atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems Project 1A2: Phase I complete.

Gee, you're old.

OK,

Seeing how all the skeletons are coming out, let me ask a question: I'm going to put a cuckoo clock phone in my kitchen. Ed, you once accurately predicted the year my house was built based on the cabling they used - you also gave the name of the cable type, the white stuff with 6 conductors.

Ken could fish a 25 pair to my kitchen, based on the fact that there are return air ducts near the install location. But I can't ask him to do that, and I'm not even gonna try. All I have is a fish tape; I think you guys have some nylon/fiberglass rods you use for this type of thing. Anyway, I'm a disaster waiting to happen (I drilled through a 240v cable just trying to run a 4 conductor wire once) with this type of stuff.

So now I know I actually have 7 conductors, assuming I use earth ground as a ground.

So, if you guys took out all your skeletons.... is there anyway to get 2 lines working on my cuckoo clock with 7 leads? I can forego the buzzer.

If not, I'll just go with one line.

Thanks
Matt

If it's a true "Bell System" loop of prewire, both ends of the cable will come out to the protector or network interface. Theoretically, this loop was run uncut through every outlet in the house. If that's the case, you could cut the loop in the kitchen, yielding you two separate 3-pair cables. One could be used for each line appearance.

You'd need to go to every other outlet and make sure that none of the pairs are cut, or if they are, you'd need to splice them back together.

Arthur -

Metal Lath is a classic for Key ground. I've got to remember that one. I remember having to pull a separate cable once to get Remote Hold working because the local ground s*cked. (As I recall - a 6B, a 17B, an 18D KTU and 1/2 of a good CSV circuit per line). I'm shuddering as I remember it. My foreman said that you couldn't call yourself a telephone man till you could get remote hold working. No sooner had I done my second one than they came out with remote hold cards that replaced all the relays. When I did my first job with the cards (Sanbar somethings... I can't remember the number) I couldn't believe how easy it was.

Matt -

Tone the cable back and ID how many pairs you have good to the frame. Like I said, 2 lines and an Intercom with buzzer can work on 6 pair and an earth ground. It can be done. It's not for the faint of heart, but we'll talk you through it.

Does your cuckoo clock phone have the little 66 blocks inside or does it have an amphenoled cable?

Sam

Sam -

Well, actually it doesn't exist yet. Arthur's shipping me one.

For now, we could just go with the comdial, or a 2565HK, unless you think it's better that we wait for it to show up.

Ed -

I'm 99% sure this particular line runs straight to the basement; I'll disconnect it and see if any other jacks go dead.

Thanks all -

Matt

Why don't we really blow his mind and suggest a line concentrator circuit to the wall set?

Ed, would that comcode be for 2-Pair wire, Ivory, 600 feet?

Line concentrator? I like the sound of that.

Tell me more about this strange and wonderous
device!

I have lots of room on the backboard.

Unless it has to go on the other end. But I can't really say I'd be too upset to have it in the kitchen either. Probably wouldn't do much for the resale value of the house, but people quit buying houses anyway. And it would be great for conversation when people come over.

"Hey Matt, what the h*** is that thing taking up half your kitchen?"

"It's a line concentrator ya idjit - what are you, stupid or something?"

Jeff:

Close, it's four conductor quad, 600 feet in ivory.

Line concentrator...... :rofl: Matt, it was a joke; that would be entirely out of the question in this application, if they were even available!

We can get you two lines with ringing and a buzzer IF you can get all six pairs continuous to the set.

Ed, I wonder if there is a database somewhere of every comcode number? Or is it in your head