CABRILLO Historic Structures Report

Figure 7. The small electrical box is located on the Bayside Trail.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BOX (Restoration)

Location

The Electrical Connection Box stands on the Bayside Trail, near Searchlight Shelter No. 18 and the Generator Station for Searchlight No. 18 and No. 19.

History

The concrete electrical connection box was installed during WWII as part of the defense modernization activity. The box was part of the artillery fire control system. Two dates appear on the box, "1941, U.S.A." on the exterior and "1909 Engineers Department U.S. Army, Colin Electric Company, New York" on an aluminum box within the metal door. The electrical connection box remains locked.

Description

Exterior

This reinforced concrete, two-foot-by-three-foot-by-four-foot high electrical connection box is rectangular in plan with tapered concrete sides capped by a continuous concrete arched top (figure 7). Painted drab green, the box sits on a six-inch concrete slab foundation. One painted, one-eighth-inch steel plate metal door with angle iron reinforcing, rivets, and a single latch is attached to the southwest face.

Interior

The interior of the electrical connection box is concrete, except for the one-eighth-inch steel plate door. According to drawings, the box contains a ten-pin controller receptacle, a power terminal box and a junction box. Four, two-inch galvanized iron conduits disappear below ground through the concrete slab base.

Condition

Exterior

Deterioration includes: spalling concrete and exposed reinforcing metal at the north side; a concrete spall at the east face; spalling at the foundation; soil erosion exposing the foundation; metal corrosion at the top left corner of the door; and corroding metal hinges and cross bars.

Interior

The box was locked and could not be opened with the key provided to the survey team.

Structural Analysis

No significant structural concerns were noted. The spalling noted above in the exterior concrete surfaces is relatively minor and does not at this time appear to compromise the structural capacity of the box. The soil erosion at the base of the box appears to be a consequence of the location of the box, on a slope and at the side of a road/path where rainwater run-off will accumulate. The erosion does not appear to compromise the capacity of the foundation at this time.