Removing/replacing telephone junction box?

[TheFunk]

Where the telephone wires enter the house I have what's left of an old brown junction box. See photo below.

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The box below it is unused. A 1 metre length of telephone cable, only two wires from it used, runs from the brown box to the socket shown below:

Amazingly the phone line still works and I've left well alone until now ... Obviously the boxes look rather dated and unsightly and I don't need a 1 metre length of wire before the socket.

I presume my medling could incur the wrath of BT but can I run the wires that come through the wall directly in to a wall mounted master socket or do I need a modern version of the brown junction box? If I do need a new junction box any ideas where I'd get one from?

Thanks.

 

[Pensdown]

Your right, the brown box is part of the BT network and you should call BT.

However, the two wires can be teminated directly into a master socket

This should help http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wiring/UK_telephone/uk_telephone.html

 

[johnny_t]

It will incur the wrath of BT if they find out, but they will probably only find out if you really **** something up, otherwise just claim that it was like it when you moved in. Given that all you have is a length of cable between terminals, there is no electrical reason why you can't connect the wires coming out of the wall into the terminals that the 1m wire goes into in Picture 2. The wires are at about 50v, so don't go putting them in your mouth or 'owt like that.

(There may be mechanical issues, or wrath of BT issues, but that's another matter)

 

[TheFunk]

Thanks very much for the info. Didn't realise they ran at that voltage!

 

[Pensdown]

I think it only goes up to 50V when it rings but I could be wrong.

 

[breezer]

when a line is "doing nothing" it as at 50v dc when it rings it jumps up to, i dont know what

 

[RF Lighting]

put a bit of tape on the end of each wire. If you short the wires togeter it will kill the phone line, and you will have to contact BT to get it reset.

 

[Pensdown]

put a bit of tape on the end of each wire. If you short the wires togeter it will kill the phone line, and you will have to contact BT to get it reset.

Now that sounds like someone who's talking from experience?

 

[RF Lighting]

Er... someone once told me about it, but I definatly haven't done it myself. Not even ever ahem...

 

[plugwash]

use the master socket you've already got which is presumablly BT marked and has a removable lower cover for your extension wiring.

i can't imagine BT noticeing you eliminateing a redundant junction box though.

i thought shorted phone lines automaticallyr reset after a short delay, maybe it depends on the age of the equipment.

 

[Steve]

when would they notice???? I mean, when do bt people ever come into our homes and see that their equipment is in order? They have never been into our house in 19 years (since we lived here).

Granted, recently they replaced all the phone lines in our area (and therefore BT people entered homes), except for the ones supplied by the pole outside our house, but i doubt that they will give a monkeys about an ancient junction box. Not like its worth anything to them.

 

[securespark]

put a bit of tape on the end of each wire. If you short the wires togeter it will kill the phone line, and you will have to contact BT to get it reset.

Can confirm this is not the case!

I (and other telecoms engineers) do this all the time, w/o problem...

 

[RF Lighting]

I stand corrected

 

[Plug]

Your best option might be a flush box with a rear entry, in place of the junction box. The current faceplate could be reused.

 

[the_jinj]

I think Plug is right - I'd ditch the old junction box, use a rear entry box (or flush one into wall) and existing faceplate if in ok nick - a bit of a PITA position height wise though....could enter as near top as possible?