Can I get rid of this?

Hoovie · Post by **Hoovie** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:20 pm

Doing my hallway and got a big ugly thing screwed to the window frame for the telephone and I would get to get rid but not sure how

Now my phone comes over an overhead cable into this weird looking contraption screwed to the soffit/bargeboard/whatever

Got two cables coming off it - one goes across into wall on first floor and don't know after that

The other cable goes down outside wall, through front entrance window and goes into this ugly old thing (which is what I would like to get shot of)

Looking at the box above, I am wondering it the two copper busbar type things are some kind of lightening protection fuses due to it being an overhead supply (there is 50V DV between them, if that is important (I think that is standard telewire voltage?)).

I can't identify any kind of master socket (like you would see nowadays) for the phone anywhere in the house - the wires seem to go from this box to a little 8 way junction box (below)

and then those cables just go out from that - presumably to each socket in the house?

I pulled one of the 'busbars' out and my phone died, so that thing is live

.

What can I do to get this a bit more up to date?
I don't want or need a load of sockets in the house - I only use two at the moment anyway

mr phone · Post by **mr phone** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:12 am

Hoovie - from the pic it looks like the 2 wires on the right of the JB (white and Orange) are from the dropwire (overhead cable) rom the pole outside? Is this right?
It then looks like the Blues and Oranges travel down to the more modern looking JB at skirting level?
The old JB is nothing like I have seen before but I would have no problem in replacing it with something similar to the one below. Just remember what colour connected to what.
In theory you should not need the greens / browns as there is only 2 wires on your incoming feed, but make sure they are connected through your sockets as they are probably the ringing circuit.
Hope this helps.

Hoovie · Post by **Hoovie** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:20 pm

Thanks for the reply, Mr Phone. Very Useful.

Yes - those two wires are from the dropwire.
Turns out the incoming cable from the overhead had 7 wires - white, orange, green, brown and three yellows, but only white and orange were actually connected to anything in this JB.

I took a close-up of the old JB...

and this is the busbar/fuse/link 'thing'...

The only thing that JB seems to do for sure is have the used wires going though those copper bars

The way there is a sprung piece of metal at both terminals after the copper link with a small airgap to the centre post (on the left) - and the centre post seems to be an earthing post going by the old bare wires screwed to it (maybe that is where the 3 yellows wires were meant to go once?) again makes me think protection against lightening/spikes

In the end, I decided to do some relocation rather then replacement and moved that JB outside on a upstairs wall, sealed it with some mastic - and then ran the cable though inside and then under floorboards, so I have at least eliminated the mess of surface cables and JBs in the hallway anyway

mr phone · Post by **mr phone** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:30 pm

You have a 2 pair dropwire. The primary pairs are orange and white - these are used, the second pair will be black and green - for future use if required. The 3 yellow wires are self supporting wires that act as support for the dropwire overhead cable - these are never used.
Glad you got on OK Hoovie!!!

Hoovie · Post by **Hoovie** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:51 pm

So am I

I was alone after I chopped the wires with no internet for backup - scary

Thanks for the extra info - good to understand what is what

wymthg · Post by **wymthg** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:32 am

Hi I amnot sure i undertand the solution above, but i have a similar issues.

Cable cames in under the house, lookslike I have a 2 pair dropwire with Orange and white wires.

Unfortunaley due to work in the house this wire is no longer connected to anything.

On the new interior cables runnign to the sockets the wiring is differetn colours, I just need to know what wire to connect the Orange and white wires to on the new cabling?

Anybody able to help me?

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:04 am

wymthg

Can you start another thread please.

Don't hijack threads.
Don't resurrect old threads.