What's This On The Power Pole?

[Argonne]

Today I'm out working on my gate opener by the road, enjoying the balmy 108 deg F weather, and I look up and see this new radome looking "thingy" up on the pole. That pole is carrying, what I assume to be, 3 phase 13kv power along the state highway. That tapper on the left phase is the one that feeds my property, but it's hundreds of feet to the nearest step-down transformer, so if that thing, whatever it is, is powered, it must be running on 13kv or solar or inductive coupling.

It doesn't matter what it is, but it has me curious. It must belong to the power company (TNMP) because it's up a their pole level, and for sure no-one else would want to be servicing that thing.

Collectively, we at TBN know everything worth knowing, so lead me, what the heck is that thing, and how is it powered?

 

[Fuddy1952]

Why not call the power company and ask? I'm curious too. All I can do is guess, with 13kV it could be powered by induction. Let us know.

 

[Argonne]

My best guess it that it's a repeater for "smart meters", but if so, the power source will be interesting.

 

[Ken]

Why not call the power company and ask? I'm curious too. All I can do is guess, with 13kV it could be powered by induction. Let us know.

Could be a 13..8kv Lightening device the lower end of the protector wired to this bell shaped ground . like a over sized spark plug.

ken

 

[IchabodCrayne]

It's likely gps or cell signal to indicate to the power company that fuse link on that pole has blown.

 

[JerryK]

It's pygmy space aliens stopping to refill their ship, sucking energy off the power grid. Or a bell mounted for the local squirrels to ring, motivation to keep them in shape climbing up and announcing to the world their prowess...

 

[mercdv]

I'm not sure what it is but I wonder if it is some sort of inductive monitoring device. I heard they were rolling that stuff out now as part of the smart grid for monitoring fuse status, lightning arresters, and capacitor banks for faster diagnostics when there are outages. I really do not have a clue what it really is but just throwing it out there.

 

[Rustyiron]

My best guess it that it's a repeater for "smart meters", but if so, the power source will be interesting.

That's what I was thinking also, provided your elec. Co. uses "smart meters".

 

[goeduck]

It is pallet tracking device.

 

[Einthewoods]

That is a house for the Southwestern bug-bat. The power lines attract certain critters native to the southwest that will over time deteriorate the infrastructure. So, they are promoting the the bug-bat that targets eating the critters. They look like normal bats, but just miniature. Pretty cool for you to have one, fairly rare.