"Pop" wrote in message
...

"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:C1Tze.400$1%4.16@trndny02...
I usually add telephone jacks by connecting one previously installed jack
to a new one in a series. Would like to add another, but don't want to go
from one jack to the next. Could I spice the wire and connect another
jack. The splice would mean two jacks would be coming from the same wire.

(I'm not using the term 'series' as like a 'series circuit'.... just one
after another.)

Yes, you can. What you're calling "series", as you correctly noted an
explanation for, is actually a "parallel". You connnect phones in
parallel electrically.

Thanks for the replies. I guess indirectly I was asking whether or not
telephone jacks were connected via series or parallel circuits.

Can't believe I've let this 1 hour project last 3 days now. Can't say I'm
spending much time on it, but it's been a bit of a struggle. Maybe you can
help me avoid some problems in the future and present.

Question 1. Had to drill across two thick pieces of wood that were
separated by a 5 inch gap..... total distance of the gap and wood was about
9 inches. Then, I tried to run the telephone wire through afterwards. What
a struggle. I pinched the end of the telephone wire to the end of a coat
hanger and tried to run it through. Couldn't get that wire/hanger to find
the second opening no matter how hard I tried. Eventually, I had to admit I
was beaten (what an ego deflator) and widened the initial entrance hole.
Then, I found the second hole easily.

Granted the original drill hole was only slightly larger than the wire, but
I should have been able to find the second hole as it was only a 5 inch gap.
A friend of mine said it's normal to drill a much larger hole to allow the
wire to go through.

My question is, is there a special way to run these wires across these types
of gaps? I doubt one needs to make a much larger hole if the hanger and
wire fits through comfortably.

Question 2. I am running the wire along the edge of a cellar ceiling. Both
the ceiling and wall are made out of old plaster. Normally, I use u-shaped
staples and staple the wire along the edge of a floor or molding. I doubt
these staples will hold in the plaster. I have a feeling the plaster will
crack and crumble. Someone suggested using small plastic u-shaped clamps
and screwing them in. Again, I am afraid the plaster might crack if I screw
them in. Any particular size or type of screw I should use? Or, is there
something I else I should try to keep the plaster from falling apart? (I
know, I may be worrying needlessly on this one as I haven't tested any
screws out yet.)

Question 3. After I splice the wire, I'll be using the small plastic
electrical caps to marry the wires together. I was thinking of trimming
the plastic coating back about 3/8" back. Is this too much or not enough
for small caps? I haven't done this in years. I don't think I have to
twist the wires together beforehand. I just put the wires, turn the cap and
the wires get twisted together when the cap is turned.

Question 4 I know you use black electrical tape afterwards. Where do you
start and end taping around these caps so it doesn't look like a hack job
when you are finished? Do you completely cover the cap so you can't see it
afterwards. I know it doesn't matter. I just want it to look somewhat
decent.

Question 5 Learned the hard way that masonry drill bits are not good for
drilling through thick pieces of wood. Always thought if the drill bit can
go through harder stuff, it should be easier to get through wood. I guess I
was wrong. What is the rule of thumb for drill bits. Should I have two or
three different sets. One for wood, metal and masonry. I only say this
because of the difficulty I had yesterday and last year I broke a number of
the smaller bits. I think the smaller bits were titanium tipped. I was
probably using them for drilling into wood when they broke.