Telephone wiring questions . .

[theflyingpig]

Hi all, I've read over previous posts on this topic but am gettingincreasingly confused! Have never wired a telephone before . . .
when I bought the flat it was a spagetti junction of telephone cables - there was a telephone extension in all three bedrooms off one line, and then two downstairs off another. I spoke to BT who confirmed there wre two lines ito the property and wrned me against disturbing their wiring - yeah right. . . . .after gutting the flat I'm left with about 100 metres of cable and plenty of sockets. . .
Anyhow, after ripping the cables out back to the first box in the flat (with a black wire entering the box from outside) I was surprised to see that this had only two wires connected inside it. It was just a juction box I guess but is two wires all thats necessary?

How do those funny little plastic connectors work?

What I want eventually is a wi-fi router in an upstairs room, and one telephone socket for a cordless phone downstiars . . any tips on how to wire this up?

Apologies for vagueness of post - clearly i have no idea about phones!

thanks

Huey

 

[jj4091]

Telephones use 2 types of socket, a main socket & slave sockets for extentions. You need a main socket which only requires 2 wires.

 

[theflyingpig]

OK, stupid question number 1

so if only two wires are connected at the main socket, how come I saw more than 2 connected at the extensions?

ta!

 

[theflyingpig]

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

found this, which makes things a bit clearer. Clearly that first box inside my flat was not the master at all . . .

 

[theflyingpig]

having ahd a bit of a google I see what I need is an IDC insertion tool to connect the wires into the sockets ..

see i can get one at Maplins for 99 p - but they don't seem to sell the little crimp blocks, or should I be doin away with these and moving the sockets so that the master is where the black wire comes into the flat, and then the extensions run in white cable off this?

cheers

 

[Chri5]

If you have the master at the main incomming point it makes life easier and give BT a demarkation point from BT wiring to customer wiring.

At the master, terminate the pair of wires on 2 and 5 (under the screws).

Then from the master via the IDC punch down connections you should have 3 wires punched down on 2, 5 and 3.
Normal colouring is:-

Blue solid with little white bits=2
White solid with little blue bits =5
White solid with little orange bits = 3

3 is important it carries ringing and was the old anti tinkle wire.

At each and every secondary socket (which contains no yellow 1.8uf capacitor) wire in 2,5 and 3 in to the socket and out again to the next one.

The final socket will only have an in cable, again keep to the same colours.

It could be argued that due to cordless dect technology homes don't need as many telephone sockets.

Do remember that most people tend to have a plain ordinary phone somewhere, so that if the Dect is flat due to juice failure- calls in and out can still be made.

Normal for a house is:-

Master near incomming line position (tends not to have a phone in socket)
Phone to front room
Socket for BSB / SKy box
Socket in kitchen / morning room
Socket in Study (for ADSL broadband)
Socket in bedroom

IDC tools or krone tools are a worthy investment and cost £8-£10. Use CW1306 3 pair or CW1308 4 pair cable.

Using 2 pair is silly since it's not really any cheaper and has no spare wires should one ever fail.

Cheapo IDC tools don't trim /cut the wires and are no better than using a side of a credit card (little hint there!)

 

[theflyingpig]

great! thanks for making that so clear, and I'll give the credit card a go . .

do you have to go from extension to extention - as opposed wiring two extensions from the master?

I only want one socket downstairs and one upstairs - but there is no easy way to route the wires without having a double wire run which is going to be a bit messy. . .

as I've got all the skirting, architraves - well just about everything off, I was thinking of running the wiring behind skirting etc where possible - or does it hae to be exposed?

thanks again

 

[MasterAbacus]

Start at the main socket, and run to your first extension... then from that extension to your second...

Hide tha cables where ever you need to, under floorbaords, behind skirting is ok, but dont go nailing through it...

Normally i just run the cable round edge of a room, and hide under carpet etc...

My advice is get a propper tool for the job... for the extra few pounds, saves lots of hassle messing around with cheap 99p ones that tend to break after doing one socket, and as for the credit card idea.... great if your desperate, but they are a little thick and dont always push down fully.... never mind when it gets damaged and you need to use it to go out and buy a propper tool for the job... MMMmmmmm

 

[theflyingpig]

OK, gotta be worth the few extra quid . . . imagine BT would charge a pretty packet if I was to get them to come and do it . .

one, hopefully last question, does the master socket have the push in connecters as well? (I'm not at home so can't check) - cos can't imagine how to go about stripping those tiny wires . . . .

cheers

 

[MasterAbacus]

The Masters normally have two parts to them.... on the front part they have the push fit bits... to anable extensions to be run from them...

 

[theflyingpig]

and on the back part?

 

[MasterAbacus]

The wires are easy o strip anyway as they are normally solid core...

Or maybe even add a cable stripper to your tool box....

 

[MasterAbacus]

and on the back part?

The masters normally unscrew the front plate.... and behind that you have the 2 incoming wire terminations... thats the BT stuff...

On the front pannel you remove should be a push fit area..

Dont forget to run the cable into the box before your push down them cables.... otherwise you cant screw the front back on without making a messy hole in the box....

 

[bernardgreen]

and on the back part?

Is BT property and you interfere with it at the risk of a big bill if you screw it up.

 

[MasterAbacus]

and on the back part?

Is BT property and you interfere with it at the risk of a big bill if you screw it up.

Technicaly its your property, as its in your house.... BT responsible for upto the point of entry.... ie cable through wall....

They should use external masters, but they a re nice kind caring people and go the little but further and put the master in you house....