BT "rectified loop" fault ?

I've already googled this so I do have some idea but could someone
explain (in simple English) exactly what a "rectified loop" is as
reported by 17070?

At the moment 17070 is currently reporting "rectified loop, Line Length
2.90 Km" (this is from a line which used to have ADSL until recently)

I note the general advice (from Google) is to disconnect all your
extensions and retest before informing BT of a fault.. though I think it
may be due to BT removing ADSL from the line as my mother swears she
sometimes hears the phone give "one ring" at random (and the date she
says this started roughly concides wuth the exchange work)

Questions I have:

1. Does the "rectified loop" error mean that the approximate distance
reported by 17070 is totally wrong (3 years ago before I had ADSL
installed it used to be 3.x km) or could the change in distance be to do
with BT removing my line from the DSLAM etc..?

2. Does anyone have an idiots guide to removing (and reconnecting!)
extensions from an official BT "ADSL type" NTE (5?) so I can just test
the BT circuit by itself..?

3. Would this fault cause problems for a new ADSL line test? (in
particular for 1/2MB services)?

4. Is a "rectified loop" fault anything to do with the "capacitance"
reading - when I first got ADSL installed in 1999 BT first had to find
and fix a fault to get my nf reading <160 - until then they refused to
install ADSL as this was one of the test requirements.

TIA for any help...

Regards
Sunil

On Thu, 7 Aug 2003 21:35:34 +0100, "Sunil Sood"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I've already googled this so I do have some idea but could someone
>explain (in simple English) exactly what a "rectified loop" is as
>reported by 17070?
It is a loop which only shows up in one direction. It is usually caused
by a damp socket or faulty internal wiring. It is usually always a
fault within the house. It generally shows up on an incoming call, as
the bell will only ring once as the loop builds up.


Bye for now.
David.
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"D.Middleton" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Thu, 7 Aug 2003 21:35:34 +0100, "Sunil Sood"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >I've already googled this so I do have some idea but could someone
> >explain (in simple English) exactly what a "rectified loop" is as
> >reported by 17070?
>
> It is a loop which only shows up in one direction. It is usually
caused
> by a damp socket or faulty internal wiring. It is usually always a
> fault within the house. It generally shows up on an incoming call, as
> the bell will only ring once as the loop builds up.

Thanks - as an update.. this morning I unscrewed the front of the BT
"ADSL" NTE5 (which I believe disconnects the extensions) - and tested
using the "hidden" socket at the back - 17070 then said the line was
ok.. (and didn't report a distance though I presume its still approx
2.90Km)

Anyway, I guess that this confirms that the problem is in the internal
wiring somewhere:/

So my questions are -

1. Is it "safe" to leave the master socket "unscrewed" and plug a DECT
phone in the test socket and use the line like that..? (until the fault
is traced/extensions reconnected etc)

2. Doing the above won't affect any ADSL line tests will it?

3. How do I trace exactly were the fault is in the internal
extensions? - I have no "specialist" equipment - I see you say it could
be a damp socket or faulty internal wiring...

However, given the recent hot weather I doubt its a damp socket and as
for faulty internal wiring - it could be - as the wiring is now about
15/20 years old and has caused some problems before.. though it was all
checked by a BT engineer last year (who ok'ed it) and 17070 has
certainly never said we had a "rectified loop" problem before... (this
is 3 years + ago - as 17070 didn't work while ADSL was live on the
line..)

TIA for any help.

Regards
Sunil

"Jik Ronson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsaIYa.33$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> The rectified loop (I have to disagree) is NOT always in the customers
> premesis - most of the time it is, but not always. The line tester
also
> tends to throw this remark when the insulation to earth is poor (less
than
> 1mg) and this tends to be in wet joints and buried tee-offs.
>
> Things like OneTel (and other) phone pals, Sky Digiboxes, some
answeing
> machines/faxes and even phones (new or old) can place this type of
fault on
> a line so it is imperative that NOTHING is connected to the line. Test
it
> with the faceplate off and NOTHING plugged in.

Hmm - I've taken the faceplate off but I have to plug a phone in the
"test socket" to use the 17070 test...

How do you test it with nothing plugged in?

Regards
Sunil

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bgvirq$s7luf$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Jik Ronson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> newsaIYa.33$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > The rectified loop (I have to disagree) is NOT always in the customers
> > premesis - most of the time it is, but not always. The line tester
> also
> > tends to throw this remark when the insulation to earth is poor (less
> than
> > 1mg) and this tends to be in wet joints and buried tee-offs.
> >
> > Things like OneTel (and other) phone pals, Sky Digiboxes, some
> answeing
> > machines/faxes and even phones (new or old) can place this type of
> fault on
> > a line so it is imperative that NOTHING is connected to the line. Test
> it
> > with the faceplate off and NOTHING plugged in.
>
> Hmm - I've taken the faceplate off but I have to plug a phone in the
> "test socket" to use the 17070 test...
>
> How do you test it with nothing plugged in?
>
> Regards
> Sunil

I've not used 17070 for over a year but it used to give an option of "line
test" where you could enter the phone number of the line you wanted to test.
The option of "ring-back line test" was for testing the line you were
phoning from.

If they haven't changed it, just find another phone on another BT line, call
17070 and then choose the line test option, so that you can key in your own
phone number and have the line tested remotely.

HTH,
Dan.

>At the moment 17070 is currently reporting "rectified loop, Line Length
>2.90 Km" (this is from a line which used to have ADSL until recently)

I was just wondering which option on 17070 you used to find out your line
length, I would be interested to find out mine but am unsure of which option
to use?

On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 13:38:33 +0100 and in article <bh05lb$472$1
@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk>, Eddie Grant said...
: >At the moment 17070 is currently reporting "rectified loop, Line Length
: >2.90 Km" (this is from a line which used to have ADSL until recently)
:
: I was just wondering which option on 17070 you used to find out your line
: length, I would be interested to find out mine but am unsure of which option
: to use?

3,1,2.
--
CB

>: >At the moment 17070 is currently reporting "rectified loop, Line Length
>: >2.90 Km" (this is from a line which used to have ADSL until recently)
>:
>: I was just wondering which option on 17070 you used to find out your line
>: length, I would be interested to find out mine but am unsure of which
option
>: to use?

>3,1,2.

Thanks alot, I'll try that

"Peter Parry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> >3. How do I trace exactly were the fault is in the internal
> >extensions? - I have no "specialist" equipment - I see you say it could
> >be a damp socket or faulty internal wiring...
>
> You might find
> http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wi...telephone.html
> and
>
http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wi...tallation.html
> useful. You can do most tests with a simple multimeter and
> substitution and visual inspection.

Thanks - now all I have to do is lay my hands on a cheap multimeter - anyone
have any ideas?

Regards
Sunil

"Eddie Grant" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bh06oh$cr6$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >: I was just wondering which option on 17070 you used to find out your
line
> >: length, I would be interested to find out mine but am unsure of which
> option
> >: to use?
>
> >3,1,2.
>
> Thanks alot, I'll try that

The 17070 test used to work for "everyone" - however, I think BT have
changed it now to only report a distance if there is a fault on the line -
due to "abuse" from people trying to work out if they can get ADSL or not..

Certainly when the line reports "Line test ok" - it no longer gives a
distance from the exchange..

Regards
Sunil