Help with BT wiring

Author
Discussion

cbmotorsport

Original Poster:

3,065 posts

117 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Is it normal for the telephone cable running down the outside of an old house to the telephone junction box to be 1 pair solid copper, it's a figure of 8 shape a bit like speaker cable? I'm assuming this is very old stuff?

We're renovating a house and want to move the socket due to the cable coming in through the top corner of a window and causing damp. I need to run new external cable to a different location.

Not sure what cable to buy.

Before people say phone BT/Openreach to get it modernised, they don't seem interested unless there's a fault on the line, and there isn't. It works perfectly, even giving 65mb+ of broadband.

Here is the cable coming into the house and the junction box. Thanks!



Edited by cbmotorsport on Wednesday 18th November 17:54

J6542

1,574 posts

43 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Tell BT that you were having work done and it’s been damaged. They will come out and run new cable and charge you about £180. Just cut it an hour before he comes.

netherfield

2,668 posts

183 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
DIY job
one of this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/External-Telephone-Juncti...

one of this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NTE5a-Master-Socket-compa...

or one of this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NTE5C-OpenReach-Telephone...

And a short piece of wire, here you could get ethernet patch cable and chop the plugs off, only need two of the wires connected to pins 2 and 5. or a length of Cat 5e cable if you need more length

Plenty of things on youtube if you get stuck.

If you were in Huddersfield there's an ex BT engineer do it for a lot less than BT



Edited by netherfield on Wednesday 18th November 18:16

dlks151

344 posts

47 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Very unusual indeed, even more unusual to see a copper conductor of that CSA being used and probably contributes towards you getting such a decent connection.

They used to use a self supporting cable (dropwire) off the pole that was a type of shotgun cable which had a straining wire in it but I've not seen anything like that in a very long time.

Your internal cable isn't a standard CW1308 cable either by the looks of it.

I wouldnt be asking BT to attend, keep that cable and deal with it yourself.

Mr Pointy

11,146 posts

158 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Is this the overhead cable that goes off to the pole, or is there a junction box joining this cable to the overhead cable?

If there's a junction box this is the sort of cable you need - there are lots of options on ebay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BT-Manufactured-Solid-C...

cbmotorsport

Original Poster:

3,065 posts

117 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Thanks so far!

That copper cable was buried in the render long ago so can't be reused. What external grade telephone cable shall i use to the new location?

Also, do I really need an external junction box, can it just be run into the house through a hole in the wall and terminated at a new master socket?

Thanks

CB

ETA: Mr Pointy - thanks for the cable recommendation.





Edited by cbmotorsport on Wednesday 18th November 18:09


Edited by cbmotorsport on Wednesday 18th November 18:13

dlks151

344 posts

47 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
CB

Where would you be intercepting the BT cable? (underground / pole )

cbmotorsport

Original Poster:

3,065 posts

117 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
A cable comes from the pole to my eaves, and then enters this cylindrical junction box. The copper cable above comes out of the junction box along the eaves, then down the wall under the render.


Mr Pointy

11,146 posts

158 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
cbmotorsport said:
A cable comes from the pole to my eaves, and then enters this cylindrical junction box. The copper cable above comes out of the junction box along the eaves, then down the wall under the render.

Right, that's where you join the overhead wire to your new wire I linked to. Use jelly crimps to make the join:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_t...

You can find new NTE Master boxes on ebay as well:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2020-BT-Openreach-Maste...


dlks151

344 posts

47 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
As Pointy said.

But if possible use the existing box on the soffit to transition onto a CW1308 cable and take it into your attic space, the box may be jelly filled but just dig that out and use the gel filled connectors Pointy mentioned. You can get 50m of 4core telephone cable for about £15 from B&Q.

cbmotorsport

Original Poster:

3,065 posts

117 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Thanks everyone. I have a plan now!

Much appreciated.

bimsb6

8,033 posts

220 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
cbmotorsport said:
Thanks everyone. I have a plan now!

Much appreciated.
Whereabouts are you ?

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Just don’t come back complaining when you get a shock from the phone line.

biggrin

bimsb6

8,033 posts

220 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
dlks151 said:
Very unusual indeed, even more unusual to see a copper conductor of that CSA being used and probably contributes towards you getting such a decent connection.

They used to use a self supporting cable (dropwire) off the pole that was a type of shotgun cable which had a straining wire in it but I've not seen anything like that in a very long time.

Your internal cable isn't a standard CW1308 cable either by the looks of it.

I wouldnt be asking BT to attend, keep that cable and deal with it yourself.
Its not unusual its just old , the block terminal is a diy one with non bt cabling .

Sheepshanks

32,524 posts

118 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
The connector box would likely have been like this before:



Do you have full fibre (FTTP) available? Just being offered in our area and it's the same price as FTTC and requires a completely new cabling from the pole so you'd get it changed free.

bristolracer

5,527 posts

148 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
Just don’t come back complaining when you get a shock from the phone line.

biggrin
Get away man. It's only 50 volts, only a tickle.
Try fault finding an ISDN line at 120 volts whilst hanging off a telegraph pole with wet fingers,that'll keep you frosty laugh

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Wednesday 18th November 2020
quotequote all
bristolracer said:
Alucidnation said:
Just don’t come back complaining when you get a shock from the phone line.

biggrin
Get away man. It's only 50 volts, only a tickle.
Try fault finding an ISDN line at 120 volts whilst hanging off a telegraph pole with wet fingers,that'll keep you frosty laugh
hehe

cbmotorsport

Original Poster:

3,065 posts

117 months

Thursday 19th November 2020
quotequote all
bimsb6 said:
cbmotorsport said:
Thanks everyone. I have a plan now!

Much appreciated.
Whereabouts are you ?
Hertfordshire

cbmotorsport

Original Poster:

3,065 posts

117 months

Thursday 19th November 2020
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
Just don’t come back complaining when you get a shock from the phone line.

biggrin
laughlaughlaugh

Dave_ST220

10,288 posts

204 months

Thursday 19th November 2020
quotequote all
That cable is ancient, it's not twisted pair so surprised your getting good speeds. The cross section of the copper has nothing to do with it! Oh, & beware of cheap cable, loads of stty CCA or CCS cable out there. I could sell you everything you need but I gave up posting on forums years ago, we aren't the cheapest & never will be. The line is 48v DC, if the phone rings 120v AC gets pumped over the pair wink