Wondering if anyone can tell me what the wooden box on one of the communications wires outside my home may be. I’ve hardly ever seen these elsewhere. It’s a faded box with brackets that is approximately 12 by 8". It is slightly open at the ends to allow the wire to pass through and is on what I believe to be the telephone wire (bottom-most wire on utility pole and very thick). It is touching one of our braches. If you do know what this is, an additional question is whether it may have pcbs as either the tree or box has a solidified amber substance that has pooled and hardened on our driveway (approximately 1/3 to 3/4 cup). I have little kids and one on the way, and it is in a spot where other people can easily come into contact with it. I have no idea how old the poles/wires are and utility and cable/phone company has been no help. Thanks in advance!
Without a picture or other info, I’d guess it’s a splice box dating from 30-50 years back, in a location with moderate to harsh winter weather. There are far more modern splice covers, most of which are removable, but in The Old Days putting a plastic or wooden box around a splice and filling it with a waxy or gummy substance to protect the connection was common.
PCBs are typically in the oil coolant of transformers and the like and are not solid (or even semi-solid) substances. While whatever’s dripping out of this box might be somewhere between icky and mildly toxic, it’s not likely to contain PCBs. Creosote or the like, maybe.
Call your local utility companies until you find out who’s responsible for it. It can be tricky if 5-6 utilities have shared the pole/run over 50 years or more.
Thank you, Amateur Barbarian. I do indeed live in an area that experiences harsh winters. I was thinking if the culprit was PCBs it would likely not have such a viscous appearance as well; however, I read somewhere it is possible to appear this way. I will work on posting a pic on here.
Do you think that box was attached to something at one time? Even just hung from a tree branch? It does sound old.
No, it definitely serves some purpose related to the wire. The fit is too perfect and there is another one a bit further down my street by another tree. Thanks for replying though!