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Author Topic: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?  (Read 9734 times)

CurlyWhirly

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Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« on: April 29, 2011, 03:39:36 PM »

I've just had my guttering replaced and new fascia boards fitted (as the old wooden ones were beginning to rot and needed replacing)

This was done today when I was at work (I had to work today as it wasn't in my contract to have the day off but I was paid double time so it's not that bad) and the job was finished by the time I finished work at 2pm.

Last week I paid a deposit for the work done and have to pay the balance on monday, he is coming to the house to collect the money.

I am concerned as the telephone line may get blown about in windy weather:




From my street it doesn't seem too bad (above) but when viewed from my upstairs window it does seem bad  :o (below)




Am I worrying over nothing ?

I rang him around half an hour ago and he said it would be fine but I am not sure if he's just fobbing me off ?

I don't want to pay him in full if the line does need seeing to as I would probably stand little chance of him coming out to correct it once he has my money  :-\

Thanks.
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Mike

CurlyWhirly

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2011, 03:43:01 PM »

By the way, I suppose I could correct it myself but I'm not that keen on going up ladders on a steep hill besides I don't have a ladder long enough.

Anyway he should leave the telephone line as it was before he worked on the job !
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Mike

burakkucat

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2011, 06:52:35 PM »

Any possibility that you can take a few more pictures, Mike? Would you be able to get the camera out of the window and show us the view up the side of the house to where the drop wire is attached? Do you have arms long enough?  ::)

From your second picture, there does not seem to be anything wrong -- but it does not show the full view required. If time travel was possible, I would ask for a pair of "before" and "after" photographs.
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razpag

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2011, 07:05:16 PM »

Concur with Mr Cat, those photo's don't show anything for us to get our teeth into.
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CurlyWhirly

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2011, 07:34:57 PM »

I've decided to leave it as it is as according to a google search, there is supposed to be a sag to allow for expansion of the cable and the wind.

Having said this, I can't remember there being a sag of aprox 3 ft before I had the guttering/fascia board work carried out  :-\


The picture isn't very clear but the telephone line is taped to the hook 'thingy' (below):




The black tape is in the area highlighted in red

Is this likely to work loose with the weather ?

I did what I was advised to do over on thinkbroadband.com and that was to pretend that I was a passer by and report the allegedly dangerous line (in order to avoid BT Openreach's extortionate £130 charge for such a small job) but it looks like this work wasn't carried out after all as it's still the same.

I have therefore come to the conclusion that it must be safe after all !?

Any comments anyone  :)
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Mike

razpag

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2011, 07:57:48 PM »

From the photo's you've shown, and the limited vision on those photo's, all is well with the fixing Curly.

The 'Hook' is a 'Bracket 22' (more commonly known as a bungalow bracket), which are more likely to be found on Bungalow dwellings in order to gain more height clearance from the road/driveway to the dropwire. Again, the black PVC tape is supposed to be there, and is the reccomended quality method of routing the dropwire from where it is clamped, to where it will first be fixed to mortar, ie- along the 90 degree arc of the bracket 22.

The only thing I cant see is the 'fixings' used to attach the bracket to the fascia, also, as to whether it is actually fixed to the noggins (think thats the word) that connects the fascia to the house. In other words, every so often there should be a piece of wood (noggin ??) behind the fascia board, and it's this that the bracket should be screwed to as it forms part of the fabric of the house.

Tricky ground regarding calling an engineer out, safety or not, as it will be abundantly clear that you've had new fascias and the correct process would be for the engineer to TRC (Time related charges) yourself, and you to then pass the charges onto your builder.
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CurlyWhirly

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2011, 08:24:09 PM »

Again, the black PVC tape is supposed to be there, and is the reccomended quality method of routing the dropwire from where it is clamped, to where it will first be fixed to mortar, ie- along the 90 degree arc of the bracket 22.
I'm sure that there were cable ties before the work was carried out ?

Surely PVC tape would work loose with the weather elements of frost, snow, ice, wind, rain, etc ?
Having said this it could well be duck tape or power tape which is supposed to be weatherproof ?



The only thing I cant see is the 'fixings' used to attach the bracket to the fascia, also, as to whether it is actually fixed to the noggins (think thats the word) that connects the fascia to the house. In other words, every so often there should be a piece of wood (noggin ??) behind the fascia board, and it's this that the bracket should be screwed to as it forms part of the fabric of the house.
I can see 2 screws (I'm not sure of there are any more as I can't see from my upstairs bedroom window) but I will take another photo with zoom on a sunny day.

The above photo was taken when it was cloudy hence the poor contrast on the photo.

I am also able to reach the bracket 22 if I stand on the window sill of my upstairs bedroom window and it feels solid to me but obviously I don't want to use excessive force in case I loosen it  :o



Tricky ground regarding calling an engineer out, safety or not, as it will be abundantly clear that you've had new fascias and the correct process would be for the engineer to TRC (Time related charges) yourself, and you to then pass the charges onto your builder.
Yeah I was lucky to get away with it - I don't think I'll be charged as no actual work was done !

From what you are saying it appears that the builder did carry out the work satisfactory although in my opinion a 3ft sag was overkill.

Fortunately a double decker bus is the tallest vehicle that goes past my house and just as well as there is only clearance of aprox 2 ft at the lowest point i.e. where the telephone line sags the most.

Thanks for the feedback  :)
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Mike

CurlyWhirly

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2011, 08:31:16 PM »

p.s. perhaps there is a bonus with the extra sagging of the phone line, namely that the telephone line is a bit further away from the mains cables which may help as mains cables are supposed to add to the interference or 'cross talk' on ADSL enabled lines !




In the above photo, the telephone line used to take the path highlighted in red


Pity I can't do anything about the street light though  :(
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Mike

razpag

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2011, 08:42:50 PM »

Hi

Nope, it will deffo be black PVC tape (1"). Yeah, it does sometimes work itself loose , but usually after decades of being in the elements.

The correct fixing method is to use four 2"x 10's wood screws if going into a fascia 'noggin'. If it's to be fitted to a wall, then the same 2 wood screws are to be used in opposite corners, and 2 'eyebolts expanding' in the other 2 corners of the bracket.

The 'sag' will not affect your line in any way,shape or form Curly. Quite rightly, the further away from 'Mains' voltage the better. Plus, it appears to be running somewhere near to 90 degrees to the power cables, which is ideal for limited induction.
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burakkucat

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2011, 08:48:03 PM »

Quote
I can see 2 screws (I'm not sure of there are any more as I can't see from my upstairs bedroom window) but I will take another photo with zoom on a sunny day.

The above photo was taken when it was cloudy hence the poor contrast on the photo.

I am also able to reach the bracket 22 if I stand on the window sill of my upstairs bedroom window and it feels solid to me but obviously I don't want to use excessive force in case I loosen it  :o

Unless you have the climbing agility of felis domesticus, please take care when standing on the sill to take another arm-out-of-the-window picture for us. :(

Quote
a 3ft sag

I'm not sure how you have determined that -- unless you are a surveyor and used a theodolite, before and after the building work. I do know that the "proper people", OR engineering staff, use a height measuring rod and hold it vertically beneath the wire to check for out-of-spec situations.
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CurlyWhirly

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2011, 08:57:41 PM »

Nope, it will deffo be black PVC tape (1"). Yeah, it does sometimes work itself loose , but usually after decades of being in the elements.
That's not too bad then !


The correct fixing method is to use four 2"x 10's wood screws if going into a fascia 'noggin'. If it's to be fitted to a wall, then the same 2 wood screws are to be used in opposite corners, and 2 'eyebolts expanding' in the other 2 corners of the bracket.
I'll check with a pair of binoculars to see if I can see the other 2 screws which is probably safer than balancing on a windows sill like burakkucat mentions above  :D


The 'sag' will not affect your line in any way,shape or form Curly. Quite rightly, the further away from 'Mains' voltage the better.
My hunch was right then !


Plus, it appears to be running somewhere near to 90 degrees to the power cables, which is ideal for limited induction.
It's not easy to make out from the photo but you are right, it is at almost a right angle to the 2 mains cables.
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Mike

CurlyWhirly

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2011, 09:02:22 PM »

Quote
a 3ft sag

I'm not sure how you have determined that -- unless you are a surveyor and used a theodolite, before and after the building work. I do know that the "proper people", OR engineering staff, use a height measuring rod and hold it vertically beneath the wire to check for out-of-spec situations.
It's a guess using the houses over the road as a guide as I know the aprox size of the windows as they are all roughly the same size in my street.

In any case, if it's a 2ft or 3ft drop, apparently it isn't going to affect my line in any way and so I'm not concerned anymore and I've also saved £130 in Openreach charges ;D
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Mike

AdrianH

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Re: Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2011, 06:40:02 PM »

If you have broadband on the line, and the noise you are experiencing is a hiss, check that every piece of equipment connected to your line has a micro-filter connected. This includes all phones, satellite television digi-boxes, faxes, etc. Without micro-filters you may experience interference on your voice calls and/or problems with your broadband, including low speeds and disconnections.


For advice on setting up your micro-filters, refer to your broadband suppliers guide.



Copied from BT   >> http://www2.bt.com/static/i/microsite/help_and_tips/faults/troubleshooting/noisy.html
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