Balls!!!

[Gareth56]

During a recent trip to Austria I noticed attached to the wires on some of the electricity pylons in the fields what looked like steel or plastic balls/spheres (perhaps 12" diameter, hard to tell from the ground) spaced at intervals along the wire. These balls/spheres were not on every wire just one length. I was wondering if anyone knows what these are used for. They don't seem to have any of these objects attached to the wires on pylons here in the UK.

Edited October 10, 2008 by Gareth56

[kevinalm]

Was there an airfield or airport nearby? I have seen brightly colored plastic balls on a powerline (half red/half white about a foot in diameter) used as a visual obstruction warning in the landing/takeoff path of a small dirtstrip runway here in the US.

[Gareth56]

Since posting my question my SOH has found out that they are Powerline & Aerial Tower Markers. So yes you're correct.

 

Nice video about them here

 

Balls

 

 

Thanks.

[Mr Skeptic]

I think they also change how the wind affects the wires. Wind can be nasty when it shakes stuff.

[kevinalm]

Most of the cable vibration/oscillation dampers I have seen are diamond shaped nearly flat shiny metal, about a foot or so across. But that is another possibility.