low hum, WE 554 1962 A/B

[Tonyrotary]

At my old apartment when it rained, I use to get static on my phone. I never called in a complaint about it but sometimes the static got bad. Luckily here no problems other than at first we had no dial tone. Turns out they had a wiring problem on their side. Never had a humming problem.

[HobieSport]

In one notable instance they ended up sending a team of guys and a load of vans to try figure out why the cable was not working.  Of course the guys they sent knew very little and just wandered about, yanking on wires and muttering.  

Heath, you always make me chuckle with your good sense of humor in diversity (difficulty, that is.)

I'm just on standard AT&T (not Comcast) on regular phone lines (not cable) for phone and internet, and am perfectly happy with the service. I don't use a TV or need my interwebs to run any faster, so personally I don't want cable anyway.

I guess I'm lucky because when my phone line has problems, I just go to the main house phone jack (the "gray box") and test the line, to see if it is the problem is the phone company's problem or mine.

If it is the phone company's problem, I speak to the company, and they come and fix it. If it is a household wiring problem, wellsir, then I start yanking wires and muttering.

[Netdewt]

Okay, thanks for all the input. I haven't yet had time to really read through all the responses as it has been a busy weekend, but I did quick scan them and I'll update with a few more details about the phone system.

Right now all I have hooked up is the 554 and one 90's-ish touchtone phone, nothing else.

The 554 does not have a modular plug. When I installed it I considered putting one in there, but it was more of a hassle at the time so I didn't.

The setup from the pole to the house is strange. The wire comes from the pole, straight into my house, no box. Then there is a junction thing of some sort in the basement where the wire splits into two (I'm assuming this is just one line, but I don't really know what I'm doing). The phone wires that run inside the house are just hard wired right to some nuts on this junction thing. It's really awkward and I'm going to go to Home Depot and get a real junction box when I get a chance. Perhaps this could be the problem?

[Phonesrfun]

Hard to say what is the problem at this point.  Larry in Michigan had a good idea too and that is that some electrical device nearby could be causing the problem.  I have had this in the past too, so be on the lookout for that. 

Going back to the idea of wiring, one other thing to look for and to be wary of are wires that have simply been twisted together rather than tied down at a scew terminal or using good crimp-on connectors.  In older houses, sometimes you will find where someone has done a quick-and-dirty splicing job and just twisted the wires together and slapped some electrical tape over them.  As the twisted wires are exposed to air (even under tape) the copper wires will oxidize slightly and cause an ever so slight resistance which can lead to trouble.

So, be on the look out for those in your travels.

[LarryInMichigan]

Netdewt,

The junction that you described is the standard type that was used for decades until the early to mid eighties when the phone companies started to install the so-called "network interface" boxes outside to isolate the outside wiring from the inside.  They did this when they shifted the responsibility for inside wiring problems to the customer.


Larry

[McHeath]

Sounds like you have an older place from the wiring you describe.  My house is wired similarly, no fancy new box with a plug in modular connector, instead a medieval looking hardwired setup that makes troubleshooting much harder.  

Try unhooking the red and green wires from the 554, you don't have to take it off the wall just remove the cover and undo the wires.  Then see if the hum is still there on the newer phone.  If it is then reverse the process and see if the hum is there on the 554 when you have unhooked the newer phone.  

[foots]

     It's a miracle, I used the phone when I got up yesterday morning and no more hum.   

[HobieSport]

     It's a miracle, I used the phone when I got up yesterday morning and no more hum.   

It's an Xmas Miracle!  Or...maybe the phone company got some of their equipment dried out?

[McHeath]

I'll send some Comcast guys over to get that hum back.   

[bwanna]

wow how did i miss this whole trouble shooting thread, thus far.

netdewt...heath & larry are correct. in the pre deregulation days, the set up you have was standard. when the GOVERNMENT opened up phone service for competition in 1982, it became necessary to provide the line of demarcation. it was at this time that premise wiring & equipment became the customer's responsibility.

first off, report the trouble to your service provider. also, request that a network interface be installed. if the the trouble is in the telco plant, they will make repairs. because a test jack was not available, telco cannot bill you for the service call, unless they actually come inside & make repairs.

when i have a trouble of hum on the line, i tell the subscriber that there is no extra charge, unless they hear singing most people laugh at my weak humor. one gal actually took me seriously

[HobieSport]

...when i have a trouble of hum on the line, i tell the subscriber that there is no extra charge, unless they hear singing most people laugh at my weak humor. one gal actually took me seriously

Well heck, Donna, we've all heard of "singing wires":

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/singwire/singwire.htm

[bwanna]

lol, matt.....WE have all heard of "singing wires" i have yet to use that line on anyone else who has

[foots]

I'll send some Comcast guys over to get that hum back.   

     I'll be keeping my eye on you.

[dsk]

     It's a miracle, I used the phone when I got up yesterday morning and no more hum.   

Congratulations.

We shall keep an open eye, or ear for a little hum on its own, if we find it we send it back to you, were it belongs, since we now you have lost it.

I wish you a nice, quiet and peaceful holyday.

dsk

[foots]

     It's a miracle, I used the phone when I got up yesterday morning and no more hum.   

Congratulations.

We shall keep an open eye, or ear for a little hum on its own, if we find it we send it back to you, were it belongs, since we now you have lost it.

I wish you a nice, quiet and peaceful holyday.

dsk