Tracing a phone pair

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Electron_Sam78

Electron_Sam78

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Palm Bay, FL
I'm tasked with locating a specific phone line to remove it from a panel. It's a 12 pair line and I don't know anything about locating/tracing telecommunications circuits - and we have no equipment for that task. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have the basic electricians tools - multi-meter, circuit tracer
 
I don't know about your area, but as long as it's not VOIP, dialing 957 will tell you the phone number you are working on. Only tool required is a $5 phone from the drug store. Maybe some alligator clips.
 
Are all pair's in use for other phones? Easiest way is to buy a tracer kit for phone lines. They can be had for around $30.00. If the other lines are in use just go to the jack where the phone is to be removed. Plug the transmitter in the jack and go to the demarc block with the receiver to find the pair.
 
defears said:
I don't know about your area, but as long as it's not VOIP, dialing 957 will tell you the phone number you are working on. Only tool required is a $5 phone from the drug store. Maybe some alligator clips.
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Or, just call your cellphone from that line and look at the caller ID. Costs about $5 less than your idea. :cool:
 
LarrFine,

How would that work at phone block trying to find out what number you're looking for? Plus I have T-Mobile. :mad: Cell barely works outside, let alone in a basement.:mad:
 
Electron_Sam78 said:
I'm tasked with locating a specific phone line to remove it from a panel..... - and we have no equipment for that task.
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There's your first problem:)
deafears said:
Plus I have T-Mobile. Cell barely works outside, let alone in a basement.
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That could possibly be the 2nd problem.

Several have mentioned some good ideas. If you believe this is the only phone line you'll ever have to trace don't bother investing in tracing equipment. See if you can borrow a tone generator and tracer amplifier, clip th TG on the phone line and find at the other end. Or, just call the phone company and have them remove it.

BTW, dialing 957 may only work in your area. It differs in other parts of the country and phone service providers.
 
Electron_Sam78 said:
... I don't know anything about locating/tracing telecommunications circuits - and we have no equipment for that task.
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Honestly and seriously, you should not attempt this work alone. You could disable part or all of their phone service, and if that happens, it could cost you a lot more than you'll be charging.

Either you or they should call an experienced low-voltage technician.

defears said:
How would that work at phone block trying to find out what number you're looking for? Plus I have T-Mobile. :mad: Cell barely works outside, let alone in a basement.:mad:
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Okay, for a specific answer to the OP's question, we need more detail than "locating a specific phone line to remove it from a panel. It's a 12 pair line ..."

Does the OP mean physically remove a cable, or just one pair? To me, one pair is a line. Does he need to demo a cable in a room, or does the other end need to be pulled from a board?

My phone suggestion meant identifying a given pair, or line, using a butt-set or other POTS test phone. As for your reception, you can only work with what you have.

If it interferes with the kinds of jobs you do in the locations you do them, maybe switching to another carrier should be looked into.
 
goldstar said:
BTW, dialing 957 may only work in your area. It differs in other parts of the country and phone service providers.
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Plus, I would think it needs to be more than just three digits, because that could be read by the phone switching equipment as part of a phone number.
 
I did say in MY area, 957 works. I didn't include the dialing out number for obvious reasons. And I also assumed he meant one pair also. That's why I said to get a cheap phone. Or maybe they have one lying around that doesn't need 120. Cheap,easy tester.
 
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