"Now that I have the backboard and associated equipment, I need to overhaul the incoming CO lines, outgoing/incoming alarm feeds, as well as the outgoing single line phone wiring. Is there some sort of device to tie all this together neatly? As I type this, it occurs to me a 66 block would probably be just the thing."
Matt:
You need to take all the incoming CO lines (how many are there?) and make what is known as a "multiple" block. You should use a 66M50 block.
Take some single-pair X-conn wire and starting at the top left, terminate the wire at the top pair of terminals (row A, pins 1 & 2). Then loop about two inches of wire, and using the other end of the punchdown tool, (the end that allows looping rather than cutting,) multiple the same pair on subsequent sets of pins, using 6 pairs of pins on row A, total. Then flip the tool over and cut off the wire.
Start over at the next pair of pins, and do the same thing. If you have 4 lines, you could do 6 pairs of terminals per line, as an example. Sometimes we use BL/W for the first loop wiring, then OR/W, etc, so that you can instantly tell what circuit you're working on.
Then take your incoming wire that has the CO lines on it, and terminate it on row B, pins 1&2 for line one, row B, pins 13&14 for line two, etc. Now the dial tone is present at all pins at and below the incoming wire. Then on the right side of the split block, attach your single-pair X-conn's, run them to whatever destination you want them on (incoming pair to 1A2 KSU, wire to external bell, Y/SL pair on a tel set cable, for line ringer, etc.)
Finally, use bridging clips to pass the DT across the block. To troubleshoot, pull off pins until the trouble clears. This gives you a bunch of appearances of each line.
You can directly terminate smaller (quad, 3- and 4-pair) inside wires on the right side of the multiple block. You will not get thrown out of the club for doing that.
For an alarm panel connection, take the incoming DT wire for the particular DT you wish to use for the alarm, and before terminating it on row B of the block, go behind the block, and B-connect or Scotchlok it to the R/G pair of a quad (or BL/W of a 4-pair) and run that wire to the panel. That is the DT feed. The DT FROM the panel comes back on the Y/BK or the OR/W and it becomes the left feed on the block on row B at the normal position.
In the real world, we never use the listed number, but rather a fax line or other unlisted trunk, for the alarm circuit. Also, wiring it this way helps to disguise the connection, so miscreants cannot instantly see the connection, and rip it out.
