~30 years ago cable TV came to NE CT. A small RI co had a fleet of 8 Terex Telelect bucket trucks stringing it. I got their mx contract for my Aerial co. My sole FTE was a dude named Ed. Known throughout my career as Special Ed.
So we’re doing a high voltage dielectric leak check one night. Ed asks me how bad it would be if 480v went through the boom. I’m like WTF bro?!?!! He then says “Those pussies complaining about the cold up there would buy us a keg if we let it leak just enough to keep ‘em warm.” 😳
I have felt 440v once in my life, my shoulder hurt for a week, IDK if it was from it flinging my hand back or the motion of arm shooting backwards tearing some muscle tissue. SMDH.
Any way, I wasn't able to find it on google, but we had a guy working up in Indiana get into power. The other guy in the air next span down could do nothing. Melted the bucket right off the boom. Apparently some rural parts of Indiana have the hot line below the neutral. According to the 30 year guy I worked with here.
Must have been internal investigation photos we were shown. Horrific. Feel bad for the other guy that had to witness it. Trees were part of the issue as well. IDK if they concealed how close he was.
Street I live on its 2 copper lines on the poles, not the thick 1/2" aluminum ones for higher power. They are green and thin. Always makes me nervous on some approach distances. Especially the copper lines being ancient and I'm sure stretched, sag separation mid span is an issue in my area even with neutral being the lowest line.
As for your idea, I think best option would be insulating the bottom floor at a minimum, kinda like how a cooler you'd take to the beach is. I find my feet get the coldest inside the bucket. Windchill above the edge is second worst.
Maybe it's still patentable. Could help the retirement. 🤑