Why do my PTT phones ring at my house, but not at other's?

[poplar1]

In any case, the black wire and yellow wire in the jack will probably not be connected to anything at the house of the person you are selling to. Or, as others have stated, the yellow and black may be going to a second line or to power for dial lights (Princess or Trimline) even if there have been no Princess or Trimlines connected for 20 years. In that case, you will be shorting out the customer's second line or, worse, shorting out the AC output of a transformer.

[Karen]

OK, this is what Ive done. I matched up Dougs pic with a "skip skip red green bridge"  If that makes sense.

And it does work! But it has that buzz in the background.   I couldnt make it go away by grounding yellow and/or black anywhere (which is fine since everyone says I should just start avoiding those) but the only way to make that buzz quieter was to press the black and yellow together, not connected to any screw, just-together.   Soooo... should i do that? Is that ok or am I going to short their house and blow up all their fuses.

I mean, there has to be a solution that doesnt leave a buzz on every phone. Just using red and green seems to cause that.

[poplar1]

I would go outside where the interface to the phone company is and see what if anything the yellow and black of your inside wire (the wire going to the jack) are connected to. They should not be connected to anything.

[Phonesrfun]

If you are getting a hum when the black and yellow wires are not connected, you have an issue with your house wiring, and not the phone itself.

Poplar's idea is great, which would demonstrate that there is a wiring problem.  (assuming yo get your phone service from a telephone company and not the Internet.). You could also test it from another location such as from work or a friend's house, again assuming a standard source of phone line.

[poplar1]

Is this the same PTT phone that you were discussing on 3/11? You mentioned then that the buzz didn't start until you connected the ringer. Also, Remco had pointed out that some of the wires were not correct.

[Karen]

NO its a different one. 

I guess I will have to check out the house wiring.  Maybe something is messed up there.  MAYBE thats why our light bulbs burn out every month.

[poplar1]

I saw an ad for LED light bulbs that said they last 40 years!

[Karen]

ours dont.

[Karen]

Sorry for all the caps there!  Lol... Im not yelling, my fingers just always want to capitalize two letters at the beginning of the sentence instead of just the first.  Should have kept with those piano lessons. 

[AE_Collector]

Almost sounds like YOU (not your possible customers) have AC on the second pair (blk/yel) for a dial light on a phone. Shorting the black and yellow together inside the phone kills the induction into the Tip & Ring being caused by the AC power supply.

All these possibilities point out why "Telephone Installer" used to be a Trade rather than a hobby.

Terry

[Karen]

Terry, I dont doubt it!

You guys are my best resource to learn.  And you do a good job.  Its a good thing I dont profess to be any kind of expert with my phones.  And for the most part, all my feeback with the phones I sell is really good.