Kitchen phone jack bad?

[Higgs Boson]

My kitchen phone was crackling horribly, so I bought a replacement at Radio Shack. It worked fine for a month or so, then IT started crackling just a week ago!

The phone AND the personal alarm system (in case of accident press pendant around neck and summon help) both plug into the wall jack. I unplugged the alarm and plugged in only the phone. Still crackled.

I plugged the phone into a jack in another room, where it worked fine. So is the problem in the jack? Or where? All other phones in house work OK.

If only I had inside wiring coverage, I'd be home free, but I cancelled it a while back because it had become so expensive.

After looking in vain on-line for a diagram or something to help me decide whether I can fix this, I appeal to Your Greater Minds.

Is this something an amateur should be able to do?

Can someone offer succinct directions, or...

...refer me to a Web site for directions?

TIA

Hypatia

[Roger Shoaf]

This is an easy fix. First unscrew the jack you now have and check the connections. You should have two wires, a green one and a red one that are screw connected to the back if the jack. If snugging these down does not help, then take the old jack to the hardware store and purchase a replacement. Connect the replacement the same way the original was and that should fix the problem.

If it does not fix the problem then you probably have a loose connection at the other end of the wire.

[Higgs Boson]

Thanks, Roger. Since posting, I found some info on-line. All said that I should disconnect the test gizmo in the box outside the house to avoid elec.shock. But one said that the amount of electricity at the jack is so small that not much risk.

I don't want to get fried even a little bit. . What do people think?

ALSO: Strange why the new phone worked fine for a while, then started crackling. If it IS the jack, then it should have crackled from Day One.

Possible explanation?

TIA

Hypatia

[stan]

Those miniature wall jacks can be quite problem. Especially in damp or cool location where moisture can deposit on them.

The miniature wire contacts are also very close together with the telephone line usually on the two 'middle ones' (In North American practice) often the Red and green wires and it's virtually impossible to clean off some sort of metal migration that forms across the plastic. There is 48 volts standing across those two contacts all the time.

Suggestion would be to self-replace the wall jack with a cheap one from a dollar store. Should be straightforward. Wire coliurs should be marked on attachment screws. But regardless re-attach the wires exactly as they are now. Wires go under and around screws clockwise.

Only other thing might be to make sure wiring to back of the wall jack not loose or corroded by kitchen moisture.

Have also seen corrosion problems on surface mounted (not the in the wall type) miniature contact jacks mounted low down in a cool location. Also can depend on damp climate and sometimes when house air is more damp during non-heating season etc.

In wall jacks mounted in a cool/cold 'outside' wall may get warm house air condensing on them during winter.

[Han]

Higgs Boson wrote in news:487430d8-6f82-4749-a20c- [e-mail]:

In addition to the above important suggestions, check the remainder of the "faulty" jacks wires back towards the house entry box (nowadays called the ONT). I had a problem where an extra pair was hanging loose in the basement and was shortcircuiting occasionally. Making sure the wires wouldn't have a chance was a 2 sec job. Tracing the wires was only a few minutes.

[HeyBub]

We think you can find information about anything on the Web. Voltages found on a telephone line are about as hazardous as a flashlight battery, unless, as some Web sites suggest, you have angered the god Zeus who will fling down a lightning bolt to spoil your purity of essence.

The contacts in the wall jack are corroded. When you plugged in the new phone, it scraped a bare spot on the contact yielding a temporarily good connection. In the fullness of time, the corrosion grew back.

Here's an experiment: Dampen a Q-tip with vinegar and "polish" the contact wires in the wall jack. Betcha the 'phone now works swell!

This is only temporary, however. Best to follow the advice of replacing the wall jack.

[JIMMIE]

It may not be the jack, It could be the cable on your phone or it could be another phone jack in your house or other connection, or anything connected to it. I would start by didconnecting everything except one phone then try another phone if need be. The ncheck all the connections on all your jacks.

BTW you phone jack can have 90 volts ring voltage on it whenever someone calls you. I have a neon indicator on one of my phones out in the shop so I can tell which one is ringing. Those take at least 60 volts to light.

Jimmie

[Bob F]

Actually, a flashlight battery is 1.5 volts DC. Phone wiring is 48 volts DC, or

90 volts AC when ringing, which is certainly enough to cause problems in worst case conditions.

Neither is a problem if you use common sense.

[Bob F]

You could sign up for the inside coverage for a month, then cancel.