Red/Green Polarity

[oldboyohio]

What happens to my telephone if the red/green polarity is reversed?

[Unregistered]

The short answers is... normally nothing. On some el-cheapo brands of phones, the touch tones don't work if the poarity is reversed. Polarity is normally only important on digital PBX systems, like Nortel's Norstar and Meridian systems. At home, there's not much to worry about.

[joed]

If you are on a 2 party line the phone will for calls to the other party instead of your calls.

[mdshunk]

If you are on a 2 party line the phone will for calls to the other party instead of your calls.


Joed, I almost fell off my chair laughing!!! While that's certainly true, I didn't realize that party lines still existed. There havn't been party lines in my parts since the late 70's. Phones ring at around 90V, 20Hz AC. I'm not sure how the polarity effects the AC ringing. That technology predates my working life. I'm just a pup.

[joed]

On a 2 party line they ring from tip or ring to ground. If your phone is wired to ring from tip to ground and you reverse the wires it won't ring

[mdshunk]

Okay... that takes me back. I forgot that the old systems didn't just have tip and ring. They had tip, ring, and sleeve.... patterened after the old switchboard plugs. Jeeze. I didn't realize that these sorts of systems were still in service. Joed, are you a phone guy by trade?

[joed]

Not phone by trade. But cheap skate so I have a party line at my cottage. Only cost $16 a month and I leave all winter so I keep the same number.