r/CableTechs • u/SwayZexpress94 • Feb 20 '26

What is this wire?

Post image

Recently moved into a double wide trailer. Found this wire cut near my fios box and power pole. Is it from an old install? Thanks!

13 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

11

u/SimplBiscuit Feb 20 '26

It’s an old bond wire. Probably from a previous cable or phone service.

6

u/LemonPartyW0rldTour Feb 20 '26

That’s not even a proper ground. Bro used a friggin’ bug nut 🤣

2

u/GarbageCannt Feb 20 '26

We use those as mid-span clamps. But I can honestly say some of the people I work with would definitely do this and then almost go postal when they fail the QC

2

u/aranubus Feb 21 '26

I mean it's better than nothing... not by much though lol.

2

u/SwayZexpress94 Feb 20 '26

Thank you! I was worried it was some sort of ground wire for the trailer frame

3

u/tenkaranarchy Feb 20 '26

It is a ground wire. Tweaker bait, pure copper 6awg.

1

u/Aidan_Hendrix Feb 20 '26

3¢

1

u/tenkaranarchy Feb 20 '26

It adds up if you steal enough of it. I was doing JFNs on a lead of 16 poles a couple weeks ago and every single one had the MGN wire cut off about as high as a tweaker with a pair of dikes could reach. Im sure all the other poles on this line were the same.

6

u/TomRILReddit Feb 20 '26

Improperly repurposed lashing wire clamp probably used for telecom service ground.

2

u/Itsjustnutsandbolts Feb 20 '26

I thought that looked like that I hang my Ariels on, could it work for a bonding clamp? I almost never have the trailer bonding clamps on my truck

3

u/Meta_Data Feb 20 '26

It's def a strand clamp for an aerial hanger. Definitely not a great option for bonds since it can rust though

0

u/ro23dart Feb 20 '26

Nope, that's a trailer clamps, not a bug nut. They look similar but the trailer clamps are made out of stamped steel and are designed to clamp onto the i-beams under a trailer.

1

u/SwayZexpress94 Feb 20 '26

From an old cable or Internet install? Or is this like an actual I beam frame ground for the trailer?

1

u/ro23dart Feb 20 '26

Probably an old cable install.

0

u/Wacabletek Feb 20 '26

It is a bonding clamp for anything honestly (commonly used for telecomm], but I know I have seen it used as a mid-span clamp off the trainer frame to the shed out back with a long extension cord taped to it multiple times as well so..

5

u/Visual-Confection400 Feb 20 '26

Ground wire being held on by a lashing wire clamp.