In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

No idea how much they need but

Is 10 metre of cable 20m and 30m are only fractionally more expensive.

Thanks. I'm going to try some "CW1308 Black External 2 Pair Telephone Cable.SOLID COPPER CONDUCTORS" from ebay.

Edited by deleted (Sat 23-Nov-13 15:42:02)

As Andrew has said, worth making up a test piece for your home-produced cable.

An easy way is to get hold of two RJ11 SOCKETs

For one socket, with six short lengths of wire, connect a single wire to each socket pin, the other end of the wire being "free".

For the other socket, using three short wires, connect the following pins together

Looped Socket
1 to 6
2 to 5
3 to 4

----------------------

When you have made your (intended) working cable,

Insert one of the RJ11 Plugs in to the looped socket.

Insert the other RJ 11 Plug in to the other socket.


With a Continuity Tester, first ensure that you get continuity

from Wire 1 to Wire 6

from Wire 2 to Wire 5

from Wire 3 to Wire 4



After that, check that you do NOT get CONTINUITY between wires 1 and 2, wires 2 and 3; and (very unlikely) wires 1 and 3.

I've done such tests many times!

Aren't there 2 pairs - 4 connections? Inner and outer?

RJ11 plugs support 6 wires, but generally are only wired with 4 or even just two used.

NOTE:

External grade should only be used outside a property with a very short length inside, due to the UV proofing means if the cable is involved in a house fire giving off toxic fumes.

I may be confusing with Ethernet cables; but the general method is the same; and can be used in many situations.

Isn't this more to do with the sheath of the cable rather than it being external cable? There's a lot of PVC and PE covered wiring in houses and not much LSZH imo.

Yes, it is the sheath that is the problem when used internally.

So if external grade cable with a LSZH sheath is chosen, there shouldn't be a problem?

Edited by deleted (Sun 24-Nov-13 15:36:31)