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paulz
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# Posted: 7 May 2022 09:49am - Edited by: paulz
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As long as I've had my property there has been a phone line high up going from the street to a tree in the grove, ending in the dirt below. Always been curious about it, since the house that was demolished in the 1960s is far away and there are other poles closer to where it was. Maybe not back then.
If it were live, could I do something with it I wondered. This site says you can charge a cell phone (emergency use only of course and probably illegal).
https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Get-Emergency-Power-from-a-Phone-Line/
Further reading indicates most lines are 48vdc, I know I've been mildly jolted by them in the past. Might have enough power for LEDs?
I really don't have any use for it that I can think of, certainly not worth getting in hot water over, just interesting that it's there.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 7 May 2022 10:16am
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I would So want to know where that end in the dirt goes to......just so I could check the V on it, if any.
Iirc, Only 2 pair of wires in each cable are used for any one phone line.
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Fanman
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 08:42am
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Most likely the wire fell down, laid on the ground and got buried over the years. It's also likely that it's long disconnected on the other end with no power to it. Worth checking though, could be fun to play with.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 09:16am
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Maybe turn it into a high-wire antennae?
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paulz
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 03:29pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 Only 2 pair of wires in each cable are used for any one phone line.
That's right, I forgot there are 4 wires. So I pulled the wire out of the ground, there are only two wires and they are thicker than the usual phone wires. Stripped the ends, no juice, AC or DC. Followed it back to the street, they are still attached to the pole..
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paulz
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 07:46pm
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Upon further reading it's regular phone drop wire. How they go from two wire to four is a mystery to me. Also strange that it's running to the middle of the redwood grove, opposite of the direction it would take to go to the old house. Oh well, on to more important projects.
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Fanman
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 07:50pm
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Landline phones only use two wires, but most hardware and wiring uses 4 wires to give the option of having two lines. If there's only one line, two of the wires are left unconnected but available for future use.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 08:19pm
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No power on the drop downs, might make a pretty fair radio antenna... Bring a radio close to the line and see how much the volume increases. A turn or two around the radio might increase the signal transfer. Direct connection not necessary...
SE Ohio
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paulz
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# Posted: 8 May 2022 08:42pm - Edited by: paulz
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Radio wouldn't do me much good out there SE, too far from anything. Not a bad spot for a picnic I suppose.
So on a normal drop location, if the dwelling is vacant and no land line service (no phone number) is the drop wire still hot at the pole or do they disconnect it?
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Fanman
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# Posted: 9 May 2022 07:18pm
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In my experience, if the service is terminated they just shut the number off but don't disconnect the wires so you may even get a dial tone... but the first time it fails due to corrosion or a broken wire they naturally won't fix it.
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paulz
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# Posted: 10 May 2022 05:58am
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Thanks Fanman, that's how I remember it too. Curiosity has me wanting to climb the pole and see what it would take to reconnect, however with no real need I probably shouldn't. Any potential power source for us off gridders is of interest. 
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 10 May 2022 09:23am
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Just find the far end and read it, far safer than climbing a pole and legal too
Then make a phone box and a sign that says 'in case of emergency dont use this phone'.
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paulz
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# Posted: 10 May 2022 02:27pm
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Already did, see a couple post above. Nothing. Just had another look a the pole, wires are a good 25' up and no cleats, not feeling too ambitious about going up there for no real need.
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