NTE5 Backplate Wiring

[Tacitus]

Currently having some work done in the roof space where my main NTE5 socket is situated.  The work means I have to temporarily remove the socket from the wall - without disconnecting, so it's pretty much legal.  

Whilst dismantling the socket I noticed that although there are three screw terminals on the back plate, only the blue/white pair of the incoming BT wires is connected.  

Am I right in thinking the third terminal would be for the ring wire? Unusual since I would have expected the ring wire to be connected on the BT side and to have to remove it on mine.  The NTE5 has a BT logo, so I assume it was installed by a BT engineer.  It might explain why only one of the two phones in the house will ring.  

Also which of the others is the bell wire - orange/white or white/orange - or doesn't it matter?

[Sebby]

I was always under the impression that only 2 wires (the A and B wires) come into the property and are connected to the NTE5.

[LesD]

Chapter and verse is here.

I hope this helps! 

[Lance]

The ring wire and the bell wire are the same thing and usually connected to terminal three.

[Sebby]

That's only on the extensions though, Lance. There's only 2 wires coming in to the NTE5, afaik.

[Tacitus]

Thanks to all for the replies.  The incoming cable is standard 6-wire although only two are connected to the back plate, despite there being three connectors.  My impression was that 3 wires were normally connected; the A/B pair and the ring wire. 

Presumably if there is no incoming ring wire it wouldn't be necessary to disconnect it from the internal wiring.  Or, is it the capacitor in the main socket that generates any noise?  I ask out of interest as I have a mod faceplate so it makes no difference in practice. 

@LesD:  Good find - very useful information!

[Sebby]

I'm not sure to be honest. I didn't think there was such thing as a ring wire that came into the property.

[Tacitus]

I'm not sure to be honest. I didn't think there was such thing as a ring wire that came into the property.

Apparently there isn't, so it was me that was wrong as I always thought there were three coming into the property. 

Anyhow the job is now complete with no apparent problems - or at least the line is no worse than it was before.     Funnily enough the second phone in the bedroom now rings which it didn't before.  Can't see there is anything different in the wiring.

[Sebby]

Strange but true.

[Colin Burns]

if its ringing now it was most likely a problem with a loose connection within the cable to the phone had a similar problem in my house once apon a time and just swaped the wire pair it used

[Tacitus]

if its ringing now it was most likely a problem with a loose connection within the cable to the phone had a similar problem in my house once apon a time and just swaped the wire pair it used

Weird things phones  

On the broadband side I've just had a resync.  There's a lot of noise on the line at present - even more than usual.  It's pretty humid here and I think there's some thunder about.

[Sebby]

Yep, there's fair bit of thunder here at the moment.

[LesD]

I'm not sure to be honest. I didn't think there was such thing as a ring wire that came into the property.

You are right about that Sebby there is only one pair per line coming in from BT, the components in the master socket create the ring and provide the terminal on the consumer side for the ring wire.

I have heard it said that if one of the three wires to an extension socket gets damaged beyond use the remaining pair can be used to that remote extension socket and this socket itself replaced with a second Master Socket to recreate the ring connection. At the expense of REN of course.

The link I posted earlier shows it all.

Here it is again for anyone not paying attention!  

[Simon]

Good link, bookmarked, Les. 

[Sebby]

Yes, thanks, Les.