Several of the telephone poles around here have a copper wire running down the side to about 6' above ground where it has been cut off. There is evidence that at one time the wire rant to the ground. I assume that this was to allow lightning striking the pole a safe path to the ground.

What has changed that made this safety feature no longer necessary?

Maybe that copper wire had a different purpose.

Or maybe the threat to any give pole is not really as severe as once thought.

Or maybe there is another way to mitigate a strike.

I suppose someone could just be cutting off the wire to steal the copper, but all of the cuts are at the same height, suggesting a systematic removal.

What say ye?

Theft?

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And I recall in spring
The perfume that the air would bring
To the indolent town
Where the barkers call the moon down

I thought I remembered this being asked recently....

[forums.macresource.com]

The ground wire runs along the side of the pole into the ground. It's required.

The "guy wire" comes off at an angle and is for stability. It's optional.

You're saying that it looks like people have been chopping off lengths of ground wire, probably stealing it to trade for cash? Yes, people do that. You should report it to the utility company. Without the ground wire, a surge or lightning strike is much more likely to damage your home.

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GGD
I thought I remembered this being asked recently....

[forums.macresource.com]

You beat me to it . Was just looking it uo. Came back and you already posted .

Basically the first time you posted this question you were told call the utility company. Do that.

Call your utility to ask about it.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

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[electrical-engineering-portal.com]

wire thieves are horrible people.
In my area the scrappers are hillbillies in beat up pickup trucks going around the night before trash pickup salvaging items people put out for pickup. I welcome that.

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btfc
[lancasteronline.com]

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[electrical-engineering-portal.com]

Gulp. btfc, thanks for conducting a search. It’s shocking to know thieves would recklessly put people in danger for potentially such little gain. Probably we are going to have to go to concrete poles with imbedded grounds.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2022 08:15AM by Speedy.

Sorry for the repost. Obviously I forgot that I’d already asked the question.

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Speedy
It’s shocking to know thieves would recklessly put people in danger for potentially such little gain.

I see what you did there.

Honestly, though, I can pretty much guarantee most of these mouth breathers have no inkling of the potential consequences of their actions.

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It is what it is.