Telephone Connectors

[mnorman007]

Whilst gardening I accidentally broke through my telephone cable. Ive read up on it on this forum and the advice is to join it yourself using some special connectors.
Unfortunately, I cant find the connectors that people are referring too. I'd love a website that I can purchase them off if someone can direct me too one.

Cheers,
M.

[woodbe]

Try MM Electrical. Are you sure it's just your line you broke? I guess if you dug up the phone line for the whole street, you'll hear about it soon enough...

The connectors you're probably talking about are crimp connectors with a gel inside the connection to keep moisture and corrosion out. No idea what they're called, but if you ask, the people at MM will know what you are after.

woodbe

[abitfishy]

Mate, I think these might be the way to go: (hope the link works)
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/45bf46b309e9f0cc273fc0a87f9c0755/Product/View/H5658

Good luck. Although they don't contain gel for water proofing. Probably the same thing available at electrical wholesalers with the gel.

[mnorman007]

It was definately only my house, thank goodness!

The DSE link doesnt work, what product were u referring too?

Thanks for the replys.

m.

[SilentButDeadly]

Standard crimp connectors available from any auto electrician, auto parts store, Dick Smith or Jaycar store will be fine. However, you'll need some self amalgamating tape http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NM2826&CATID=&keywords=amalgamating+tape&SPECIAL=&form=KEYWORD&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID= to ensure that the connections are sealed from the environment

[abitfishy]

Oops, sorry mate, search the dse site for: H5658

[null & void]

Standard crimp connectors available from any auto electrician, auto parts store, Dick Smith or Jaycar store will be fine. for a year until they corrode even with tape.

Underground joins even in conduit even with tape aren't recommended.

There are proper cable joining epoxy boxes (made by 3m) but the ones I've seen are too big for inside a conduit.

[SilentButDeadly]

for a year until they corrode even with tape.

Very true......

[Wood Borer]

What you are after are Scotchlocks made by 3M.

Although these have silicon in them to proved an airtight barrier with the conductors, it is moisture within the sheath that will cause you long term problems.

As already mentioned, an openable joint (OJ) is a plastic enclosure where the cables enter from below and are set in epoxy to protect the cables from moisture getting into the sheath. The conductors are joined using Scotchlocks inside he OJ and then the lid of the OJ is sealed using butyl rubber and tape. Well that's how it was done in the 1970's.

Since then jelly filled cable has been used. There is this moisture resistant "muck" between the conductors and the sheath to act as a moisture barrier. It is a bit like a combination of wax and axle grease and it is difficult to get off your hands. If this is the type of cable in your garden then problems of moisture entering the sheath are greatly reduced.

You can buy boxes of Scotchlocks from any electrical store such as Middy's or ask for some from a friendly tech or liney in the industry. The conductor diameter is most likely 0.4 mm. Get the yellow ones and join them colour for colour.

Of course you need an ACA licence to perform this work legally and because you are most likely on the Network side of the Customer boundary, you will either need to work for or be a contracter for the carrier (Telstra?).

It is not difficult.

[Barry_White]

I have actually sent him some of the telstra connectors for the repair. But to stop the ingress of moisture this is my way of fixing it

My advise would be to purchase an electrical conduit Junction box either a single entry or a double entry one and remove the cap and push the wires in the conduit holes and join up the wires with the connectors and make sure the phone works. After you have done this put some silcone into the bottom of the junction box and then imbed the wires and the connectors into the silicone and then fill the junction box up with silicone and make sure it fills the conduit holes up as well and then screw the cap back on and bury the junction box/.

This will help to waterproof the joint.

Make sure you use neutral cure silicone.

[watson]

This is all a bit like sodomising flies.....sometimes it works....never satisfying......and there are too many rules about it!

Was the cable you cut in conduit?
Was there any protection over the cable?
Was it buried to the regulation depth???? if so you're a serious gardener.

My wire was cut with a ripper on the back of a tractor ten years ago...repair was accomplished with a very hot soldering iron/ resin core solder/ repaired connection was then covered in motorspares bog sat in a match box...when the bog set I removed what was left of the matchbox, and reburied the cable and repaired joint.
10 years ain't bad.
Still things are always a bit rustic here, but my phone still works.

Regards,
Noel

[Wood Borer]

Sometimes previous owners repair cables and they neglect to inform you :o

[null & void]

After you have done this put some silcone into the bottom of the junction box and then imbed the wires and the connectors into the silicone and then fill the junction box up with silicone

If you are going to go this way, make sure the silicon is neutral cure otherwise any exposed metal will corrode.

[Barry_White]

Make sure you use neutral cure silicone.

Null & Void

Pity you didn't read to the end of my post.

[watson]

G'day Wood Borer,
Yep previous owners sometimes do things with wiring that they would NEVER tell anyone else.
Still, out here it beats waiting for Telstra to get a roundtuit.
Regards,
Noel