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From: peg@psuecl.bitnet (PAUL E. GANTER)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: telephone systems
Message-ID: <74718@psuecl.bitnet>
Date: 28 Dec 89 21:47:06 GMT
References: <4370@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>
Organization: Engineering Computer Lab, Pennsylvania State University
Lines: 32

In article <4370@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>, esmonddp@jupiter.crd.ge.com (Daniel P. Esmond) writes:
> HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!HELP!
>
> Grabbing my meter I tested the line, and sure enough there is a
> constant 120 volts on the green wire. Being curious I began to trace
> the wires throughout the house and found that all the outlets were
> wired daisy chain fashion, and there is an AC transformer in the
> loop. The secondary is only 16 volts, so trying to locate the
> source of the high potential I disconnected the main line from the
> loop. The loop went dead, and the main line still had 120 volts
> open circuit coming into the house.
>
> Do all phone lines feed 120 volts constant?
> What is the transformer for?
> Why are all the phones daisy chained instead of parallel?

Sounds like some very weird things were done in this house!  The
transformer you describe was probably used to power dial lights for
several phones in the house.  A lot of those were recalled for being
fire hazards--you should probably trash it immediately!!  It might be
shorted, thus putting 120 VAC on the old 16 VAC line.  As for the
normal (two-wire) line, it certainly shouldn't be daisy-chained--in
fact, I don't see how the phones could work if it is.

My proposed solution:  trash the transformer and check again.  If
120 VAC still there you should probably let your landlord and the
phone company figure it out--if things are that screwed they should
probably be rewired!!

Good luck!

Paul