Want to remove unnecessary phone wiring

pidleynet

Hi. Would anyone be able to help with this. I have a phone cable coming from the telegraph pole that comes though my existing front door to an unused phone extension socket, then routes back out of the house to the main BT socket in study (OpenReach socket).

I'm having my front door replaced Monday and wanted to remove the loop into the house i.e. just join the 2 pieces of cable outside using gel connectors.

It seems, however, there are 2 different wiring conventions in use here, and even a different number of wires.

What I have is the wire from the pole has these colours:

Red
Blue
Brown
Grey/silver
White
Orange
Black
Green

This cable is then joined via another short piece of cable with the following wires joined:

Red - White/orange
Blue - White/brown
Brown - Brown/white
Grey/silver - orange/white
White - white/blue
Orange - blue/white
Black - not connected
Green - not connected

This piece of cable then goes to a BT double extension socket.

White/orange - terminal 5
Orange/white - terminal 2

The remaining wires of this short piece of cable are connected to the cable that goes to the OpenReach box as follows:

White/green - not connected
Green/white - not connected
White/brown - white/green
White/blue - white/blue
Blue/white - blue/white
Brown/white - green/white

2 wires on the cable to the OpenReach socket are not connected:

Orange/white
White/orange

How can I connect the cable from the telegraph pole direct to the OpenReach socket?

Thanks for any help!

Ian011

Anything on the pole side of the BT Master Socket shouldn't be touched by anyone other than OpenReach.

I originally thought that the socket you identify as an 'unused extension' is actually the Master Socket. These have some extra components inside. I assumed that it would need to be moved rather than bypassed. However, looking again, it appears that it may be the Master Socket for a different, presumably now defunct, telephone number. If that is the case, it can probably be disconnected and discarded, but again, legally, this is a job for OpenReach.

mwarby

The white and other colour wires should be loose twisted to firm a pair eg white with blue and blue with white, your line will be on one pair, from master socket to pole. If measured on a meter you'd see ~50v DC across pair

At the sockets only 2+5 are important

I'd guess from what your saying White/orange from pole is incoming

The convention I've seen is blue/white go to 2+5 and orange white on extensions is 3+4 (3 is ringer wire, not really used now ESP with micro filters)

I'd be tempted to look in local papers for phone engineer, these are often bt or ex bt doing private work. They will be able to follow existing arrangement better and make any changes to required standard

In theory you shouldn't touch bit between pole and master socket, but if you don't cause a fault for self or others, and work is done to bt standards nobody cares much (makes a pigs breakfast and cause a fault now or later, you'll pay for fix)

AndyPK

open up the socket you wish to keep and see what colours are connected to 2 & 5

then need connecting to orange & white from the pole

pidleynet

Thanks for the replies. I think getting a proper engineer is the way to go as I don't want to cause a fault.

mwarby

Good plan. I'd get a master socket with split faceplate (NTE5) as close as possible to cable from pole, then an extension to where you want it.

Having the NTE5 in that location will be helpfull should you ever get a line fault, as its a clear demarcation point, it being at end of internal cabling subject to domestic wear and tear is less clear cut.

gwapenut

AndyPK wrote: »

open up the socket you wish to keep and see what colours are connected to 2 & 5

then need connecting to orange & white from the pole

Orange & white, or blue & white? This contradicts mwarby ..

Anthorn

Ian011 wrote: »

Anything on the pole side of the BT Master Socket shouldn't be touched by anyone other than OpenReach.

I originally thought that the socket you identify as an 'unused extension' is actually the Master Socket. These have some extra components inside. I assumed that it would need to be moved rather than bypassed. However, looking again, it appears that it may be the Master Socket for a different, presumably now defunct, telephone number. If that is the case, it can probably be disconnected and discarded, but again, legally, this is a job for OpenReach.

Could be stranger than that: In my purpose-built flat I have the telephone line coming from outside into of all places a small storage room which has what looks like an extension socket which is in fact cracked. From that a line is run to the Openreach dual broadband and telephone Master socket in the living room. I just leave it because it's all working.