Basic Telephone Wiring Troubleshooting For Homeowners

It is so much easier to replace telephones today than it was 25 years ago. That many years ago we had phone 'jacks' that would only stick out of walls and have many holes wherein the telephone prongs would fit into Today, that would seem very out of place and very outdated. Today, our phones sit flush with our walls; can be mounted inside the wall; and/or the phone connection can be part of a bigger scheme. These can be inside a fax machine, computer, an answering machine, or just part of a wall. Even the wiring that we now use has become easier to work with.

Today's phones have, at the very least, an electrical beginning. All phones, whether through the computer, through an additional 'add on', or with a conventional telephone service, rely on electricity. So, whether you are replacing an old telephone or adding a new extension, you will find telephone wiring is easier now than it ever has been and this type of wiring is easier than most other types of electrical work.

One thing that is obvious to the user is that you will be working with low-voltage current; for another, modular connections make installation really quite simple. With this type of system, small plastic clips on the ends of wires that are used for telephone connection, plug into special jacks, (not the same type of jack that was used so many years ago) that have the receiving end for these types of clip. If your telephone wiring is pre-1974, you can convert it to modular ones, switch old telephones to fit modular jacks, turn one line into two lines and even into five lines. You can even extend the length of a line without having to splice it with another.

Each telephone system has a demarcation point where the telephone company's responsibility ends and yours begins. Be careful when you are doing telephone work that you do not work on the side that is owned by the telephone company. Work with the wires and anything electrical on your side only. The delineation point may be at a netwrk interface which is usually located where the wire enters the house. In an older system, it may start at a protector mounted near the main circuit breaker or fuse box panel. It is best if you call your telephone company to be sure where it is before you begin any work on your telephone system.

When you do decide to add an extension, determine the best route for your new phone, whether it be under the rug, around a groove or under the baseboard, or even over a door. Jacks can be flush mounted or surface mounted. A rule of thumb is to never install jacks in damp areas. Keep one phone off to avoid getting incoming phone calls while checking out the wiring so that you do not get a shock from an incoming call. If you wear a pacemaker do not work on telephone wiring.

An electrical fault might lie in the phone wiring, an accessory wiring or in the house wiring. Disconnect all accessories (speakers, answering machines, etc.). Then plug a phone directly into a jack If it works, the problem is one of the accessories. If not, use one of your neighbor's jacks and if it works, then the electrical problem is in the wiring of your house.
At this point, using a phone that is in working order, try placing calls from each extension or jack in your home. Disconnect all other extension phones. These extension lines can fault other phones. Doing this may enable you to isolate a faulty jack or line.

If you have to go further to find out what is wrong with your phone's electric, look to the body of the telephone, itself. Switch handset cords; try each cord in the other. Look to see if a cord is frayed. If so, replace it. Sometimes there are loose screws in the phone; tighten them. Also check wall connections for loose screws or unhinged wires. But remember to unplug all phones from any electrical source.