Telephone Wiring Question...

Tesla · 25 Mar 2006 at 09:40

Here is a diagram of the telephone wiring layout of the house.

EXTERNAL LINE

V

1st Phone Socket (Hallway)

V

2nd Phone Socket Under my Bedroom Floor

V

3rd Phone Socket in Front Room

So the telephone cabling comes from the first socket (hallway), along the picture rail and up to underneath my floor. It then goes from there down into the front room which is the third and final socket.

The main socket in the hall way is not used at all and at the moment it's around 1/2 way up the wall so looks a mess cabling wise as the external line come's in high up.

Now, the socket in my room is only used for my Sky box, hence why it's under the floor and I just have the Sky phone cable poking up from under the carpet.

The third socket is the one that is used and it has the DECT phones plugged into.

What I am trying to find out is if there is some sort of small, discrete box that can replace the first socket? I can then move it up ouut of the way so it is much less noticable and obtrusive.

I am aware that the first socket differs from the others in the house.

Cheers,

Chris

Matteh · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:15

I was under the impression that you werent allowed to do anything with the master socket and you had to get BT to do anything with it?

wozzizname · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:17

I'm afraid that you're not supposed to change the master socket (NTE5 in BT speak) as it contains a capacitor that makes your phones ring on incoming calls, and is also designed so that you can isolate the incoming line from your extensions - you can get a flush fit version if you don't mind cutting into your wall to fit it.

Adam_151 · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:03

As has been said if you do anything, make sure you use a master as opposed to a slave socket (the master has a few discrete components to derive the ring signal and do basic surge protection)

You are not supposed to touch the master socket, if you do and you have problems with your phones (reagrdless of whether or not they were caused by your alterations) and you call BT out, then if you get a jobsworth tech, then he might well charge you for putting it back how it was.

If if was me, I'd leave the socket in place, but I wouldn't be adverse to removing the screws that hold it to the wall and re-mounting it inside a cupboard or something (providing the cable is long enough... even if its not, if you get hold of some BT spec cable (not just cheapo phone cable from a shed) and some 'jellies' and do a good enough job of replaceing the cable so no one knows that you have touched it...)

Tesla · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:14

I am aware of how phone wiring works and I am not worried about having to call out BT etc... as the system isn't that complex (once inside a house).

What I was asking was where can I get some sort of blanking plate or a small box. I do not need a phone socket in the hall way so wondered if a small box which incorporates the master socket circuitry minus the actual socket exists?

wozzizname · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:29

Unofficially you could remove the NTE5, connect the pair of wires coming into the house with the blue pair on your internal wiring using a couple of crimps or something, then replace the first socket that you are using (in your bedroom) with the NTE5 - as long as the first socket is an NTE5, and all the others come off of that you'll be fine.

Freefaller · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:46

I moved my master socket

Then again I don't really care about that sort of thing since I do a lot of telecomms works professionally

Why don't you just get a fiberglass box to cover it, or put a painting over it?

Tesla · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:49

Freefaller said:
I moved my master socket Then again I don't really care about that sort of thing since I do a lot of telecomms works professionally

Why don't you just get a fiberglass box to cover it, or put a painting over it?

I think I may just move the master box up out of the way, seems easiest.

Apparently blanking plates do exist but I can't find anywhere selling them.

Matteh · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:50

well, why dont you just get a blank face place, unscrew the existing one and then hide the socket etc behind the new blank plate? Assuming there is enough space of course. Or as someone else said, recess it into the wall.

Freefaller · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:56

Tesla said:
I think I may just move the master box up out of the way, seems easiest.

Apparently blanking plates do exist but I can't find anywhere selling them.

I know of some but unfortunately they would be classed as competitors...

Adam_151 · 25 Mar 2006 at 12:02

Standard blanking plates can be obtained from any DIY store or electrical wholesalers