# What is it?



## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Good a guess as any. I could see it being that.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

My first thought was phone equipment as well.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Aren't you and Bob 50's era or close?:whistling2: You two might have even seen them when you were young whipper snappers.:laughing:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Looks like an old phone block maybe


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

jwjrw said:


> Aren't you and Bob 50's era or close?:whistling2: You two might have even seen them when you were young whipper snappers.:laughing:


 :laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Obviously it's a small flux capacitor


:laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

jwjrw said:


> Aren't you and Bob 50's era or close?:


7/21/64 :jester:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

BBQ said:


> 7/21/64 :jester:


 You young punk:laughing::laughing:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Just by those brass threaded posts, Id bet money its telephone equipment. My guess would also be lightening arrestor.

~Matt


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

BBQ said:


> 7/21/64 :jester:



Shoe size/IQ/Age? :laughing:


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

BBQ said:


> 7/21/64 :jester:


Holy crap, you're a dragon.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

480sparky said:


> Shoe size/IQ/Age? :laughing:


I did not know commonly used number patterns were so difficult for you.

You may need this


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

Alot of that old phone equipment has gold plated contacts that pretty easy to recover.

Just saying..


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I recommend shorting the contacts with your tongue to see if it's a charged capacitor.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

BBQ said:


> I did not know commonly used number patterns were so difficult for you.
> 
> You may need this



Your first phone number?


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## MisterCMK (Jul 5, 2009)

First thought before even reading the post was telephone equipment. The posts on top scream phone.


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## Seymore Butts (Dec 23, 2010)

*Gizmo*

I'll be different and say it was some sort of gizmo the HO put in. Not sure what though. I never seen anything quite like it. 50's is when they put all those low voltage fancy contactors in expensive homes. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about ? I called it the james bond era. 

Seymore B.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Seymore Butts said:


> I'll be different and say it was some sort of gizmo the HO put in. Not sure what though. I never seen anything quite like it. 50's is when they put all those low voltage fancy contactors in expensive homes. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about ? I called it the james bond era.
> 
> Seymore B.


GTFO Peter D


~Matt


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## idontknow (Jul 18, 2009)

60s era KVAR system.


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## open short (Oct 12, 2010)

looks western electric in origin.2 pins per can they are resistors or capacitors.the terms on left and right probably tip and ring of phone line.most likely a external ringer network.center term most likely ground.O they can also be inductors in those cans.don't have my books any more or with the #'s on the bottom of the cans could tell what they are.some are labled..INDR=inductor,RES=resistor,cap= capacitor.also value was stamped there also.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

open short said:


> looks western electric in origin.2 pins per can they are resistors or capacitors.the terms on left and right probably tip and ring of phone line.most likely a external ringer network.center term most likely ground.O they can also be inductors in those cans.don't have my books any more or with the #'s on the bottom of the cans could tell what they are.some are labled..INDR=inductor,RES=resistor,cap= capacitor.also value was stamped there also.


So it could either be a resistor, a capacitor, or a reactor?

That narrows it down. :blink:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Loading up the full-size originals into a graphics program (*not*_ Off-Limits Word #1_!!!!!!) I can read ".20UF" on the bottom of one of them.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Loading up the full-size originals into a graphics program (*not*_ Off-Limits Word #1_!!!!!!) I can read ".20UF" on the bottom of one of them.


So the truth comes out - its a transformer!



:jester::laughing:

~Matt


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Loading up the full-size originals into a graphics program (*not*_ Off-Limits Word #1_!!!!!!) I can read ".20UF" on the bottom of one of them.


μF? Micro farads?


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

erics37 said:


> μF? Micro farads?


indeedle

~Matt


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## open short (Oct 12, 2010)

well at least one cap...


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

erics37 said:


> μF? Micro farads?


A farad is the charge in coulombs which a capacitor will accept for the potential across it to change 1 volt. A coulomb is 1 ampere second. Example: A 47 mA current causes the voltage across a capacitor to increase by 1 volt per second. It therefore has a capacitance of 47 mF. It has the base SI representation of s4·A2·m−2·kg−1. Further equalities follow:








A=ampere, V=volt, C=coulomb, J=joule, m=meter, N=newton, s=second, W=watt, kg=kilogram, Ω=ohm
One farad is a fairly large amount of capacitance. The most commonly used submultiples in electrical and electronic usage are the microfarad, nanofarad and picofarad


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> A farad is the charge in coulombs which a capacitor will accept for the potential across it to change 1 volt. A coulomb is 1 ampere second. Example: A 47 mA current causes the voltage across a capacitor to increase by 1 volt per second. It therefore has a capacitance of 47 mF. It has the base SI representation of s4·A2·m−2·kg−1. Further equalities follow:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know what a farad is :thumbsup:

I was trying to verify what 480 had posted... if by "UF" he meant "μF"


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Oh I know! It's a bank of residential power factor correction capacitors!
:laughing:


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## open short (Oct 12, 2010)

you genious


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

erics37 said:


> Oh I know! It's a bank of residential power factor correction capacitors!
> :laughing:


Oh! That guy is ready to SAVE MONEY on his power bill. Good for him.


~Matt


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## Seymore Butts (Dec 23, 2010)

*HO*

see. it was something the HO did to be all high tech and stuff


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

erics37 said:


> Oh I know! It's a bank of residential power factor correction capacitors!
> :laughing:




The *power factor* of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load to the apparent power in the circuit,[1][2] and is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1 (frequently expressed as a percentage, e.g. 0.5 pf = 50% pf). Real power is the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a particular time. Apparent power is the product of the current and voltage of the circuit. Due to energy stored in the load and returned to the source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave shape of the current drawn from the source, the apparent power will be greater than the real power.
In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor draws more current than a load with a high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, and require larger wires and other equipment. Because of the costs of larger equipment and wasted energy, electrical utilities will usually charge a higher cost to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power factor.
Linear loads with low power factor (such as induction motors) can be corrected with a passive network of capacitors or inductors. Non-linear loads, such as rectifiers, distort the current drawn from the system. In such cases, active or passive power factor correction may be used to counteract the distortion and raise the power factor. The devices for correction of the power factor may be at a central substation, spread out over a distribution system, or built into power-consuming equipment


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

erics37 said:


> I know what a farad is :thumbsup:
> 
> I was trying to verify what 480 had posted... if by "UF" he meant "μF"



Oh:thumbsup:


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> The *power factor* of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load to the apparent power in the circuit,[1][2] and is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1 (frequently expressed as a percentage, e.g. 0.5 pf = 50% pf). Real power is the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a particular time. Apparent power is the product of the current and voltage of the circuit. Due to energy stored in the load and returned to the source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave shape of the current drawn from the source, the apparent power will be greater than the real power.
> In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor draws more current than a load with a high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, and require larger wires and other equipment. Because of the costs of larger equipment and wasted energy, electrical utilities will usually charge a higher cost to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power factor.
> Linear loads with low power factor (such as induction motors) can be corrected with a passive network of capacitors or inductors. Non-linear loads, such as rectifiers, distort the current drawn from the system. In such cases, active or passive power factor correction may be used to counteract the distortion and raise the power factor. The devices for correction of the power factor may be at a central substation, spread out over a distribution system, or built into power-consuming equipment


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> I know what a farad is :thumbsup:
> 
> I was trying to verify what 480 had posted... if by "UF" he meant "μF"



No... it's stamped "UF". Most likely, because the manufacturer couldn't find a "μ" stamp.


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## Josue (Apr 25, 2010)

480sparky said:


> Finished up a new range circuit in a 50's-era ranch today. Noticed this next to the panel. Nothing wired to it, but my guess is it's an old telephone surge/lightning suppressor.


It looks likestartup capacitors for an electrical motor or a bank of capacitors for correcting the power factor.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480... what's the big gray block it's mounted to? Metal? Painted wood?


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

erics37 said:


> 480... what's the big gray block it's mounted to? Metal? Painted wood?


painted wood...gotta be some type of capisitor or xfmr thingie for early low voltage


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> No... it's stamped "UF". Most likely, because the manufacturer couldn't find a "μ" stamp.


Well all they had to do was type Alt+0181 on their PC, or just open Character Map and copy & paste. It's right in the middle of all the Greek letters... "mu"

Geez, those brainless '50s people :no::laughing:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> 480... what's the big gray block it's mounted to? Metal? Painted wood?



I'd say about 10" of a southern yellow pine 1x8, drilled for 4 mounting holes, painted #51 gray..


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## Lz_69 (Nov 1, 2007)

Looks like 4 oil can capacitors but I can't exactly say what the unit was used for.


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## Jefro (Jul 28, 2009)

Are there radiators in the house?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jefro said:


> Are there radiators in the house?



No... standard forced-air gas-fired furnace.


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## Jefro (Jul 28, 2009)

I was thinking old-skool run cap for multi-speed blower motor, or something, they're just really big and there's a bunch if them.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jefro said:


> I was thinking old-skool run cap for multi-speed blower motor, or something, they're just really big and there's a bunch if them.



They're not all that big. The conduit you see across the top of the pix is the ¾" EMT I ran.


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

Josue said:


> It looks likestartup capacitors for an electrical motor or a bank of capacitors for correcting the power factor.


 I M O. It is just a capacitor bank for phone line protection. Old School.  

I doubt very much if they are line voltage caps.


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## Jefro (Jul 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> They're not all that big. The conduit you see across the top of the pix is the ¾" EMT I ran.


Eh...I'm getting blind in my old age. I thought that was a 2" chunk of sprinkler pipe or something. That, and low capacitance .2 uF equals telephone equip, like everyones been saying, I just ain't been listening!


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jefro said:


> ...... I thought that was a 2" chunk of sprinkler pipe .............


In a 50's-era ranch? :001_huh:


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## Jefro (Jul 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> In a 50's-era ranch? :001_huh:


I know. Duh.

Retrofit, maybe? Weird local code?

Dummy who posts without thinking?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jefro said:


> I know. Duh.
> 
> Retrofit, maybe? Weird local code?
> 
> Dummy who posts without thinking?


Any way you look at it, a dwelling that would need a 2" water pipe for fire suppression would be one helluva big house.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Any way you look at it, a dwelling that would need a 2" water pipe for fire suppression would be one helluva big house.


Maybe its not fire suppression... maybe they just have a lot of "plants" to water....

~Matt


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## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

oldtimer said:


> I M O. It is just a capacitor bank for phone line protection. Old School.
> 
> I doubt very much if they are line voltage caps.


My best guess is that its not for protection but impedance matching to cancel echoes on the phone lines.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> Maybe its not fire suppression... maybe they just have a lot of "plants" to water....
> 
> ~Matt


:laughing:
Lmao.
Prolly.


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## raldous (Aug 6, 2009)

The thing on the wall is a telephone company device from a way back (may not so way back, depending on the phone company.)

I am betting this house is out in the country a ways.

I can't say I have seen one exactly like this, but I am thinking was used from isolating the various rings on a party line when more than two residences were involved. The ring signals for the various parties were sent as different frequencies (standard ringing is 20 Hz) and this device filtered out the rings that were not for the residence it was installed in.

More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_line_(telephony)

Randy


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

raldous said:


> ...............I am betting this house is out in the country a ways..........



Nope. Everyday neighborhood in the city.


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