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Big Circus' Home Destruction Chronicles, Vol. 1 (advice needed)

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Big Circus, Jun 23, 2013.

  1. Big Circus

    Big Circus Well-Known Member

    So I was working in my backyard (replacing a burst pipe) and was dealing with what I believed to be a particularly stubborn root. (It was very muddy.) After cutting said root, I came to find out that it was actually a black cable about 1/4 inch thick. Yes, this was very stupid of me. Moving on.

    Here is what I know about this cable:

    - It was not carrying electricity, as shown by the fact that I'm posting this and not dead or sitting in a dark house
    - It was also not essential to any of our cable functions - our cable, Internet and phone are all still functional

    What else could it be?
     
  2. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

  3. BurnsWhenIPee

    BurnsWhenIPee Well-Known Member

    Could it be a phone, cable or Internet cable that services neighbors and not you? We have different Internet providers than some of our neighbors, and our dog chewed through a cable in our backyard that was for them and not us a few weeks back. If that is it, you'll probably find out soon when workers show up in your yard.

    Also, could it be old phone or cable that has been replaced and that is just the old cable that they left buried there?
     
  4. Machine Head

    Machine Head Well-Known Member

    I also have phone, cable / internet of neighbors running through my yard. Also lots of old cable. I'm dealing with a spider web of cables in an area where I had to have a tree taken down and stump dug out.

    Big, how close to your lot line is it? A pet Invisible Fence cable from a previous owner? They used to used a thicker gauge.

    Do you have a sprinkler system? Is that what the pipe was from? I had mine repaired last summer and there was a wire running along one of the supply lines.
     
  5. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    Did you actually cut it? If so, what kind of cable is it? Coaxial? Two-strand? Multi-strand? If it's multi-strand, I'd bet on an underground sprinkler control line.
     
  6. Big Circus

    Big Circus Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the responses! To answer questions asked:

    - Yes, I most definitely cut it.
    - Based on my very rudimentary knowledge, I think it's coax.
    - It's right behind our house, about as close to the middle of the lot as you can get, so probably not invisible fence.
    - Our sprinkler system is running the same as it was before, so I don't think it's related to that.

    Our neighbors on one side still have their network up (I can pick it up from that side of the house), so their cable works. Not sure about the other side. Obviously, I'm hoping it's just vestigial cable. We have two companies in our area, in addition to a dish on the side of our house that we've never used, so it's certainly possible.
     
  7. three_bags_full

    three_bags_full Well-Known Member

    Modern internet cables are very distinct. You'll have a black covering, followed by a protective copper wrapping that covers two-strand twists that will be blue/white, orange/white, brown/white, etc.

    A standard coax cable can be identified by a black covering, followed by a white, plastic secondary all covering a single copper/brass wire.
     
  8. Diego Marquez

    Diego Marquez Member

    Tell your neighbors you tapped into their web connections and ask them why they watch so much porn. Based on their reactions, you'll find out what kind of cable it is. And you'll learn something new about those living next to you.
     
  9. SoCalDude

    SoCalDude Active Member

    Too funny.

    Here's one: We had major street work, included was a new sewer line right down the middle of the street. We were told to be prepared when they came to connect the main line to the lateral lines going to the houses. If the laterals were damaged and had to be replaced, it was the city's expense from the street to the property line (the inward edge of the sidewalk). But it was our expense if the damaged laterals were on our property.
    It was a hectic day, everybody out watching, several plumbers lurking around hoping for some quick business.
    My neighbor worked nearby. He asked me to call him when they were getting to his house and he would come home. But he got stuck at work for a few minutes. His connection was done with no problem before he arrived. I was out front when he came racing home. He asked what the situation was.
    I said, "They told us you need a new sewer line and more fiber in your diet."
     
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