# Crackling on phone line



## HARRY304E

subelect said:


> By no means am I a phone genius, but I have to try to track down why a phone line keeps crackling.
> There are 4 hand sets in this office. I isolated the problem yesterday to a single phone line; the problem disappeared from the other phones when I disconnected that line. Disconnecting that handset did not change the noise.
> This morning I replaced that phone line from the 66 Block to the handset and had no problems until about 3 hours later, they called and said the noise was back.
> Can a bad handset cause intermittent crackling on the other phones on the same line? There might have been two problems; a bad line and phoneset.
> Thanks,
> Rick





> By no means am I a phone genius


:laughing::laughing:

Me niether:laughing:

But there must be somthing there that is making Electrical noise .

Maybe there is a phone line raped around somthing Electrical or a bad cord

But yes a bad hand sey can be the cause as well..

Take a AM radio with you if there is somthing making Electrical noise that will help find the general area that this source of noise is it could be a bad ballst on a flouresent desk lamp or somthing..:thumbup:


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## cdnelectrician

subelect said:


> By no means am I a phone genius, but I have to try to track down why a phone line keeps crackling.
> There are 4 hand sets in this office. I isolated the problem yesterday to a single phone line; the problem disappeared from the other phones when I disconnected that line. Disconnecting that handset did not change the noise.
> This morning I replaced that phone line from the 66 Block to the handset and had no problems until about 3 hours later, they called and said the noise was back.
> Can a bad handset cause intermittent crackling on the other phones on the same line? There might have been two problems; a bad line and phoneset.
> Thanks,
> Rick


Yes, a bad set could cause crackling on other sets connected to the same line. Is the sound actually crackling or humming or both? If you have noise being induced onto the lines from AC power it will sound like a hum on the line not usually a crackling noise. Try switching out sets from a known working jack to the one location where you think the problem is. Did you check and replace the jack that the wire is connected to? The 66 block could have a bad connection where it was punched down, check to make sure it is tight. Also, the set cord could be bad at the actual telephone. And lastly, this very well could be an outside problem with the phone companies lines, a wet cable or a bad protecting fuse or carbon arrestor.


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## sarness

Water in manhole.


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## Fate

Harmonics/inductive interference?


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## Shockdoc

The Amityville House ? Does it happen when she tries to call the priest ?


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## BWilson

yes a handset can cause that, when you replaced the wire from 66 block to phone did you change the jack also, sometimes dirt and trash gets in the jack and causes it, also sometimes the pins in the jack gets bent and causes it, you can also have a bad cord going from the jack to the handset or it could just be a bad handset, if you have an analog volt meter you can get an adapter called a "bandjo" that will help you test the cord and handset for a short, the noise is coming from a high resistance short, hope this helps if you need clarification on any anything just hollar and i will help.

bart


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## subelect

First thing this morning, I checked the phones; all good. I disconnected the suspect phone-set and left.
2 hours later, the manager called; crackling came back. He believed that it was only on Line 1.
Talking to the guy, he wants the main line coming in replaced. He had the phone company come out and they tested their side, no problems. They recommended to him to replace the incoming line. 
Line 1 was working fine when I got there (pouring rain and wind, so probably not a bad outdoor connection). 
It took about 20 minutes to replace the incoming line. I could not feel/see any problems with the old line once it was removed from the raceway.
If the 66 block and rest of the rat's nest wind up being the problem, this job is going to turn very ugly. 
Rick


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## sarness

The problem with static is that its either there, or its intermittent.

If you think the extension is the problem, take the extension and connect it the 66 block with a mod tap (leave the extension wire in place)

Have your butt set on line 1 ahead of the demark disconnect and wait for static, nothing? Make a call out on the extension to your mom or someone you can talk to a while on line 1. Did the static show up?

Yes? Switch to your butt set, still hear static? Disconnect internal wiring, still static? It's outside then. If you have ATT out there, good luck in getting them to fix it as most of the time they could care less.

If it appears inside then start closest to furthest in replacing wires (its easier)

You didn't say what kind of phone system it is, theres one out there that I can't think of the name (intertel?), but the hook switch relay always goes bad and causes static, would be on all lines though.

Still have static no matter what? Move line 1 to another port, does it still appear? Then its somewhere ahead of the system. If its gone then you have a bad port, reprogram the new port to appear as line 1 on the sets.


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## subelect

I stopped by the office right before lunch; all lines were working just fine. Everything was good.
Then I got the phone call after 2; the crackling came back. 
I just spent some time on Phonegeeks.com and tried to get smart on phone stuff. 
Right now, I do not have any tone generators or butt sets. I have a punch-down tool and a crimper.
If you were me, what product would you purchase to track down this static? What brand would be best for a clueless electrician just trying to keep a customer happy?
Thanks,
Rick


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## mikeh32

sounds like there is moisture some where in the lines.... 

Or could be a short, and water. 

I had this happen and it would only happen in the morning, and night due to it got colder in the basement, and the moisture then snuck in. 

as far as a tone and probe. progressive and tempo are the best

is this a pots line?


also, do they have dsl on this line?


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## sarness

Yep, static is almost always caused by water and is almost always outside on the pole or in the ground.

If none of the connections inside are green, then I say its outside somewhere.


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## gizmo21187

Your main problem here is you need some telco/lv tools. Buttset more important and a banjo. For now you can make one out of a old pots phone to get this done now, and aligator clips.

Now with that, when you hear static open line and leav open. Go to 66 find the line with no dial tone and unbrige it fron custome side. Now u know what pair you need to deal with.

Test line with out customer side briged, if u still have static go to the demark and do the same. If you still hear static go to the post if its padlock call telco if its not test the cable going to customer, and check telco with out customer side. If u hear static then call telco, if not ur run to customer is bad.

Now if at the 66 when u un briged the static stops then the customer side is bad.

You need to follow that cable.

That's some thing to check but still more, all so get a butt set seams like a wast of money but when you need it, you will use the heck out of it.

When you head out there make the home but set when you go out there, won't look cool but it will get the job done.

we


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## johnsmithabe

opt licensed veteran electrician.
they only can fulfill your needs.


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