Why are telephone poles above ground?

Electrical wires and cables are routed overhead on utility poles as an inexpensive way to keep them insulated from the ground and out of the way of people and vehicles.

What is the top wire on a telephone pole?

Primary wires
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.

Why telephone and electric wires are always kept sagging between poles?

Heat | Short/Long Answer Questions The telephone wires will sag in summer due to expansions. While putting up the wires between the pole care is taken care in winter they are kept light so that they may not sag too much. So while putting up the wire between the poles care is taken care in the winter.

What are the cylinders on top of telephone poles?

Those are splice containers that have a POSITIVE pressure inside so that the connections wont get moisture in them. A ROLL of that huge black cable comes on a 1000′ spool, so every splice is 1000 foot away UNLESS some idiot with a back hoe digs it up or a moron with a garbage truck hangs on the line and yanks it down.

Can telephone wires go underground?

Modern lines may run underground, and may carry analog or digital signals to the exchange, or may have a device that converts the analog signal to digital for transmission on a carrier system. More often, only two of the wires are connected to the exchange as one telephone line, and the others are unconnected.

Can telephone lines go underground?

So, why aren’t telephone lines underground? There are two methods used to move cables underground. The cheapest is open trenching. This involves digging into the earth, laying down large stretches of cabling and backfilling the trenches later.

How far does a telephone pole go in the ground?

6 feet
The typical utility pole runs about 40 feet in length, of which 6 feet is buried in the ground. In urban environments they are commonly spaced about 125 feet apart, while in rural areas the distance is more like 300 feet.

How do I identify a utility pole wire?

Cable and telephone lines are located further down the pole and are directly attached to power poles without insulators. Electric lines carry high voltages and are always placed at the top of utility poles. Telephone lines and cable lines are placed lower on the poles.

Why do telephone wires sag more in summer?

Since metals expand with a rise in temperature, therefore telephone wires sag in summers. The wires are intentionally left a bit loose otherwise in winters they would contract and break. Thermal expansion is the tendency of materials to expand when exposed to heat.

Why are the electric wires slaked between the electric poles?

Electrical wires are made up of copper which is a metal, metals conduct heat and electricity. Because of this phenomena the wire undergoes expansion and contraction every single day, thus if the wires were tightly held in the long run the wires might get snapped because of the contraction it faced.

How are telecommunication wires attached to a telephone pole?

Telecommunication wires are attached to the poll using a messenger known as strand. The strand is bolted and clampes to the pole and the fiber or coax is then lashed to the strand. In case anyone was wonder how everything besides power is attached. Haha! 8 clever moves when you have $1,000 in the bank.

What is the top wire on a utility pole called?

Usually, the top three wires — which are called primary conductors — carry most of the electricity on the pole. As you come down the utility pole, the next set of wires consists of secondary conductors. They typically deliver power to buildings and homes. The lowest wires are cable and telephone lines.

How tall are utility poles in your neighborhood?

The utility poles in your neighborhood can range in height from 30- to 60-feet tall. The larger ones you see along major roads and highways measure from 60 feet to more than 120 feet in height.

What is the purpose of a crossarm on a utility pole?

crossarm holds the wires up on the pole. Lightning arrestors protect the pole and equipment from lightning strikes. Transformers convert higher voltage electricity carried by primary wires and lowers the voltage for use by customers. ground wire runs the entire length of the pole. It directs any electricity on the pole safely into the earth.