02-07-2000
Looks like it's going to be a good year for insulator hunting! Sometimes they just call out to you…..
Today, we were on the way to get the Wondervan a well-deserved oil change. On the way, I noticed a couple of coils of discarded wire lying next to a utility pole. I thought I saw something gray poking out from under the wire, and wondered if it was an insulator of some kind.
After the oil change was done, we returned along the same road, and I looked again. Sure enough, it looked like a porcelain insulator. I pulled into the parking lot of the strip mall across the street from the pole. I jumped out, ran across the street, and discovered a small, 2-part suspension insulator awaiting disposal. It was not attached to the large coil of wire, so I pulled it out from under the wire. I probably looked like a great big kid as I ran back to the Wondervan with my prize!
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Here's the insulator, just as I found it - a little dirty, but no physical damage. It's a little over 15 inches long, and 4 and a quarter inches in diameter. A chunk of wire, and another device are still attached. |
| There are a couple of burn marks where some electrical arcing has taken place. Most likely, this is why the insulator was replaced. |  |
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Here's a close-up of one of the arc points. |
| Here's a photo of the "thing" that is attached to the wire. I'm not sure what it is - it looks like a splice of some kind. It makes a great handle, though! David Dahle sent some info about this splice: That "handle" attached to those two Chance dead-end strain insulators is indeed a splice. If you look in the middle, there is probably a little hole. This type of splice was installed by slipping the wire ends into the splice then detonating a charge in the middle which pushes two plungers against the wire ends and into a set of jaws in the tapered ends which permanently anchor the wire in the splice. The red plastic ends are sleeves to keep the wires from "birdcaging" while the splice is installed. Thanks for the info, David. |
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The wire coupling is held in place with a bolt and a cotter pin. You don't even need any tools to take these apart. |
| This is one of the couplings. It has the manufacturer's name - Chance - and a date of 1969. This insulator has been waiting 30 years for me to add it to my collection! |  |
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All cleaned up, and ready for display! I think I'll leave the arc burn marks alone. They are part of this insulator's history. |
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Text and photos © Rod Shelley, 1999