Current insulator fun
May 21, 2008 10:52 PM Subscribe
From a .com to a .info netting the price of a Westinghouse (R-Skirt) "Telluride" Type B. SB (part of the Greatest Insulator Find in the History of the Hobby). via Zoltan Drinoczi. [previously]
the domain name biz isn't the stock market model, it's the real estate model.
ownership of stocks don't interfere with real-world commercial activities, while domain name squatting, like RE squatting, does (eg. nissan.com)
posted by tachikaze at 12:00 AM on May 22, 2008
ownership of stocks don't interfere with real-world commercial activities, while domain name squatting, like RE squatting, does (eg. nissan.com)
posted by tachikaze at 12:00 AM on May 22, 2008
People collect insulators? Really?
Wow.
My granddad worked for Pilkingtons and developed glass insulators for electricity pylons, like these.
And now people collect them. Wow.
Although, I've been digging and not found any UK collectors of high voltage power line insulators (I think there might be a reason for that...). I did find this wonderful quote (can't find it again though) "Insulator collecting is the natural extension of bottle collecting". Of course it is.
posted by Helga-woo at 3:30 AM on May 22, 2008
Wow.
My granddad worked for Pilkingtons and developed glass insulators for electricity pylons, like these.
And now people collect them. Wow.
Although, I've been digging and not found any UK collectors of high voltage power line insulators (I think there might be a reason for that...). I did find this wonderful quote (can't find it again though) "Insulator collecting is the natural extension of bottle collecting". Of course it is.
posted by Helga-woo at 3:30 AM on May 22, 2008
I wouldn't say I collect them, but I have a few old glass insulators from power lines around my house. They're quite beautiful.
$10,000 beautiful, no, but nice.
posted by rokusan at 3:44 AM on May 22, 2008
$10,000 beautiful, no, but nice.
posted by rokusan at 3:44 AM on May 22, 2008
People collect insulators? Really?
Wow.
I felt the same way on discovering this. The enthusiasm of Zoltan, et al. is a strangely heartwarming and interesting window into the human condition. I find it quite wonderful.
posted by tellurian at 4:00 AM on May 22, 2008
Wow.
I felt the same way on discovering this. The enthusiasm of Zoltan, et al. is a strangely heartwarming and interesting window into the human condition. I find it quite wonderful.
posted by tellurian at 4:00 AM on May 22, 2008
Insulators are fascinating things. Anyone knows why they have the shape they have?
posted by Termite at 4:48 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by Termite at 4:48 AM on May 22, 2008
Pretty sure granddad would know. But he's dead. Sorry.
posted by Helga-woo at 5:03 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by Helga-woo at 5:03 AM on May 22, 2008
@Termite - mostly to minimize the possibility that rain or other moisture can create a conductive path to ground. The overhangs will tend to create dry (or at least drier) areas, thus breaking the conductive path, or, at the very least, making the path longer and increasing the resistance between the hot wire and ground.
posted by kcds at 5:21 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by kcds at 5:21 AM on May 22, 2008
They don't call them the Crown Jewels of the Wire for nothing. (This was a really neat peek into a collectors' subculture. Thanks!)
posted by steef at 6:11 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by steef at 6:11 AM on May 22, 2008
They don't call them the Crown Jewels of the Wire for nothing.
Goodness me! I love it but…
I don't think that this is something I should get involved in. I love obsessive/obscure/niche subjects and I get into lots of trouble trying to make conversation about things I have vaguely learnt about. No doubt, this will be another of those and I won't be able to help myself. Oh well.
posted by tellurian at 7:29 AM on May 22, 2008
Goodness me! I love it but…
I don't think that this is something I should get involved in. I love obsessive/obscure/niche subjects and I get into lots of trouble trying to make conversation about things I have vaguely learnt about. No doubt, this will be another of those and I won't be able to help myself. Oh well.
posted by tellurian at 7:29 AM on May 22, 2008
I'd LOL, but my mother has had a steadily-growing collection of insulators in her basement for many years. I think it's something about the blue glass from the early 20th century... similar to why people collect old bottles.
posted by rlk at 7:33 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by rlk at 7:33 AM on May 22, 2008
Termite, insulators are shaped like that to avoid a build-up of a layer of (conductive) water on the surface of the insulator due to (for example) rain. A continuous layer of water could short out (or rather, bypass) the insulator, given the high voltages they are designed to handle.
posted by unSane at 7:59 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by unSane at 7:59 AM on May 22, 2008
Insulators are fascinating things. Anyone knows why they have the shape they have?
posted by Termite at 7:48 AM on May 22
This guy has an answer, oh, wait, that's the FPP!
According to wiki, the skirts increase the surface area between the wire and pole without reducing the length and to prevent wetness.
posted by Pollomacho at 8:05 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by Termite at 7:48 AM on May 22
This guy has an answer, oh, wait, that's the FPP!
According to wiki, the skirts increase the surface area between the wire and pole without reducing the length and to prevent wetness.
posted by Pollomacho at 8:05 AM on May 22, 2008
mostly to minimize the possibility that rain or other moisture can create a conductive path to ground
I understand that's one reason given, but I don't understand why they would choose that design for its rain protectiveness when there are no hard (acute) angles on the surface? Seems to me like a simple metal skirt draped over top like an umbrella would be a much better way to keep rain off the conductive path.
I'm sure they already thought of that, and I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why they're not designed that way, I just don't know what it is.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:54 AM on May 22, 2008
I understand that's one reason given, but I don't understand why they would choose that design for its rain protectiveness when there are no hard (acute) angles on the surface? Seems to me like a simple metal skirt draped over top like an umbrella would be a much better way to keep rain off the conductive path.
I'm sure they already thought of that, and I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why they're not designed that way, I just don't know what it is.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:54 AM on May 22, 2008
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posted by polyglot at 11:25 PM on May 21, 2008