation of the pole? There is a building permit on file.