Static on telephone line after storm

[Senin]

I am getting major static on my telephone line. I noticed a pattern. It happens right after a rainstorm. Then in a few days it resumes normal functioning.

I called the telephone company and they informed me that if they find it is on their end they will fix it for free. But they also warned that if it is on my end, that they will charge outrageous rates.

I did the test of plugging a phone into the outside box. The static wasn't there. I plugged it inside my house and the static was there. That leads me to believe that the problem is with my lines.

So, before I spend the outrageous money to call the telephone compamy out, can anyone tell me if there is something else I can try. And, what will they do (besides charge a lot) once they come out to fix it? Replace all my internal wiring?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Chances are it is moisture getting into something, perhaps on of the connector boxes (jacks). No, they won't replace the wiring, but may replace one of the boxes.

Do you get the static on all the jacks/phones? After doing your test, did it improve after disconnecting and reconnecting the plug outside? Do you have multiple phones? If so, disconnect them one at a time and see if the problem goes away. It may be that phone or connection. Are there any wires that are spliced with tape? Any wires that were cut and just left hanging? Exposed jacks that are subject to moisture, especially in a basement area

[hallerb]

unplug all cordless phones, answering machines etc and try testing with a wired phone only

cordless phones are a major source of wierd line noise

beyond that look for any place rain might be getting to phone lines

[hallerb]

unplug all cordless phones, answering machines etc and try testing with a wired phone only

cordless phones are a major source of wierd line noise

beyond that look for any place rain might be getting to phone lines

[hallerb]

unplug all cordless phones, answering machines etc and try testing with a wired phone only

cordless phones are a major source of wierd line noise

beyond that look for any place rain might be getting to phone lines

[Sev]

I went through this a few weeks ago, did the same test, but luckily for me noise was still there; it was telco equipment and they took care of it. Moisture affecting incoming line near access point. You're going to have to do some detective work, as these guys suggest.

[buffalobill]

who: buffalo bill what: fixing your static in the interior house phone line. [maybe dampness in an outside wall and wire insulation failure causing a high resistance short?] where: buffalo ny when: now why: to save money and fix problem yourself how: bypass it: run a very long male by female modular extension line to your outdoor jack. test each device to this wire for static and remove from service any bad equipment or wire colors or shorted jacks you find. now fix it: only the center red and green are used for your first line. it only takes one problem to affect all your wiring. disconnected, the pair will show no resistance. if the pair shows any resistance test the other colors black and yellow for resistance. changing colors to an unshorted pair will be necessary. it is possible to have a high resistance short above the ohm limits of your inexpensive meter. a short will cause an incoming call it to ring busy, but resistance across the line or a poor connection will cause static. ten years ago, a repair by us was needed for dampness in an outside wall and wire insulation failure causing a high resistance short. most recently, somebody yanked on unstapled wire and caused the wires to short at the jack causing a busy. if it's a bad connection, eyeball all the jacks and connectors for debris or corrosion. then if your meter shows no resistance across all disconnected pairs and you don't have a 90 megohm meter for further testing, try replacing the red with yellow at both ends. replacing green with black at both ends. you only need any two wires for the phone to work. test the phone by connecting your system with extension male by female cords. if you have no digital multimeter it's time to buy that $25 meter to save an $82 telephone company visit. dial tone around 45vdc ring voltage superimposed 90vac

[Toller]

By all means, troubleshoot the system as people have described. I hooked up a second line and started getting static on my phone. I assumed I did something wrong, and spent hours and hours on it. Finally I gave up and called the phone company. It was pure coincidence; the problem was theirs. Another time I called them and it turned out it was my fault, but they didn't charge me. The moral is that I will call them much more quickly next time, after looking for something obvious.

[Bob]

In addition to what others said about disconnecting all phones except one, you may want to consider temporarily getting a maintenance plan (if available) that covers wiring inside the home. Verizon's 'Optional Wire Maintenance Plan' "provides diagnostic and repair service on standard telephone wiring and jacks on the customer side of the Network Interface". Note, it does not cover your telephones, so make sure the problem is NOT being caused by one of your phones (some electronic phones are very touchy). Verizon wants $3.45 per month, but I don't know if there's a signup fee and/or minimum amount of months. Telephone voltage is different, in that it's usually 48VDC, but (according to a Verizon tech I was talking to), switches to about 85VAC when a call is connected. Does the static happen when you just lift the receiver, or does it happen only after a call is connected?

[Kevin Ricks]

I once had a similar situation. Turned out to be bugs/spiders had made egg sacks between termininals inside the connection box. My box was cracked open so when it rained, water would seep in and get the bug stuff wet and cause static until things dried out. Open the door to the box on the customer side (behind the test plug) and make sure all the connections are tight and clean. Also check the ground wire from the box to wherever it goes. Kevin

[hallerb]

I had wierd troubles one time that verizon blamed on my interior wiring.

so I plugged everything into the box on side of house, disconnecting everything inside, ran extension cables thru window.

the problem was still there and I demoed it for the verizon tech.

the problem was at their end.

if in doubt run a temporary service

[NickySantoro]

BTDT with the exact same problem. They claimed to find nothing. I bitched until they replaced the line coming to the house from the pole. Problem solved. Repairman said the covering on the line was cracked and that the likely cause was water getting in. That was at least 10 years ago and it's still working fine.

[alb1753]

I had the same problem. Everytime it rained, my phone service went out. By the time the phone company came out to look, it stopped raining and my service came back. It took about 3-4 times of bothering the phone company before they found the problem. As it turned out, some wires in the line coming into the house were corroded and failed during rainstorms. They repaired it free of charge since it was outside the house.

[Senin]

Thanks guys. You have great suggestions. I am busy getting to work on them.

Like I said, I plugged a phone directly into the box outside and it was clean as a bell. I returned to the indoor jack and i had static again. But you are right, I need to check the other phones, etc.

I am thinking it has something to do with water getting into the box or the line. Perfect example, last nite it stopped raining and the phones became clear again. This morning we had a little bit of rain and I have a little bit of static again. There is definitely a correlation. I just have to find out where.

I appreciate all the suggestions.

[tbl]

If there is any wiring on *your side* of the box where the phone co's wire comes in, that is exposed on the outside of the house, check for cracked or "checked" insulation. If you see any cracking or "checking", replace it with good-quality *exterior* telephone wire.

[NickySantoro]

You might check all the jacks. I had to replace one in my basement because of corrosion inside. It affected all the phones in the house. Perhaps you have a similar situation exacerbated by high humidity.

[JOHN_B]

We had a "static" problem because a tree limb had scraped off the insulation from the top of the wire from the pole to the connection at the house. The phone company crew replaced the line.

Sen> I am getting major static on my telephone line. I noticed a pattern.

[Senin]

I have tried unplugging all the phones, then pluggin in one around the house. I have checked jacks, they are okay. I can't see visible damage to the wires. It has been dry a couple of days. This time the static is sticking around. But it is strange. I seems to come and go.

Buffalo, I think your tips are beyond my capabilities.

Oh well, thanks guys. I think it might just be phone company time.

[ameijers]

Don't pay phone company prices. Look in your local ad paper for a retired phone company guy or similar doing household phone wiring on his own. Around here there are 3 or 4 of them, all working for around half of what Ma Bell charges for the same work.

aem sends....

[=?MACINTOSH?Q?=D0_Colonel_=D0?]

I had the same problem, except it wasn't just static Ð the phones completely QUIT after a particularly rainy spell.

Turned out some of the phone wires were lying on the ground and shorting out on the wet ground after rainy spells (very high water table hereabouts, and rodents had chewed holes in the insulation I guess). I had to re-wire the house.

Good luck.