The Witty Precautions Behind Colored Spheres Hanging From Power Lines

Picture Source- Google.com

Many have pondered interesting facts, such as the purpose of the balls on power lines while driving.

[{"selector":"#anim-cf0c58e3-c918-4e5c-8b58-1114c8266d9b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-506e219b-74cf-48d5-bc8e-06b6cf1e16c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -130.16727%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e931fece-d32c-400f-8ec4-4d227cfb0760","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8dca11a6-22fc-4fd7-b20a-26580e769586","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.66102%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

The colorful balls on power lines serve as visibility markers for pilots to avoid crashing into power lines.

[{"selector":"#anim-e0ab559e-7e0e-4913-824f-1b2fcb8022d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-629242bb-fb85-4c5e-aefa-7cd62226115d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -130.16727%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-610e5e36-e948-4b31-b569-5f69c8947b71","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e48a4c00-07fb-41cb-b6f3-cfaa36cbf9f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.66102%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

The FAA requires these mandatory spherical visibility markers to be placed on power lines in certain places where there’s a higher chances lower altitude aircraft not spotting the power lines.

[{"selector":"#anim-a3b59d85-fb52-4169-92f6-9c79376c3abb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8fe1ee8c-7a14-45d7-b8bd-fc1518792478","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -134.41405%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b3adf62-641a-4abc-b2f2-b30e356f160e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-373ca0a7-0de2-40dd-af9b-c795dbf642ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.66102%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

These balls are either called marker balls, aerial marker balls, or visibility markers.

[{"selector":"#anim-270c34ba-a106-4b9e-96a7-16d97c1f7c01","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-706f6150-8d6f-4656-bdc0-97c70e80b458","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -128.88322%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69154d34-1580-4c63-91e4-9bfc9501eee4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-288b37c5-f5a7-4707-9d96-b2be8c126b1c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.66102%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

The FAA mandates that the balls on power lines be placed on power wires that cross canyons, lakes, and rivers, as well as those around airports.

[{"selector":"#anim-f21ed2f4-8ee1-49ee-850f-1a54f32780f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b868f97-82b3-4867-8a0a-b27ece9e5cb3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -133.30066%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ac4e4b8-116d-44c0-9a98-22b148d40a14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd509445-66b4-4e43-bbb8-bdf07826babb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.93221%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

The most common colors for marker balls are aviation orange, white, and yellow, as the FAA found they have the best visibility.

[{"selector":"#anim-2b618161-1f12-4a1c-b505-7710cda4688a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd3ff172-56b7-45c8-847a-99e054dad153","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -131.6405%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1c3403a-cef1-430b-9df9-54cc2b118c03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7b6da74-8273-44d1-b24d-240d98d800d6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.93221%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

As per the FAA regulations, the size of marker balls is typically larger than 91 centimeters (36 inches), around the size of a very large beach ball.

[{"selector":"#anim-3504e8e3-55cf-40e2-a7bb-45b6005a257d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a94d8b04-7fe6-44b7-be24-36d046011f08","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -131.6405%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58409252-6196-4b23-aef3-cbc714503171","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ddc2860e-c5f8-486d-9487-1e2b16f23fdb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.93221%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

The FAA recommends that the balls be placed on the highest wire and spaced equally along the wire at approximately 61-meter (200-foot) intervals.

[{"selector":"#anim-b15ccd53-abde-4083-9624-a8df2797f28c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-324beabe-7418-45c7-b62a-5d02776fa6d2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -134.73075%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-883275e0-d6e8-4991-ae55-eca5aed4ddb7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8c260a5-43a3-45e8-b792-7176e8db9947","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.66102%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

Plastic, a good electrical insulator, is used to make the balls.

[{"selector":"#anim-0c5ae688-04ed-445b-9328-28bff37618fa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8caac173-3d87-41a5-bf8f-8964ff4e7812","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -128.09485%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9b6d6c2-1805-40d5-9ef6-81741a01e34a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77e10b38-8431-49de-82cd-339a7945fd1b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.33899%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com

The marker balls generally weigh between 11 and 17 pounds each.

[{"selector":"#anim-9da950f4-4ae2-42ec-8e58-f90f87bc40aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe00af35-2752-4ebc-86c3-43e88a08fa22","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -129.58367%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df2bc068-f64a-4ace-b452-40a5ecec3202","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c14c928-8ee1-4105-a53c-9f1245532fff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.33899%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Picture Source- Google.com