First off, thanks for hearing my gripe!
As for test numbers/lines, SBC has them, but they keep them top secret. (Clean line, modulated tones, ring back, etc.) You have to find a real friendly phone guy to let you have one. They give them out in groups so they can track who has them, and change them every few months. Yesturday, I used a "borrowed" clean line number. (Still won't help, if not happening right then.)
"I also homerun all of my phone wires to a 66 block with bridging clips for each run but that may be too much for most of your jobs."
"Very good. That's the way they allways should be done."Depending on the install, it's 66, or 110. This one is a 110, and although it makes a great connection method, and in some cases is fantastic if your customer re-purposes lines on you, like many of mine do, it's great. But troublestooting can be a PITA!
As for higher voltages, that's essentially what a sidekick does with with a signal +/or capacitive charge in a leakage or stress test. Kind of like a megohmeter for phone lines.
http://www.calcentron.com/Pages/tempo/tempo_telco_instruments.htm Anyway, I have other toys to spot faults, like TDR, but likewise, you can't spot it if its not there when you are. The big problem is that all of these trips cost mulla, and can't charge for them if nothing is found. (Well, I could, but the boss won't, and the 2 - 3 of these a year add up.) It's gonna come down that these need to be taken care of
while it's happening, but that screws up schedules. Mine at least.
