atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Outside Plant OSP Construction Need help updating old telco circuit

I have a Twisted Pair that controls the starting and stopping of our well pump. At the storage tank, we have a simple level switch that is connected to the telco twisted pair. It was installed 40+ years ago and has been abandoned by the current telco. The tanks are some 800 feet from the well. The wires from the switch are connected to a NIC (I think that what it is) that has some type of fuse. I have a picture of it below.

The NIC got wet in the last rain and the system quit working. I have it covered now, but I would like to replace it with a more state of the art unit.

My question is, are these fuses (if they are fuses) needed, I don’t think there is any current in the system, I think it only relies on conductivity of the switch. At the well, there is a relay that controlled by the twisted pair that triggers the motor.

Does anyone have any insight into what I should do? For now, I want to leave it alone, but I want to have a “PLAN B”.

Carl

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/8rB9RygWTZcscKh87[/img]
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/PeSC8ZqpAXApzZbf8[/img]

You could make sure theres no hazardous voltage l the fuses. (There shouldnt be) and pop them put and clean them
While they are out you should check the integrity of the phone wire and drop with a multimeter. Again make sure there no unexpected voltage on it, and make sure there is good resistance in the drop across the pair and to ground. Like 1 Megaohm is okay.

Sorry, forgot to make my actual point. I dont suspect it's because the fuses got wet, theres so muchbspaxe and isolation between all the components I dont think the water is doing anything to it.

Now the water getting into one or both cables? That's what I'm worried about, andnit would be much more of a pain to fix

Carl, you're right in the fact that it's old, but that's just a fused lightning protector. If you have the cover for it, I'd leave it open to let everything dry out, check/clean the connections and make sure the cable jackets terminate inside the base of the enclosure. If necessary, you might need to re-position the protector so that everything reaches. Check both of the red fuses for continuity and if both pass, you're good. If not, just bypass the bad one(s) with a piece of wire. They really aren't doing anything. If it's just a simple contact closure circuit, there should be no reference to ground. Even if the pairs got wet, I don't think that will affect the circuit like it would with a voice circuit. As others have stated, just do a continuity test on the underground pairs and I think you'll find them to be acceptable. Put the cover back on and secure it.

Thank You, I have the cover, I think some kids must have removed it, I will replace it and try to secure it. It's working now, and I'll check all the connections.

Thanks Again,
Carl

You don't need anything more than a device to connect the pump wires to the buried wires. Any sort of device with two binding posts will do. The ground wire is useless. So are the fuses. They are there to make your life more difficult.