Artificial Boulders to hide Electrical Boxes?

[Chris88CL]

Anyone heard of or seen these?

I have one of those GIANT green electrical boxes in the corner of my backyard and it's ugly as hell. A fake rock isnt the nicest thing in the world either but its better than a dirty ugly green box.

It's one of those like 36"x36"x24"h units? Know the ones I mean? There's also the tall skinny cable box next to it but Im not too concerned about that.

My GF tells me you can get boulder looking covers for them, but I've never seen them anywhere in town. I did a quick google search and found all different kinds/sizes ranging anywhere from $80-300, but nothing local.

Has anybody seen these things around town? I'd like to see it in person before I spend $300 on a fiberglass rock.

[Melinda]

I dont even know if it's legal to cover those boxes...I'd definately call the city before you go spending your money!

[old&slow]

Plant lilacs...the grow fast and will eventually envelop the boxes!

[97'Scort]

Originally posted by old&slow
Plant lilacs...the grow fast and will eventually envelop the boxes!

...and the electrical company will come cut them down. And make you pay for it.

They need immediate access to these boxes at all times. You can't cover them, block them, obstruct them in any way. You aren't even supposed to have snow on them.

Say there's a fire and they need to shut off the switch, but have to hack though a bush or papier-mache boulder to get to it. Now you're in serious trouble, son.

[Weasel]

I'm pretty sure it would be illegal to obstruct those things.

[jav_]

get a shed with an open bottom to cover it lol

[Kritafo]

http://www.fakerock.com/fiberglass.htm

When we called we were told no, we weren't suppose toput anything in front or around it. . I am curious to know what someone else will be told. I mean...I would say 90% of the ones around the neighborhood have shrubs planted around them.

I have seen someone put a stand alone picket fence around it...and planted a bush in front...it looked okay, not as good as the boulders.

We have the big short green one and the tall darker green one on our property....they are very ugly.

[PGTze]

It says right on the transformer something like 'do not block 1m around transformer'. It's on an easment, which means the utility owner (enmax) can do whatever it pleases on that section of your yard. You're not supposed to put any 'permanent structure' over an easment either, enmax can come and tear it down and send you the bill for it.

I'm not saying don't do anything to hide it, but you are supposed to leave unobstructed access to the thing at all times. But hey, they can't fine you if they never find out I guess...

[frozenrice]

Not a good idea either to plant anything where the roots go real deep (i.e. trees, shrubs, bushes). Over time those roots might end up interfering with the wires underground and who knows what will happen.

[Xtrema]

Even common sense will tell you that you shouldn't put anything around the unit. Those buggers are quite hot in summer, last thing you want is start a fire.

The only way to avoid it, don't buy a house with it.

[Whiley]

i agree, i think there is likely an ordinance that requires that you keep anything a certain amount of distance from the utilities boxes

for a lot less work and cost, you could put up a simple lattice board, or one section of those pre-assembled fencing, making it like a screen between your view and the box (3-4 feet from the box)

then as suggested, plant some climbing plants at the bottom (sweet peas are easy to grow) so they crawl up the lattice and make it a nice display

that way the box is completely out of your sight

Originally posted by Chris88CL
Anyone heard of or seen these?

I have one of those GIANT green electrical boxes in the corner of my backyard and it's ugly as hell. A fake rock isnt the nicest thing in the world either but its better than a dirty ugly green box.

It's one of those like 36"x36"x24"h units? Know the ones I mean? There's also the tall skinny cable box next to it but Im not too concerned about that.

My GF tells me you can get boulder looking covers for them, but I've never seen them anywhere in town. I did a quick google search and found all different kinds/sizes ranging anywhere from $80-300, but nothing local.

Has anybody seen these things around town? I'd like to see it in person before I spend $300 on a fiberglass rock.

[Grogador]

Easement, nothing within 1m... even those smaller cable/telco pedestals... although stomping through flowerbeds, taking cutters to the shrubbery, towing cars, cutting off locks or kicking in sheds to get the damn peds open was kinda fun

If you have easement on your property, you get a discount on your property taxes... Did you not see the box when you bought the place? Lattice with climbing plants 1m away from the box towards your house sounds pretty cool tho.

[old&slow]

Utility company does the pruning? Bonus!

[Kritafo]

we didn't see the boxes as we were living in SK when we bought our house over the internet. We knew the community we wanted, we sent some friends over to make sure there was nothing wrong with the house since it was sold after if was lived in for 6 weeks. Apparently the people that built got a job relocation to Canmore just after owning.

Discount...city wouldn't even do anything about the burm they put in...My private neighbor free backyard has turned into everyone in Valley Ridge walking their dog on top of the burm and gawking.

...doesn't matter pretty much all the new neighborhoods have them.

[Mixalot27]

When I used to live in Mackenzie Lake we had one of these in our front yard. We just made a big flowerbed around it and planted some bushes. I think we left a bit of space between the box and the bushes. Never had a problem or remember anyone coming to access it but we only lived there 4 yrs or so.

[Chris88CL]

It's not a permanent structure people. It's a 5-10lb fiberglass box that just sits over the box. Less obtrusive than the original metal cover that it comes with.

If you want access it's about as hard as opening a gate (flip the "boulder" over). I dont see why the utility company would have a problem with it unless they are too stupid to realize their electrical box is under the boulder.

And yes, I did see the box when I bought the house, but it was previously hidden by a swinging bench. That's gone and I like the look of the wide open back yard, except for this ugly SOB.

I also thought about the lattice and some climbing plants, but then I lose out on the yard space behind the box too. I'd like to avoid that.

And as for the discount on my property taxes, are you kidding me? There's no "discount", I just dont have to pay property tax on the utility right of way because I dont own it. Not exactly a discount.

From the looks of it this thing hasnt been touched in years anyway. There was less access to it before when the swing was in the way and there were 2 rotties in the yard. Anyone wanting into the back yard better be smart enough to ring the doorbell first.

Im not asking for permission or for beyond's approval. I just want to know where I can find one of these things locally.

Anyone?

[codetrap]

Originally posted by Chris88CL
If you want access it's about as hard as opening a gate (flip the "boulder" over). I dont see why the utility company would have a problem with it unless they are too stupid to realize their electrical box is under the boulder.

Just out of curiosity.. how would a technician rushing to the scene to turn off the power to the electrical fire in our your or your neighbors house know that the electrical box is under that yonder fake boulder?

Exactly how does that make the utility company stupid if they don't know you hid the box?

[Kritafo]

I would get in touch with City TV here in Calgary, they had a local company make the giant Coffee cup with the BT symbol that is displayed almost daily on the show. I can't remember the name of the company but they make all sorts of stuff locally.

Other wise, you could probably make one yourself with wire mesh and some stucco.

Maybe the zoo has a loose one...or even Calaway.

Regardless...if you find a local source please post

[Chris88CL]

Originally posted by Kritafo
I would get in touch with City TV here in Calgary, they had a local company make the giant Coffee cup with the BT symbol that is displayed almost daily on the show. I can't remember the name of the company but they make all sorts of stuff locally.

Other wise, you could probably make one yourself with wire mesh and some stucco.

Maybe the zoo has a loose one...or even Calaway.

Regardless...if you find a local source please post

I was actually thinking about using a method similar to what I used for the background in my aquarium.

Basically just make a big hollow foam block and use a torch or heat gun to melt the styrofoam into rough shapes. Then brush on a cement mixture. In my tank I left it like that (looks like real rock), but I'd probably paint it with an exterior paint too.

I'll put a sign on it if I have to (and maybe mesh on the back side for vents), but anything is better than looking at this ugly box.

[The Cosworth]

Enmax will not bother you until there is a power outage. I know in vernon we showed up at 3am with chain saws and a backhoe to cut down this guys garden because he built it over top of our vault and that is where the fault was.

Technically that is NOT your land. Enmax (or calgary power depending on how old your lot is) will own that portion of your land.

However we (your utility lineman) will use individual vaults, lpts, pull boxes, vaults etc to navigate around the grid. You learn to ignore street names quickly because they are almost always wrong. If they cant find that box when they need to do work and suspect you have covered it the will start digging looking for it, and trust me some older guys look in the wrong place on purpose.