|
I guess when it rains, it pours. I hadn't yet addressed the issue
of drop wire, per se - that is, the wire the local phone company installs to your premises. This can be either
aerial or underground; i.e., buried.
I've addressed a certain kind of aerial wire problem on another page
of this site and I won't go into that. The reason why I decided to create this page on buried drop wire is because
in the past week I've had two inquiries regarding damage to this kind of drop wire.
Like an aerial drop, a buried drop also terminates at your premises on
either a lightning protector, or, as it is more commonly found today, a Network Interface (NI).
First things first. Before you dig, here in Illinois you should
call JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators - http://www.illinois1call.com/). It's a free service and it can save you money. To reach JULIE
by phone, call 1-800-892-0126.
In case you're wondering, the people at JULIE don't do the actual locating of underground
utilities. Once they get your call for a locate, they notify the utility companies in your area that you need a locate.
It usually takes about a day for this to be done.
If you didn't notify a Utility Locator and you damage buried utilities you will probably
be billed for the costs of repairs by the utility company. So call before you dig.
Secondly, if you do hit a buried drop, your first option is probably going to be
to call the phone company to have it repaired. Afterall, they've got the equipment to make the fix.
If the drop you break is yours and you'd like to fix it yourself, you can do it if
you get the right material. Below is a page from a website of a company that makes the repair kits the phone company
uses in my area and probably yours too.
If you decide to try to repair it yourself, you can order a couple of
these kits online at this website. I say a couple because when drop wire is severed, you normally don't have enough
slack to be able to splice and you have to acquire a few feet of the wire to make a proper splice. You can temporarily
splice the wire in any manner until you get the splice kits and the wire.
One source for the wire is Graybar Electric (http://www.graybar.com/). On their homepage do a search for "buried drop wire" and you'll probably have two pages displayed of various
types of wire. The one you're interested in is
Buried drop filled, single jacket 5 ml CC SS shield PE86,
5 Pair, 22 Gauge, 925 ft Reel, Superior Essex Part No: 25-525-80
This is the last item on the last page. The only problem, as you'll see, is that you can only buy it in a 925 foot reel.
You can always ask them if they've got a few feet laying around they
don't need, or, you can stop a telephone man and ask him if he's got a few spare feet of wire, or, you can visit a construction
site for new homes and see if you can find a few feet laying around on the ground. Otherwise you'll have to buy a box
of the wire.
Once you've gotten this far, the next thing you need is wire connectors. In
my area, the phone company has been using 3M brand connectors for years. There are a number of different types of connectors
available, but, for this job the ones you want to ask for at Graybar are the UY2, gel-filled connector. Here are the
specifications on this item in case you need it.
| Category |
Connectors, Insulation Displacement |
|
| Mfg Name |
3M |
|
| Mfg Part Num |
UY2-BOXED |
|
| Graybar ID |
92130518 |
|
| Description |
Electrical Connectors, Maximum Wire Size 19 AWG, Minimum Wire Size 26 AWG, Type Butt |
|
| Long Description |
19-26 AWG Range, 100 per box, YellowThe size of the UY2 connector reduces the splicing bundle
O.D. to a minimum. The wires joined can be of different wire gauges |
|
| Saleable Quantity |
Each |
|
| Brand or Series |
Scotchlok, UY2 |
|
| Wire Range |
19-26 AWG |
|
| Type |
Butt Splicing IDC, RUS Listed |
Here's what they look like.
Once you get the wire, the wire connectors and the Klick-Its, just follow the
instructions in the Klick-It package to effect repairs.
If this seems like a lot of effort, it is. Which is why it's easier in the
first place to call for a Locate before you dig.
Hope this helps somewhat.
|
