Manual cutoff for phones 4

[Mugsiensedgwick]

I work in a Hospital and the Psych ward only allows calls at certain times of the day.
They have heavy duty analog wall phones with shielded receiver cable.
Currently they are using a light switch to cut off the phones during the 'no calls' times.
The light switches are a frequent source of static and are generally unreliable.
Does anyone know of something better?
Thanks,
-Randy

 

[OzzieGeorge]

In Australia we have a specific telephony changeover switch (usually used to switch the line to an answering machine) These are used for manual changeover but by simply not having anything connected to the alternate position they can be used as an isolation switch. See here (last item on the page)....

http://www.accesscomms.com.au/catalogcurrent/phones.pdf

 

[donb01]

This is a little bit of work, but what I did when our psych ward was still up and running was to use a computer DB9 A/B switch. We had 3 phones in a bank, and when I wired them I ran the wires to a box at the nurse's station and then back to the phones. I used the style of DB9 connectors with the crimp pins to make it easier to work with. Each phone line had its tip and ring pinned out and inserted into the DB9 connector - there was one on the "in" side and one on the "out" side. The in side was hooked to the common position on the A/B switch and the out was hooked to the A position. I had the A position labeled ON and the B position labeled OFF. At the appropriate time, all the Nurse had to do was flip the switch to enable the phones. Since the connection was basically designed for computer wires it was about as clean as you could get under the circumstances, and there was only that one switch that could conceivably run up to 4 phones.

 

[cwc3]

are the in lines rooms exts off a pbx or pstn lines ?
my equipment allows manager to remote station lock !

 

[kwbMitel]

To expand on Donb01's Idea which I also believe to be a good one. The switch he mentions can toggle up to 9 phones (you only need to break 1 wire, not both) or you could use a db25 switch and disconnect up to 25 phones at once.

**********************************************
What's most important is that you realise ... There is no spoon.

 

[Mountainbear]

The light switch idea will work but you need to cut off both sides (tip and ring), otherwise you will get a unbalanced line witch will cause a hum. I like the idea of a manual data switch. I don't know of anything designed for this.

 

[KE407122]

Why not put a DEES or Nortel PFTU (Powerfail Transfer Unit)
Each pair can be switched for a number of sets, or you can chain the PFTU's together for more phones.

Under power the line can go straight to the phone. A Single throw switch installed can switch the PFTU to powerfail mode and disconnect the line from the sets.

http://www.dees.com/pdf/154_install.pdf

KE407122
'Who is this guy named Lo Cel and why does he keep paging me?'

 

[Mugsiensedgwick]

It all sounds like quite a mess for 2 stinking phones, no matter what I do.
There should be an easier way.
Still looking...m

 

[jknichols]

For only 2 phones I would go with donb01.

The problem with standard light switches is that they are designed for relatively high power loads each time you turn them on the spark a little and burn thru any oxidation.

For the phones you need a switch designed for electronic circuits - if you already have a switch in the wall I might look for some kind of speaker switch (not volume control, but straight on-off or A/B).

 

[PBXTech]

small metal box with two toggle switches on the front. buy the switches at radio shack. put a hole in the back of the box and feed the phone lines into and out of the box through this hole. now solder either the tip or ring side to the toggle switch.

the A/B switch is just about the same thing.

or put the wires on a split 66 block and hang a pick tool from it on a string. then teach the desk folks out to install and remove bridging clips.

 

[pbxn]

Been awhile, but I think we went with something similiar to this.

http://www.sandman.com/tkm.html

 

[Mugsiensedgwick]

I like the heck out of that pbxn, and cheap as well.
Thanks,
-Randy

 

[KE407122]

Sorry, I didn't know it was for 2 phones. The Sandman switch will work, I just like to avoid looping lines out and then back to riser and then to the phones. Just a few too many points of failure for me and you may have already had PFTU ports available. Too many times I've seen it where you make it idiot proof and they just make a better idiot.

KE407122
'Who is this guy named Lo Cel and why does he keep paging me?'