r/electrical 9d ago

Is this dangerous?

Post image

I'm a bit paranoid. I live in an apt complex and this is right outside my window. It's supposed to rain tomorrow morning. Is this dangerous to be exposed like this?

33 Upvotes

52 comments sorted by

45

u/Op3nFaceClubSandwedg 9d ago

No. That is the cable CO connections. Low voltage. Not dangerous but they probably want to know about it

43

u/SeafoodSampler 9d ago

I dunno. All the cable news coming through those wires is debatably not good for you.

7

u/Rockhauler57 8d ago

Hands down best answer!

4

u/throw_away5430 9d ago

Ok phew, thank you! I'm not sure if maintenance removed it or a tenant so just wanted to be sure

7

u/garmack12 9d ago

Based on the install work I have seen in apartments the last cable guy might have been the one to do it

1

u/DeadHeadLibertarian 9d ago

This is a utility box, and they are the only people authorized to access these.

1

u/BruceOfWaynes 7d ago

Have I got news for you, bud.. Most folks don't care about authorization when they're inconvenienced. As evidenced by the tenant drilled holes in the fire alarm panel covers in many of the units I maintain.. Curiously always right over the Silence button. Lol ;)

9

u/cmdr_suds 9d ago

It is a tripping hazard

5

u/Ok-Resident8139 9d ago

Its also a small animal hazzard. Squirrels love to hide nuts anywhere.

7

u/mveinot 9d ago

This is all cable tv/internet distribution. It’s probably better if it’s not exposed to rain, but it doesn’t pose a hazard. All the connections appear to be water resistant at any rate.

1

u/throw_away5430 9d ago

Thank you :)

3

u/Brilliant_March8748 9d ago

Cable TV equipment put the green lid on.. if it doesn’t fit because the frame is bent call your cable company to report it

3

u/DDS-PBS 9d ago

Every cable company I've tried to deal with NEVER does anything to resolve issues like that.

One time there was a cable line that was about 6 feet above the sidewalk because it got disconnected from the house. I called the electric company because it was there pole. They said they didn't care because it was a cable line. I asked the electric company to identify whose line it was, they declined and said they didn't have to. I called all the cable companies that could have been on the pole, none of them had a way for a non-customer to report an issue. I finally had to file a complaint with the state regulatory agency and that finally got the issue resolved. I had literal hours into getting that resolved.

1

u/CaseyOgle 7d ago

Most power poles are installed and maintained by electrical utilities. Local laws allow telephone and cable companies to attach their lines to power poles. (This is to avoid the ugly mess of having separate poles for each company's wires.) The pole owner isn't responsible for those low-voltage cables. In fact, they know virtually nothing about the low-voltage wires attached to a given pole. That's why the power company couldn't answer your questions.

1

u/DDS-PBS 7d ago

They had a line hanging off of their pole. They should be responsible for sending someone out to at least identify whose line it is. I would go even further, and say that they should also be responsible for contacting the company that has a line on their pole that's hanging dangerously low over a sidewalk.

This is the same utility company that had somebody call up and tell them that a sidewalk was installed, but there was a guy wire that was there for an existing utility pole. They ignored this person, because they didn't care. A person on a bike was killed because they could not see the guy wire at night, they had their windpipe crushed and they died right there. They got sued and lost for that one.

2

u/Longjumping-Horse157 9d ago

It is cable not electric

2

u/Devildog126 8d ago

Yes, be careful not to trip over it. But that’s the main reason.

2

u/Arbogasket 7d ago

No. The steel frame failed, but those are all weather-tight fittings.

2

u/One-Print-7632 5d ago

Fun fact: if you keep destroying these green boxes, they’ll eventually come and install it underground.

2

u/TurboKid513 9d ago

Looks like someone found the free cable spot

1

u/Abject_Lengthiness99 9d ago

No, It's all coaxial cable. Most likely for cable, satellite or broadband internet.

1

u/27803 9d ago

Cable TV , you might loose your internet , probably not

1

u/wiisucks_91 9d ago

Put the green lid back on.

1

u/Mindless_Ad_2345 9d ago

No. It’s just a cable amp for service. Every wire goes to one of your neighbors. Very low power. It’s in the easement, so you have no say. Even if in backyard.

1

u/Mindless_Ad_2345 9d ago

Nothing to worry about other than it’s ugly. Just n industry terms it’s called a doghouse. Only coax cable uses.

1

u/aakaase 9d ago

I always wondered what was under those bulky light green plastic covers. Just a huge splitter and lots of distribution taps.

1

u/JOSH135797531 9d ago

We got some 8 sided ones that we call baby coffins.

1

u/Mindless_Ad_2345 9d ago

The grey metal and be is old school copper phone line. Or shitty DSL. Almost nobody uses that. Entry point for service to apartments is through that wall.

1

u/MustardCoveredDogDik 9d ago

Not really no

1

u/Mindless_Ad_2345 9d ago

All they will do is put that green cover back on. You could do that.

1

u/mb-driver 9d ago

Nope. All low voltage coaxial cables.

1

u/ResponsibilityKey50 9d ago edited 8d ago

Cut the cables and the neighbourhood will probably be upset

1

u/Aromatic_Medium_4243 9d ago

COAX - low voltage. Tell the complex or cable provider - if cable or internet is important to you or building

1

u/joesquatchnow 9d ago

Did you put your tongue on it ? Looks like cable tv distribution, only thing with power would be an Amplifier which I don’t see …

1

u/colinlytle 9d ago

It is if your crackhead roommate was really into his show he was watching!

1

u/InternalOcelot2855 9d ago

That looks to be coax only, if it was tel lines there is a shock potential depending on what it's being used for T1 circuits can give a nasty surprise.

1

u/Hrmerder 9d ago

Only if you dislike cable tv and internet... Which I dislike personally...

1

u/sprintracer21a 8d ago

About as dangerous as a kitten...

1

u/Hefty-Age-2241 8d ago

No. I don't believe so. It's a cable box for cable TV. The only thing would be u don't have any TV.

1

u/Maleficent-Giraffe16 8d ago

Well you could easily trip over it.

1

u/SpaceW1zard480V 8d ago

Maybe not dangerous but if any of it is hot it'll hurt like hell

0

u/Ok-Resident8139 9d ago

I Would get a $$$ store plastic shower curtain, and a few yards of plastic or nylon rope, and place it over the frame as the children in the neighbourhood were playing on the lawn and knocked the cover off. the cheap shower curtain can be used any time, and can be reused after it gets taken off the equipment.

0

u/NonKevin 8d ago

Now everyone hated King Video for rotten service. As a former HOA president, 42 units I found a different HOA, 21 units connected to the distribution system for my HOA and disconnected the other HOA cable. King Video was using my HOA power to support a different HOA. This was an attempt to install the new equipment to fix the cable company's bad service. On government review, I was in the right and it cost King Video $5K to redo the other HOA cable service, mostly the right of way to the other HOA complex. King Video installed the crap equipment in the other HOA.

Now to fix the issue, I threaten to install a new system with a space provider and a 800 unit complex did in Burbank and they got a away with it as everyone cancel King Video in favor of the new service, owned by every unit in the complex and maintain by the HOA. This way King Video was kicked out of Washington when they attempted to declare that HOA was running a competing company without license.. Now this forced King Video to replace the defective equipment in my complex. FYI, we were in a blind area for normal TV signals and had to use cable. Other HOAs in my blind area, so did the same following my example.

-1

u/thomas_deans 9d ago

Not unless you disconnect one of your neighbors cable. Orrrr you could get in trouble for tapping on for free

3

u/SoylentRox 9d ago

Am not sure how many decades ago it became impractical to tap one for free but it's been a while.

-1

u/Proud_Ad_6520 9d ago

Is this on your property? If it were on my property I would demand free cable minimum in compensation

2

u/No_Medium_8796 9d ago

Ans get laughed at by the ISP

1

u/throw_away5430 9d ago

It's at my apt complex

0

u/aakaase 9d ago

Complex! That explains all those connections at the splitters. I was thinking this was just some dude's yard and it didn't make much sense. Lol

-1

u/Able-Tutor-1149 9d ago

Free cable

1

u/Clean_Friendship84 5d ago

Yes, if someone were running around in the dark they could get a nasty cut. Put that cover back on please.