The Complete Guide to Private Power Poles

What a private power pole is

A private power pole is a pole on private property that supports the overhead service line from the network's point of supply to the property's point of attachment. Unlike the network's own poles, the private pole and its hardware are the property owner's responsibility to install and maintain. They are common on rural properties, acreage, subdivisions and any site where the switchboard is too far from the network pole to run a single span.

EVO Electric supplies poles and pole-top hardware to Level 2 ASP electricians and contractors from our Sydney warehouse. We do not install poles — this guide helps you order the right pole and a complete hardware kit so the installation goes up compliantly.

Pole materials compared

The three common pole materials each suit different jobs, sites and budgets.

Galvanised steel is the default for most new work. Timber suits like-for-like replacement of an existing timber pole, and composite is the answer where access is hard, the ground is corrosive or a non-conductive pole is preferred.

Sizing: length and strength

Pole length is driven by the required point-of-attachment height plus the embedment depth in the ground. A traditional rule of thumb for embedment is roughly ten per cent of the pole length plus 600mm, though the exact figure is always subject to the network's requirements and the ground conditions.

• —6.5m — common for standard residential and light services.
• —7.2m — where extra clearance or a longer span is required.
• —Longer poles for road crossings, long spans and high-clearance sites.
• —Confirm required POA height and clearances against the network's rules before choosing length.

Pole-top hardware kit

A pole is useless without the hardware that terminates the service and mounts the metering. A complete order lists every item so nothing holds up the install.

• —Pole cap to keep water out of a steel pole.
• —Nut-and-bolt hook (steel poles) or screw-in J hook (timber poles only) as the attachment point.
• —Strain clamp to take the tension of the ABC service cable.
• —Service connectors for the actives and neutral.
• —U-hook bracket and backing plate if the meter box mounts on the pole.

Match the hook type to the pole material — screw-in J hooks are for timber only, and steel poles use a through-bolted nut-and-bolt hook.

Footings and setting the pole

The pole is set in a concrete footing sized to the pole and the ground. Pre-blended 20kg builders concrete is the usual choice — typically six to ten bags depending on hole size. The pole is braced plumb, the mix poured and rodded in lifts, and left to cure before the service is strung.

Point of attachment on the pole

The point of attachment (POA) is where the service cable is anchored to the pole. It must be at a compliant height for ground clearance and sited so the span to the property and the span from the network both meet clearance rules. Get the POA height wrong and the whole install can be rejected, so confirm it against the network's service rules before setting the pole depth.

Maintenance and inspection

Private poles are the owner's to maintain, and they do degrade — timber rots at the ground line, steel can corrode if the galvanising is breached, and hardware loosens over time. A periodic inspection catches problems before they become an outage or a hazard.

• —Check the pole for lean, movement and footing cracks.
• —Inspect timber at the ground line for rot and steel for corrosion.
• —Confirm the cap, hook, strain clamp and connectors are sound and tight.
• —Look for damaged or perished ABC cable insulation.

How to order a pole and kit

Ordering a pole and a complete hardware kit together avoids the classic problem of a pole standing on site with no way to terminate the service. Give the wholesaler the following.

• —Pole material and length.
• —Whether the meter box mounts on the pole (bracket and backing plate).
• —Service cable type and size for the correct strain clamp and connectors.
• —Hook type to match the pole material.
• —Number of concrete bags if you want them supplied.

Request a quote for the pole and the full pole-top hardware list in one order and it arrives on site as a complete, installable package.

Frequently Asked Questions