G. Morgan wrote:
Subject: Alarm system-telephone wire
Newsgroup: alt.home.repair
= toolmiser = wrote:


This is a question I am asking for my in-laws, so excuse me. They have
a whole house alarm system with a phone dialer. The installer said
they should have the junction box for the phone line (underground)
placed in their basement so it couldn't be cut or disconnected. They
called the telephone company, and they said the box had to be mounted
outside above ground. Can you think of a good way to protect this unit

from having a thief disarm it by cutting the wire or opening the cover

on the connector?


I've moved them myself (in the capacity of a professional alarm installer), of
course we didn't tell ma-bell in advance. They want the ability to service the
line unimpeded. That works out great for them - for maybe the one time in ten
years they actually come on the property.


I would move the NID inside the basement or garage - whatever, that's just me.
If the alarmco won't do it you'll have to do it yourself. Alternatively, you
could place the NID in a lockable NEMA box outside the premises and wire tamper
switches on *both* sides of the box (in case they beat it off the wall, or open
it). The tamper circuit can come in on a spare pair from the dialer cable. Of
course, you'll want to protect the exposed wiring in conduit.




My father in law is kind of set in his ways, and
doesn't want me to tamper with it (I would just move it and tell the
phone company to pound sand). My idea was to cover the wire with a
slotted pipe or such (still doesn't take care of the connector cover.
Another idea was to install a fake but visible wire and cover, and
camoflage the other so it wouldn't be visible. I can't be the first
with this problem, so please give me some ideas! I like to keep peace
in the family and also come up with answers to their concerns.
Thanks!


Your kinda in a bad place if the father in law doesn't want you to screw with
it, the alarmco refuses to move the NID, and we know the ma-bell wont do it.


There are backup reporting options like cellular, long range radio, and
Internet.

http://www.alarmnet.com/
http://www.telular.com/telguard/
http://www.dsc.com/products/alarmCom...ns/default.asp

What brand of system do they have?

If you feel compelled to render the NID less accessible then you install
rigid metallic conduit to a height that makes it inaccessible from the
ground and install the NID at that height but still outdoors. In most
places the utility can not insist that the NID be accessible without a
ladder.

Relocating the Network Interface Device (NID) to the inside of the
building is not an option in most states. The NID is the demarcation
point between the wire that the building owner is responsible for and
the wire that the utility is responsible for. The NID is utility
responsibility equipment. If you damage it or affect the outside plant
in any way you can be billed for the entire cost of normalizing the
installation. Use a wireless back up and leave the NID alone.
--
Tom H