What's on a power pole?

Primary wires are on top of the pole and usually carry 12,000 volts of electricity from a substation. Insulators prevent energized wires from coming in contact with each other or the utility pole. Cutouts act like a fuse and open when there is a problem with the line or a section of it.

What are the round things on power poles?

It's a distribution transformer, aka 'pole pig'. It lowers the voltage from the higher voltage in the supply lines to the power used in your house.

What is the box on a power pole?

Crown Castle installs the boxes, called small cells or nodes, on utility poles to provide better coverage and capacity for wireless services, according to its website. These low-powered antennas form a small cell network that provide coverage and capacity in a similar way to a tower.

What are the things on top of power lines?

Well, those balls are visibility markers. They weigh about 17 pounds each, and you will often find them near mountain passes, in deep valley areas, near major freeway crossings and around airports. Visibility markers are placed on power lines to make the conductor crossings visible to aircraft pilots.

What are the power boxes on poles called?

Power box is another name for a transformer, which is the link between the main electrical grid and the local grid. These boxes take electricity from the main lines and bleed it off into the systems that connect directly to homes and businesses.

What is a Power-Pole Anchor?

What is inside a pole transformer?

Pole-mounted transformers often include accessories such as surge arresters or protective fuse links. A self-protected transformer includes an internal fuse and surge arrester; other transformers have these components mounted separately outside the tank.

What are the spiral things on power lines?

Bird flight diverters — or the “spinning things on power lines” as some folks call them — serve a dual purpose: They help keep the lights on and help preserve wildlife.

Why are there big balls on power lines?

The main purpose of the marker balls is so that helicopters and low-flying planes don't hit electrical wires. They are an extra precaution since anything that flies isn't supposed to fly lower than the electrical towers.

Why do people throw shoes on power lines?

In some neighborhoods, shoes tied together and hanging from power lines or tree branches signify that someone has died. The shoes belong to the dead person. The reason they are hanging, legend has it, is that when the dead person's spirit returns, it will walk that high above the ground, that much closer to heaven.

Why do birds not get electrocuted on power lines?

When a bird is perched on a single wire, its two feet are at the same electrical potential, so the electrons in the wires have no motivation to travel through the bird's body. No moving electrons means no electric current.

What are the black boxes on street lights?

The boxes contain a radar-based device that measures the number and speed of vehicles that pass through an intersection -- "basic data that a traffic engineer needs," Parker said.

What does sneakers hanging on a wire mean?

According to this theory, bullies steal the shoes off their victims and toss them on the wires, where they cannot be retrieved. The shoes can also be used to identify gang turf, signify that a person has passed away or to commemorate an event, like the end of a school year or a wedding.

What do shoes on a fence mean?

Ranchers are very resourceful and when this happens — they put the boots on top of the posts to keep them covered and prevent rain water from seeping into the posts and rotting them out. Sometimes, a rancher will put boots on the fencepost to honor the passing of a beloved horse, a hired hand or fallen comrade.

What does a shoe on the side of the road mean?

The most commonly noted reason, and the most believable, is that people are forgetful creatures. Several redditors told stories about how they placed their gym shoes/dress shoes/kid's shoes on top of the car, got distracted, then got in the car and drove off with the shoes on the roof.

Why do the wires between the pile on Tower hang?

This is to minimize the tension in the wires.

What are the red balls at Target for?

It turns out, they are concrete bollards and are placed on the sidewalks in front of the stores to stop a car or truck from driving into the building. Cathy went on to explain in the comments that while the more standard shape of bollard is cylindrical, "Target made them round for branding."

How much power is in a power line?

Transmission line voltages vary from 44,000 to over 765,000 volts. The higher the voltage, the more electricity the line can carry.

What are the little things hanging from power lines?

These puzzling devices are called Stockbridge dampers. Their purpose is to protect slender structures such as cables, power lines, and lampposts from wind-induced vibrations.

Why are there birds on power lines?

They Get A Little Extra Warmth. As the temperature drops, birds like to conserve their body temperature by sitting together, quite often for long periods of time. Because power lines are slightly warmer, these make an ideal perching place for birds to just sit and conserve their energy.

What liquid is in a transformer?

Today, the majority of transformers are still filled with mineral oil. But, other types of oil are becoming more and more popular and there are quite a few different types to choose from. Some alternative fluids have benefits such as high fire and flash points for indoor use or environmentally friendly attributes.

What are pole mounted transformers filled with?

The core and coil assembly are immersed in a cylindrical steel tank filled with high-grade mineral oil especially refined for electrical use. This oil provides both electrical insulation and cooling to the windings of the transformer.

What does Jordans over a phone line mean?

Shoes on a telephone wire are popularly said to be linked to organized crime, signifying the location of gang turf or commemorating the death of a gang member. The shoes are also rumored to mark a spot for drug deals, although a 2015 study of shoe-tossing data in Chicago rejected this explanation.

What does a boot on a fence post mean to ranchers?

Boots on the fence posts

The most popular explanation is that they started as a way for ranchers to let people know if they were at home. If the boot pointed toward the ranch gate, then the rancher was home. If it was pointed the other way, then the rancher was out.

Why are there shoes on fence posts in Kuna Idaho?

KTVB says, "the gentleman that owns one parcel of land with fence posts flocked with shoes says it's been in his family for generations. The shoes have been showing up for decades.