what is this?

[ZippyDan]

not sure if this is the right forum... telephony is part of networking... right?!

found this in an old telephone box... anyone know what it is and what it does?

 

[seepy83]

It looks like lightning protection. But I could be wrong...I only have limited exposure to this kind of telecom stuff from back when I was doing some telecom work as a student worker for my univ about 10 years ago.

 

[brshoemak]

It doesn't look like power protection to me. It looks like a 25-pair phone riser cable with some sort of god-awful connector on the end - there are 25 ports?/holes?/things? on that block but the layout is bizarre. There are three lines connected to it from the looks of things. New to me for sure.

Kinda like this (except this cable uses a more conventional connector):

 

[ScottMac]

not sure if this is the right forum... telephony is part of networking... right?!

found this in an old telephone box... anyone know what it is and what it does?

Those are "protectors;" they are (internally) a gas popper type device. They "protect" from the external surges on incoming lines, and "protect" the company from customers putting damaging voltage on the line upstream.

In order to work, there needs to exist a qualified ground connection of ~25 Ohms or less (less is better). Over 25 Ohms, and the primary protection (those poppers) don't fire soon enough and damaging potential can enter the prem.

Edit: BTW: There are three 5-pin protectors in the picture, with room for two more in the lower two slots.

 

[ZippyDan]

Those are "protectors;" they are (internally) a gas popper type device. They "protect" from the external surges on incoming lines, and "protect" the company from customers putting damaging voltage on the line upstream.

In order to work, there needs to exist a qualified ground connection of ~25 Ohms or less (less is better). Over 25 Ohms, and the primary protection (those poppers) don't fire soon enough and damaging potential can enter the prem.

Thanks

 

[Enigma102083]

Line protectors, as someone said.