Workers on Orange Street were replacing a worn-out telephone pole, and its
transformers. These cylindrical components allow the power from the grid to be safely applied to peoples' homes in residential neighborhoods. Power company
Altec handled the installation. Transformers handle energy via
inductive coupling. These effectively step down the higher overhead voltages (15,000v) and "transform" it into power that your home can use (120v in most residential applications). By transmitting power at high voltages (15kV), this limits the amount of voltage drop along the journey from generation plant to consumer. That's why you see these things hanging from telephone poles, and now you know. Enjoy the video, and here's another fresh song that you can listen to while you contemplate the mysteries.
