Doing some reno and found this. Anyone know what it is?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Doing some reno and found this. Anyone know what it is?

nzstory

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#237727 15-Jun-2018 11:04

Decided to finally get rid of this eyesore in the entrance of our home. (don't mean the bad paint job by the way)

Click to see full size

When I removed it there was a nice gaping hole and behind it with this.

Click to see full size

I'm assuming it's telecom related but a bit stumped as to why it would be in the wall of our house. The house I think was built in the 60s. If anyone can shine some light on this I would be grateful. I Plan to gib over it but be nice to know what it is and why it would be there.

Thanks

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#2038111 15-Jun-2018 11:13

What the!

Cautious with orange breakout boards... Usually a sign of power. It wasn't fancy and lit up or anything in a past life...

nzstory

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2038114 15-Jun-2018 11:20

Hmm you got me thinking. We live across the road from a substation and this house was one of 4 where the workers lived before everything was automated. You might be on to something. Maybe it was for some kind of switchboard.

Will be extra vigilant working around it. The idea of power still running through it isn't a nice thought.

Oblivian

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#2038198 15-Jun-2018 11:26

Have to wonder if its double duty hiding

Was a fuseboard front panel, smaller ones feeding areas of the house etc. (not the standard size for todays electrical white 3-phase standards) Removed, hidden by that monstrosity

frankv

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#2038280 15-Jun-2018 12:10

Multiple twisted pairs suggests that it's probably data rather than power. I'm thinking some kind of comms/remote monitoring system, which is no longer in use so the front panel has been removed, and the wires terminated with those orange chocolate blocks. If each pair is terminated together into the same connector, that would confirm my guess.

MikeB4

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#2038284 15-Jun-2018 12:18

was the house used as an office in its life? or is it a very bad attempt to bypass metering? or party line?

olivernz

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#2038285 15-Jun-2018 12:23

The twisted bit is because it looks like older wiring. I think that gauge is too big to be data. It will have been power or switchgear. But way weird I agree. Maybe a direct feed from the power station somewhere in there ;-)

trig42

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#2038286 15-Jun-2018 12:33

Was/is the house alarmed?

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scuwp

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#2038292 15-Jun-2018 13:01

Call an electrician? Perhaps a prime opportunity to sort out if its going to be an issue or not in the future, particularly if it's power related.

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coffeebaron

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#2038294 15-Jun-2018 13:03

It's the master cable. Connecting orange and green wires together will shut down the national grid.

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da5id

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#2038343 15-Jun-2018 15:00

coffeebaron: It's the master cable. Connecting orange and green wires together will shut down the national grid.

LOL, reminds me of - THIS

Aredwood

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#2038389 15-Jun-2018 16:53

nzstory:
Hmm you got me thinking. We live across the road from a substation and this house was one of 4 where the workers lived before everything was automated. You might be on to something. Maybe it was for some kind of switchboard.

Will be extra vigilant working around it. The idea of power still running through it isn't a nice thought.

Since the house used to be for workers at the sub station. That wiring probably was for a monitoring and or control system at the sub station. The wires would be for things like indicator lights, voltmeters, ampmeters (using remotely installed current transformers), and some control switches.

It would have been to make it easier for the workers to monitor the vital signs of the sub station, and respond quicker to any problems.

It could also have been for some sort of intercom system. Try asking the lines company that owns the sub station.

sscribenz

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#2038408 15-Jun-2018 17:56

Its communication cable. I've come accross the thicker gauge cable in a few old powerboard instalations / houses.

Graymond

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Master Geek

#2038419 15-Jun-2018 19:23

having been a Substation operator, our houses were wired for alarms and phone circuits from the Sub.

ronw

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#2038445 15-Jun-2018 21:24

I think that is the new snooping panel that GCSB are using. Call Nicky Hager for further info

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nzstory

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Wannabe Geek

#2038604 16-Jun-2018 11:32

Spoke to my next door neighbor last night as her husband had worked at the substation. She mentioned it was some kind of party line - Internal comms for the power company. Interesting little bit of history.

Cheers for the replies.

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