Installing a RJ31X

[ddools]

How do I install a 31x for an alarm line? Alarm guy says he needs a telephone line to attach to his system. I was told to use a RJ31X.

 

[Dexman]

Usually an alarm system would use a standard RJ-11x to interconnect with a POTs line.

It is always a good idea to wire any telephone system behind any alarm system.

In many instances, the alarm system will have 2 telephone positions marked out on a barrier strip. 1 position is where wires from the alarm system to the Bell demarc go and the other position is used to feed the telephone line out from the alarm back to the telephone system.

By wiring the telephone system to this 2nd pair of leads, if the alarm system trips, any call in progress on the shared telephone line will be dropped, the alarm system will re-seize the line and dial out to a monitoring station.

 

[allisland]

An RJ31X for alarms is used to take CO dial tone to alarm and then back from alarm to either PBX or station, the way it's wired is as follows.
CO in on 4&5 , out to eq/sta on 1&8 , there's shorting bars between 1&4 and 5&8, this way customer has service before alarm is connected, and also used to determine if alarm panel is causing trouble on line, it's an 8 pin jack handoff to alarm, when cord is unplugged the dial tone is cut through to eq/sta.

 

[Dexman]

Now I remember what an RJ-31X jack is. I used to install Teltronics equal access dialers on POTs lines many years ago and used those types of jacks. Man it's been so long, I completely forgot about them.

 

[Dexman]

I do remember sometimes having problems with RJ-31X jacks though.

I remember times when wires became tangled with the shorting pins, or the pins just didn't make good contact with the shorting bar so when the equipment was disconnected, you ended up with an dead line.

 

[aarenot]

If the alarm tech says he cannot install their own RJ31X, call their office, I have never in over 1000 sites seen one that could not either install the RJ31X, or do without one. Sounds like an inexperienced, or lazy alarm tech.
Also, unless your contract says you have to supply an RJ31X, tell him you will have a qualified tech install one and they will have to pay the bill. His boss will probably tell him to get it done, and shut up.
Note, if you are not going to be sharing the telephone line with another device, you don't need an RJ31X, some local codes require dedicated primary alarm lines, and the secondary can be shared.

http://www.hometech.com/learn/rj31x.html,

this will show you how, if you end up needing to do it. I did an msn search for rj31x found exact listing under home tech solutions site.

You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.

 

[skip555]

its no big deal just a standard part of cabling

we always carry a few and mostly the alarm peaple put them in sometimes they request we do

personally I prefer to do it so I know its done right and we dont get callbacks on it.

you can buy rj31x jacks for a couple of bucks . sometimes they go bad and if we are troubleshooting a dead line and its a bad rj31x we replace it .

we just charge the customer standard T&M

fire alarm guys seeem the worse , we got a panicked call the other day from a contractor and he couldnt get a CO becouse the fire alarm guy said we had to supply a RJ31x

no big deal we went out , installed it and added it to the bill

 

[aarenot]

I agree it is not hard to install, and the alarm guys usualy do this themselves. It is also a standard part of cabling, if you are a tech. and we do not mind the T & M. Dexman however is listed as a technical user, so I am assuming he does not do cabling often, so I was trying to clue him in about the fact the alarm guy should be able to do this without him messing with it or paying a tech to do it. Also, if the alarm tech can not do this, he is probably not very skilled, or trying to be lazy about a ten minute job, including the smoke afterward.

You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.

 

[Dexman]

Hi aarenot,

Actually, I worked with RJ-31X jacks when I installed Teltronics dialer equipment for the ILEC/CLEC I work for so I do know about the jacks (once I remembered what they were).

I was merely pointing out that if the installing tech is not careful, you can end up a dead line when the device that is plugged in the jack is disconnected because the pins that contact the shorting bar can get caught up in the wiring.

Paul

 

[1043]

Don't let the(beanny boys) alarm guys do it. They usally butcher a good job. I always tell them to put the jack on the wall and I'll make the connection.

 

[skip555]

beanny boys ..I like that

I had one customer that after the "beanny boys " screwed up his lines twice left orders that no one was allowed in the telco closet Unless I was present .

had some pizzed of alarm guys when they stopped by for maintence and where given my number and told to make a appointment.

I had one recently where the burglar alarm guy was the last in . I left the line I wanted the alarm on marked . and pointed it out to him .

went back a few weeks later and he had hooked it to the first line in front of the fire alarm so the line was coming from the telco , going thru the burglar alarm and then out to the fire alarm . I was real tempted to call the fire inspector but I just went ahead and moved it .


"beannie boys " are at the bottom of the low voltage tree and should be kept away from customers lines as much as possible

 

[skip555]

just had to add , dont you love it when you fish the walls , do a neat job of laying out the backbord ,d rings mushrooms, tie wraps ect and go back in and some "beannie boy " has dropped a loose cable down from the ceiling and beanneied his lines in ..looking like crap. or streached it right accross aeverything loose.

 

[aarenot]

OK guys, I see your point, and I have to say, you are right. I have gone back 5 times before because the beannie boys, lol, had killed the lines on things they were connected to and things they were not. Better to give them their RJ31X, and be done with them, and also get a directive from the customer that no one else is to mess with the phone lines. Maybe I just got used to cleaning up after everybody, and accepted it, when I should have gotten the customer to just barr them from the room.
It would save me from cleaning up after everyone else.

You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.

 

[1043]

Let them mess with the lines. Service calls are billable in that situation.

 

[aarenot]

This is true, but still a hassle. That is what I say about letting the customer make programming changes, I can always go fix it on T&M.

You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.

 

[skip555]

the thing is its the good customer who calls with a line or two down , unable to get calls and do business when your right in the middle of two or three other things

you can bill and get paid but you can't be in two places at once so something dosn't get done , or more than likley you wind up working till 8 or 9

no I would rather not get the emergency can't receive calls than correct the problem and bill.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

The best one is when the alarm guys do their in and outs on a voice pair of a Partner station. "Hey, I got dial tone!" Then when they program the alarm panel to answer when it gets one ring, a pause, and then another incoming call, all heck breaks loose....

 

[aarenot]

agreed skip

You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.