Ceramic Things On Power Poles

6 insulators protect electricity from draining into utility poles.

Ceramic things on power poles.

Ever notice that power lines don t actually touch the poles. Their purpose is to insulate the electrical wires they carry so that electricity or telephone calls don t all leak into the pole and into the earth. Instead the electrical lines are attached to things that look like dinner plates or cups. It lowers the voltage from the higher voltage in the supply lines to the power used in your house.

It leaks if you don t seal it. The distribution lines that run down your street are probably 5 15kv. Insulators prevent energized wires from coming in contact with each other or the utility pole. You definitely don t want the power lines connecting to the poles.

I ve seen these stacked disc structures on high voltage power lines everywhere. Cutouts act like a fuse and open when there is a problem with the line or a section of it. It s a distribution transformer aka pole pig. From the length of the insulators probably towards the higher end of that spectrum.

Electricity is like water. Metal and concrete poles can last much longer but eventually all utility poles need to be replaced. From what i ve noticed high voltage ceramic insulators only insulate conductors end to end not inside to outside like traditional plastic insulators. What s on an electric power pole.

Insulators are those glass or porcelain things you see on the tops and crossarms of telephone poles.