dwh@twg.com (Dave W. Hamaker) (11/10/90)
I recently remodeled my home and, as a consequence, redid most of the inside wiring. Like many computer-oriented people, I have two phone lines: one for people to use, and one for modem connections. Since I now had four-wire cable going everywhere, I decided to put the modem line on the black-yellow pair connected to the outside modular jack connector pair of each jack intended for normal phone use (I wired separate jacks in the computer area). I expected single-line phones would ignore the yellow-black pair, unless rewired internally. I figured it might be useful to have the modem line available at all jacks, even though I didn't plan to take advantage of this. I was subsequently surprised to discover that one of my telephone sets, a standard-looking single-line touch-tone desk model purchased from the equipment-selling arm of my local telephone conglomerate (PAC*TEL and Pacific Telesis, respectively), would take both lines off hook when in use. It didn't seem to actually use the modem line; the person using that phone wouldn't hear what transpired on the modem line while it stayed off hook for the duration of the call. When I finally figured out what was going on, I opened up the phone set and disconnected the yellow-black wire pair. I wove the disconnected wires into the wire nest in the phone to keep them from flapping about and shorting something. I think I may buy a two-wire line cord and reconnect the wires so they are securely tied down again. While I've uncovered the reason for some occasional strangeness, and I've restored things to normal, I remain puzzled as to the why of the PAC*TEL phone. I thought one of our more expert readers might know. The phone seems to be made by COMDIAL and the black wire was connected to a terminal labeled "L1," while the yellow wire was connected to a terminal labeled "G." I can give more detailed info on the device if I know what to look for. Any ideas? Dave Hamaker dwh@twg.com ...!sun!amdahl!twg-ap!dwh
tom@gatech.edu (Tom Wiencko) (11/12/90)
In article <14566@accuvax.nwu.edu> "Dave W. Hamaker" <dwh@twg.com> writes: >I expected single-line phones would ignore the yellow-black pair, >unless rewired internally. ... A long time ago it used to be that Princess phones used the yellow/black pair to carry a local DC voltage to power the little light which illuminated the dial pad. If this phone you were wiring has some sort of light on it, that is probably what the yellow/black pair is for. Tom Wiencko & Associates, Inc. (404) 977-4515 {backbone}!emory!stiatl!vta!wiencko!tom
vances@xenitec.on.ca (Vance Shipley) (11/13/90)
In article <14566@accuvax.nwu.edu> "Dave W. Hamaker" <dwh@twg.com> writes: >The phone seems to be made by COMDIAL and the black wire was connected >to a terminal labeled "L1," while the yellow wire was connected to a >terminal labeled "G." I can give more detailed info on the device if >I know what to look for. Any ideas? The telephone has been set up for A&A1 control. This is to interwork with a key telephone system, see last months postings on A&A1. vance
zellich@stl-07sima.army.mil (Rich Zellich) (11/14/90)
I recently moved to a newly-built home, into which I had had two three-pair cables installed. One cable is for possible future use; currently I have two lines used on the other cable. On hooking up various phones I, too, found that one single-line phone would take *both* lines off-hook. This is a "novelty" phone - a slightly-undersized payphone lookalike, so it is not wired for any DC-operated lights, keyset use, or anything like that. It is also a fairly good phone, which I have been using as my main telephone for several years now. I haven't yet tried to disassemble it to see where the other two wires are going. What I would like to find is one of the little three-inch-long cords used to connect a phone to a wall jack, with only two wires wired for use instead of all four -- that should fix the problem without having to modify the phone. Of course, finding such a cord is turning out to be a problem ... I can't even find a four-wire one anywhere so far (without cannibalizing one from another phone, anyway). On the reverse side of the coin, I have a recently-acquired 6-outlet surge protector that also has a pair of phone jacks built in. *It* only has two wires connected, so I can't use it to protect both lines into one of my two-line phones (an old GTE telephone-terminal with built-in 300 baud modem). The phone/terminal has two single-line input jacks, and I have to split the two-line service at the wall jack (and feed only one of the lines throught the protector to the terminal), rather than at the output side of the surge protector. Guess the surge protector is worth about what I paid for it (under $10 from EggHead Discount Software on a super-sale deal).
BRUCE@ccavax.camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) (11/14/90)
In article <14566@accuvax.nwu.edu>, dwh@twg.com (Dave W. Hamaker) writes: > I expected single-line phones would ignore the yellow-black pair, > I was subsequently surprised to discover that one of my telephone > sets ... would take both lines off hook when in use. Your set was probably wired for "A" lead control and the black and yellow wires were expected to be connected to "A" and "A1" in a 1A2 key system to light the lamps and cut ringing and knock it off hold if it had been help by a key phone. Don't bother getting a two wire cord. The two terminals those wires went to were probably just interconnections to two wires coming from the hook-switch and have NO OTHER connections internally. Try replacing them and move one of the two hook-switch wires OFF one of your two terminals and onto the OTHER. This leave the H/S contact doing nothing. There is NO path between your yellow and black, and no floating wires. Failing that, take the yellow and black wires off the terminals, and fold an inch or so of tape onto itself (sticky to sticky) lengthwise to sandwich each flapping spade lug individually.
Tad.Cook@beaver.cs.washington.edu (11/18/90)
In article <14686@accuvax.nwu.edu>, zellich@stl-07sima.army.mil (Rich Zellich) writes: > I recently moved to a newly-built home, into which I had had two > three-pair cables installed. One cable is for possible future use; > currently I have two lines used on the other cable. > On hooking up various phones I, too, found that one single-line phone > would take *both* lines off-hook. This is a "novelty" phone - a The problem is, you have a phone that uses the outer pair (black/yellow wires) for the A and A1 leads, which short together when you go off hook. You have this plugged into an RJ14 jack, which has the second line wired to the outer pair. When the phone goes off hook, it uses the line hooked to the center pair, and shorts the outer pair. Rewire the jack so that only the red/green pair is active. This will make it a standard RJ11 jack. Then take the separate black/yellow pair, and wire it to the center pair (red green) of another jack. The RJ14 type wiring should only be used with a 2 line phone that is wired for RJ14. Tad Cook Seattle, WA Packet: KT7H @ N7HFZ.WA.USA.NA Phone: 206/527-4089 MCI Mail: 3288544 Telex: 6503288544 MCI UW USENET:...uw-beaver!sumax!amc-gw!ssc!tad or, tad@ssc.UUCP
jw7348@medtronic.com (Jeff Wilkinson) (11/24/90)
In article <14787@accuvax.nwu.edu> hpubvwa!ssc!Tad.Cook@beaver.cs. washington.edu writes: >In article <14686@accuvax.nwu.edu>, zellich@stl-07sima.army.mil (Rich >Zellich) writes: >> On hooking up various phones I, too, found that one single-line phone >> would take *both* lines off-hook. This is a "novelty" phone - a >The problem is, you have a phone that uses the outer pair >(black/yellow wires) for the A and A1 leads, which short together when >you go off hook. You have this plugged into an RJ14 jack, which has >the second line wired to the outer pair. When the phone goes off >hook, it uses the line hooked to the center pair, and shorts the outer >pair. It's also pretty common to ghost power in on the yellow/black for lighted dials (like Princess phones). Since the phone mentioned is a novelty phone, it _may_ be looking for power on this pair. The need for power would probably be a fairly low impedance on this pair (switched or unswitched) and would then take the second line off hook. It seems to me that the wall transformer typically used for dial lights was a 12VAC output. Any IR's want to confirm or deny that? >Rewire the jack so that only the red/green pair is active. This will >make it a standard RJ11 jack. Then take the separate black/yellow >pair, and wire it to the center pair (red green) of another jack. The >RJ14 type wiring should only be used with a two line phone that is wired >for RJ14. If that's the case, the best thing to do might be to rewire the jacks as suggested above, but provide power on yellow/black for both jacks. This will allow any single line phone to work on either jack, with or without lights, etc. Dual line phones still need two operational pairs, of course. Jeff Wilkinson wilk@medtronic.com Medtronic, Inc. 7000 Central Ave NE Voice +1-612-574-3770 My opinions are my own. Isn't that obvious by now?