So I have an electrical setup near my breaker panel, and I was hoping someone could help me identify some of the pieces in the setup:

  • (A) Unknown
  • (B) Low voltage transformer for landscape lighting
  • (C) Unknown
  • (D) Unknown (although this connects to a lightswitch inside the house that turns on landscape lights)

Also: Where does the low voltage transformer plug into? It has a standard three prong cable, I just don't see where it plugs in.

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  • [A] looks like a cable tv/internet provider box. Does it have a security screw? You won't get thrown in jail for opening that to have a look. Drivers are readily available. [C] and [D] are probably junction boxes for whatever passes through their conduits. You may be able to add an outlet there for your transformer. Take the covers off and post more photos.
    – isherwood
    Apr 14 '17 at 16:27
  • 1
    This is nearly impossible to answer, without knowing where all the conduit goes, and/or seeing the actual wiring inside. One conduit into A likely is the line, which brings power in. The other possibly goes to a load, and/or another branch of the circuit.
    – Tester101
    Apr 14 '17 at 17:52
  • I am going to guess that A is a line voltage clock style timer, likely for outdoor lighting. Apr 14 '17 at 21:32

Basically A is a time clock for B a low voltage transformer. C looks to be the hot in and D looks to be the hot out from the time clock to switch the low voltage transformer ( which apparently is being direct wired by cutting off the male plug).

Another scenario is the time clock does or used to do high voltage tree lights. The low voltage transformer used to be plugged into an outlet but is not used anymore. Just guessing.

  • A definitly looks like a time clock, but I'd question if it operates the landscspe light transformer. Since we can see the electric meter just around the corner I too would assume the conduit coming around the corner feeds the clock, the real question tho is where does the conduit leaving to the right go?
    – Tyson
    Apr 14 '17 at 17:22
  • I just noticed, D also has a conduit headed into the ground.
    – Tyson
    Apr 14 '17 at 18:06
  • @Tyson D's right conduit connects to a switch inside the house, whereas the bottom conduit powers two outlets nearby. I still don't understand how the transformer gets power from it's male connector.
    – eclipsis
    Apr 14 '17 at 21:17
  • 3
    @eclipsis I suspect C or more likely D was an outdoor outlet, that was removed before a real estate transaction, because it wasn't up to code. Like Tester101 points out its virtually impossible to guess this. Open all the boxes and let us see the insides and you'll get better answers.
    – Tyson
    Apr 14 '17 at 22:20

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