telephone line to house - what called?

[DSCOMAN]

In 'olden days' we used to have a sort of post with two large knobs either end (white colour ?) outside the house near roof that had the cable connected from the teleGRAPH pole - what were these called ???

[marc]

Re: telephone line to house - what called?

I believe they are called insulators.

[DSCOMAN]

Re: telephone line to house - what called?

Thanks Mark...was going to suggest that...but will check it out now....wonder why we don't seem to need them anymore?

[Arran]

Re: telephone line to house - what called?

They are called insulators. The reason why they were used is because in the early 20th century outdoor telephone wires were uninsulated. Before the development of polymers like PVC, cable insulation was not very weather resistant so would have deteriorated in no time if exposed outdoors.

There are still a few porcelain insulators around if you know where to look that BT hasn't got round to removing although very few of them are actually required as telephone wiring has been insulated for many decades now.

[DSCOMAN]

Re: telephone line to house - what called?

Thanks Arran, so are u saying that the cable from telegraph pole was bare to the house insulator, (to connect to sheathed cable inside house)???

If outside cable is bare , why not run it straight into house ? - not high current? , - or is it 'cos of lightning strikes.
What did the insulator poles do ?