This may sound stupid to some, but I'm an electrician with very little experience when in comes to wiring for phones. On the houses I've wired, there have always been different(low voltage) crews that came in and wired the phone, cable, etc. My question is this. I'm finishing my basement and I have a phone cable running from the upstairs, across the basement, and back upstairs. Can I tap into it and run a parallel line to my phone jack box? Or, do I have to hook it up in series(run 2 wires to my box)? Like I said, I'm pretty green when it comes to this, so any help is appreciated.
phone hook-up
- Thread starter beegee
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
- Occupation
- Service Manager
Re: phone hook-up
...although you might have fewer hardships in the long run if you pull a fresh line from outside, and/or pick a centralized location (say, next to the furnace or under the stairs) to junction several phone lines.
Just a suggestion...
...although you might have fewer hardships in the long run if you pull a fresh line from outside, and/or pick a centralized location (say, next to the furnace or under the stairs) to junction several phone lines.
Just a suggestion...
M
mkoloj
Guest
Re: phone hook-up
The best thing is to run a new cable from where the service enters the house, otherwise you could end up starting the rats nest or basket weaving as some like to say. Put up a 66 block and you can neatly do all your terminations on that instead of the taps into the existing cable. Much easier to make changes and troubleshoot.
The best thing is to run a new cable from where the service enters the house, otherwise you could end up starting the rats nest or basket weaving as some like to say. Put up a 66 block and you can neatly do all your terminations on that instead of the taps into the existing cable. Much easier to make changes and troubleshoot.
Re: phone hook-up
I am new to this forum. I am a network engineer. I am pleased to see the correct response to DSL notion on a tapped line in this area; Elec's are learning new skills-just not enough of them-job insurance.
On a tapped line DSL usually will not work (depends on distance). DSL is full duplex. There is a new flavor of DSL out there (way out there as in rural) that is half duplex and reflections off of the tapped line do not effect it.
I am new to this forum. I am a network engineer. I am pleased to see the correct response to DSL notion on a tapped line in this area; Elec's are learning new skills-just not enough of them-job insurance.
On a tapped line DSL usually will not work (depends on distance). DSL is full duplex. There is a new flavor of DSL out there (way out there as in rural) that is half duplex and reflections off of the tapped line do not effect it.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Re: phone hook-up
Welcome rjfrankin, I know you from over at Tek-Tips.
Elec's are learning new skills-just not enough of them-job insurance.
We are not all electricians here, plenty of TELCO, network and communications guys too. The common thread is that the code affects all of our work and we are here to discuss and learn.
Unfortunately I find that many IT people, although they can get data across a network have poor wiring skills and little or no knowledge of the codes. I think there is lots to be gained by them here too.
-Hal
Welcome rjfrankin, I know you from over at Tek-Tips.
Elec's are learning new skills-just not enough of them-job insurance.
We are not all electricians here, plenty of TELCO, network and communications guys too. The common thread is that the code affects all of our work and we are here to discuss and learn.
Unfortunately I find that many IT people, although they can get data across a network have poor wiring skills and little or no knowledge of the codes. I think there is lots to be gained by them here too.
-Hal
Re: phone hook-up
Thanks for the welcome Hal. I'm eatin it up. I think I am the only net' person that owns the NEC. I'm in Louisville KY and the notion of "low voltage" needing code is wasted on most persons here-and talk about bonding! People still belive grounding things on the roof-top attracts lightning.
Thanks for the welcome Hal. I'm eatin it up. I think I am the only net' person that owns the NEC. I'm in Louisville KY and the notion of "low voltage" needing code is wasted on most persons here-and talk about bonding! People still belive grounding things on the roof-top attracts lightning.
Re: phone hook-up
Just a bit of background here. POTS means that you are connected through a "Local Loop" back to the Telco central office. With the phone "on hook", 50Vdc or so appears across "tip" and "ring", the red and green I think, and no current flows.
When your phone rings, a somewhat large AC signal is superimposed on the DC, and this causes the electromechanical ringer to ring.
When you take the phone "off hook", you close the "hookswitch" which allows current, (20 - 100mA) to flow in the loop. The CO senses this current and shuts off the ringing voltage.
When you talk, a carbon microphone modulates the loop current to convey your voice back to the caller. Some clever circuitry keeps you from hearing too much of your own voice.
In troubleshooting, always look for that 50Vdc to appear with everything unplugged from the phone jacks. If you suspect a short, isolate your house wiring at the point of entry, if you can, then start looking. Don't forget your computer and FAX stuff either, they are often zapped by lightning even if the phones survive.
[ February 21, 2005, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: rattus ]
Just a bit of background here. POTS means that you are connected through a "Local Loop" back to the Telco central office. With the phone "on hook", 50Vdc or so appears across "tip" and "ring", the red and green I think, and no current flows.
When your phone rings, a somewhat large AC signal is superimposed on the DC, and this causes the electromechanical ringer to ring.
When you take the phone "off hook", you close the "hookswitch" which allows current, (20 - 100mA) to flow in the loop. The CO senses this current and shuts off the ringing voltage.
When you talk, a carbon microphone modulates the loop current to convey your voice back to the caller. Some clever circuitry keeps you from hearing too much of your own voice.
In troubleshooting, always look for that 50Vdc to appear with everything unplugged from the phone jacks. If you suspect a short, isolate your house wiring at the point of entry, if you can, then start looking. Don't forget your computer and FAX stuff either, they are often zapped by lightning even if the phones survive.
[ February 21, 2005, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: rattus ]
allenwayne
Senior Member
Re: phone hook-up
We are a residential contractor and if I had my way we would do NO l.V.We get all to many call backs for static ,cross talking,dead lines.We don`t have the equipt. or knowledge to be professional in this field .We do 90% tract homes.That entails cookie cutter syndrom Get a service call for phone not working 6 months after closing.Low and behold it is the only drop after a plant shelf in a occupied bed room
We are a residential contractor and if I had my way we would do NO l.V.We get all to many call backs for static ,cross talking,dead lines.We don`t have the equipt. or knowledge to be professional in this field
.We do 90% tract homes.That entails cookie cutter syndrom Get a service call for phone not working 6 months after closing.Low and behold it is the only drop after a plant shelf in a occupied bed room
- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
- Occupation
- Service Manager
Re: phone hook-up
Why so many problems? Keep a 2' seperation, never share a hole with 120V if avoidable, and you shouldn't have callbacks.
Why so many problems? Keep a 2' seperation, never share a hole with 120V if avoidable, and you shouldn't have callbacks.
luke warmwater
Senior Member
Re: phone hook-up
Allen,
do you check the phone lines on the final???
Allen,
do you check the phone lines on the final???
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: phone hook-up
You could check them phone lines with a simple 9 volt bat and a lightbulb with a diode in series.Are you using twisted pair cable ? Run cable ,phone,door chime,gdo on day of rough inspection.Ask for AM inspection.This affords your man to be there for the inspector.Never run phone lines right next to romex.The only call back we had over phones were because of helpers guessing at what wire goes where or not hooking them up at all.There is a price tag to using only installers.Teach them how to pull phones and problem should go away.If you will have several phone lines terminate them in a 2 gang plastic box in garage or laundry,then one line to demark.This should solve all problems.If possible mount this box just above the garage outlet,makes installing a router easy if your using cat 5,also run a cable from this box to outside for there roadrunner and if they have several cables terminate them in another 2 gang box next to the one with phones.Cost would be small for the additional quality.
You could check them phone lines with a simple 9 volt bat and a lightbulb with a diode in series.Are you using twisted pair cable ? Run cable ,phone,door chime,gdo on day of rough inspection.Ask for AM inspection.This affords your man to be there for the inspector.Never run phone lines right next to romex.The only call back we had over phones were because of helpers guessing at what wire goes where or not hooking them up at all.There is a price tag to using only installers.Teach them how to pull phones and problem should go away.If you will have several phone lines terminate them in a 2 gang plastic box in garage or laundry,then one line to demark.This should solve all problems.If possible mount this box just above the garage outlet,makes installing a router easy if your using cat 5,also run a cable from this box to outside for there roadrunner and if they have several cables terminate them in another 2 gang box next to the one with phones.Cost would be small for the additional quality.
Re: phone hook-up
Allen, your problem is probably loose connections and improperly wired travelers. If all wiring is tight and EMF issues are subdued you shouldn't have static on any lines.
Roger
[ February 26, 2005, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: roger ]
Allen, your problem is probably loose connections and improperly wired travelers. If all wiring is tight and EMF issues are subdued you shouldn't have static on any lines.
Roger
[ February 26, 2005, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: roger ]
allenwayne
Senior Member
Re: phone hook-up
Like i said I wish we didn`t touch LV with a 10 ft. pole Unless you have the equipt to deal with a system stay away We wire houses plain and simpleNot to proud to say when we are out of our field of expertise
Like i said I wish we didn`t touch LV with a 10 ft. pole
Unless you have the equipt to deal with a system stay away We wire houses plain and simpleNot to proud to say when we are out of our field of expertise pierre
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Re: phone hook-up
Actually it would be nice to see more EC's doing VDV. Some of the VDV "installers" that I come across are doing no better than you are.
With some training, key word is training, you could expand your company's bottom line.
No matter what, you will always get some HOs calling about this or that - it is there way of squeezing blood from a stone.
Actually it would be nice to see more EC's doing VDV. Some of the VDV "installers" that I come across are doing no better than you are.
With some training, key word is training, you could expand your company's bottom line.
No matter what, you will always get some HOs calling about this or that - it is there way of squeezing blood from a stone.
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