According to AT&T, the ringing signal is an 88v 20Hz A.C. signal superimposed on 48v nominal D.C. supervisory voltage. However, the actual ringing signal used can and does vary greatly from one location to another. The frequency of the AC signal is normally between 15 and 70Hz.
The Central Office sends the following: a 90 to 120 VAC ringing voltage, Frequency of 20 Hz, Cadence for North America is 2 sec On/ 4 sec Off
The telephone company sends a ringing signal which is an AC waveform. Although the common frequency used in the United States is 20 HZ, it can be any frequency between 15 and 68 Hz. Most of the world uses telephone frequencies between 20 and 40 Hz. The voltage at the subscribers end depends upon loop length and number of ringers attached to the telephone line; it could be between 40 and 150 Volts.
The connected switch will superimpose a Ring Voltage of approximately 90 VAC over the DC voltage. A capacitor in the phone allows the passage of AC current, but blocks DC current. Upon detection of the Ring Voltage, the phone will provide an audible signal that alerts the user of an incoming call. Ring Voltage provided is between 90 and 140 Volts, Alternating Current and has a frequency in the range of 15.3 to 68 Hz. Typically, a frequency of 20 Hz is implemented.
According to these sources, ring voltage *could* be as low as 40 volts, but I still believe it to be much higher, as the other sources indicate. Not only do I believe this because have built my own ringer circuit before, in which I had to use above 60 volts, but I also bought an actual telco ring generator which I found surplus. It has clearly marked outputs which say "Output: 90-120 VAC, 30Hz" I have used this ring generator on many phones, and there have been no problems.TwistedCopper said:but when it rings, it is 48V AC, not 90-120V - which would fry a ringer set. You are correct that it is normally not 60 hz, but the actual frequency varies between different types of switching and central office equipment.
Then the current is limited...TwistedCopper said:A solid short circuit would quickly fry an OE port in a central office. It is all electronic these days and the line will shut down automatically within a few seconds.
Yes, it does vary. I believe the auto industry considers anything above 50 volts as high-voltage.TwistedCopper said:I am sure that in any given field that deals with electricity, their view of what high and low voltage varies but it is 60V as the feds see it.
Are you sure it was only 48 volts? Burn marks and such would make me think it was a higher voltage that got you...TwistedCopper said:I have on many occasions worked in the wet weather and got into ringing voltage . It hurts and will leave burn marks on the skin. It's not lethal, but as I stated above it will give you a little respect for low voltages and it'll definately get your attention.
No pissing here. However, I'm going to do a bit more research on this now, as you've made me curious....TwistedCopper said:Trust me I am sure about this stuff. It is what I do. I didn't want to get into an electrical pissing match with ya,
Are you referring to car batteries potentially exploding due to seeing reverse current? If so, that kind of result could occur on a battery of any voltage. Batteries don't much like it.TwistedCopper said:On a side note, if anyone has ever seen the result of a set of auto jumper cables hooked up backwards it can give you an idea what merely 12V is capable of when there is alot of current present. Do you not have a warning label in your 12V electric vehicle?????
TwistedCopper said:On a side note, if anyone has ever seen the result of a set of auto jumper cables hooked up backwards it can give you an idea what merely 12V is capable of when there is alot of current present. Do you not have a warning label in your 12V electric vehicle?????
XJNick said:Hi,
These are quotes from multiple web sites I found after doing a yahoo search:
According to AT&T, the ringing signal is an 88v 20Hz A.C. signal superimposed on 48v nominal D.C. supervisory voltage. However, the actual ringing signal used can and does vary greatly from one location to another. The frequency of the AC signal is normally between 15 and 70Hz.
The Central Office sends the following: a 90 to 120 VAC ringing voltage, Frequency of 20 Hz, Cadence for North America is 2 sec On/ 4 sec Off
The telephone company sends a ringing signal which is an AC waveform. Although the common frequency used in the United States is 20 HZ, it can be any frequency between 15 and 68 Hz. Most of the world uses telephone frequencies between 20 and 40 Hz. The voltage at the subscribers end depends upon loop length and number of ringers attached to the telephone line; it could be between 40 and 150 Volts.
The connected switch will superimpose a Ring Voltage of approximately 90 VAC over the DC voltage. A capacitor in the phone allows the passage of AC current, but blocks DC current. Upon detection of the Ring Voltage, the phone will provide an audible signal that alerts the user of an incoming call. Ring Voltage provided is between 90 and 140 Volts, Alternating Current and has a frequency in the range of 15.3 to 68 Hz. Typically, a frequency of 20 Hz is implemented.Well Nick AT&T doesn't own any telephone networks. They are a long distance and wireless company among other things. their stuff is all on fiber optics.
the voltages and references I made are (at present) true for the Mid Atlantic area. As I said I work with it every day. The info may be quite old as may the ring generator you purchased. Another possibility is some ring generators that were used in large buildings were not of the same spec as the network. There were special telephone sets used with them though.
According to these sources, ring voltage *could* be as low as 40 volts, but I still believe it to be much higher, as the other sources indicate. Not only do I believe this because have built my own ringer circuit before, in which I had to use above 60 volts, but I also bought an actual telco ring generator which I found surplus. It has clearly marked outputs which say "Output: 90-120 VAC, 30Hz" I have used this ring generator on many phones, and there have been no problems.TwistedCopper said:but when it rings, it is 48V AC, not 90-120V - which would fry a ringer set. You are correct that it is normally not 60 hz, but the actual frequency varies between different types of switching and central office equipment.
Take a multimeter across your phone line and call it Nick. It will read around 50VAC. Give or take 5V or so. If your feeling frisky, wet your fingers and grab ahold, but don't say I didn't warn ya :lol:
Then the current is limited...TwistedCopper said:A solid short circuit would quickly fry an OE port in a central office. It is all electronic these days and the line will shut down automatically within a few seconds.
not disputing that, just giving info
Are you sure it was only 48 volts? Burn marks and such would make me think it was a higher voltage that got you...TwistedCopper said:I have on many occasions worked in the wet weather and got into ringing voltage . It hurts and will leave burn marks on the skin. It's not lethal, but as I stated above it will give you a little respect for low voltages and it'll definately get your attention.
Absolutely sure. This usually happens when lines are not receiving calls and I am testing ringing voltage. I have been doing this for years and never have I seen a properly working circuit carry over 55 volts AC while ringing.
Are you referring to car batteries potentially exploding due to seeing reverse current? If so, that kind of result could occur on a battery of any voltage. Batteries don't much like it.TwistedCopper said:On a side note, if anyone has ever seen the result of a set of auto jumper cables hooked up backwards it can give you an idea what merely 12V is capable of when there is alot of current present. Do you not have a warning label in your 12V electric vehicle?????
No, I was referring to melted terminals and burned up jumper leads not battery explosions. A 1.5v triple A battery can explode, but it won't melt metal or burn fingers.
TwistedCopper said:the voltages and references I made are (at present) true for the Mid Atlantic area. As I said I work with it every day. The info may be quite old as may the ring generator you purchased.
TwistedCopper said:Take a multimeter across your phone line and call it Nick. It will read around 50VAC. Give or take 5V or so. If your feeling frisky, wet your fingers and grab ahold, but don't say I didn't warn ya :lol:
TwistedCopper said:You do understand where I was going when I asked about you having a warning label on your electric Jeep, right? All I'm saying is low voltage can be hazardous. It is not always, and rarely the case, but it can be.
Voltage, amperage, Hz!?!?!? I thinks it's time for me to meditate.........................................
Ohm..............ohm..................ohm.........................
XJNick said:I really didn't mean to clutter this thread with facinating, yet irrelevant information... :mrgreen:
-Nick :!:
TwistedCopper said:Irrelevant? Man that hertz
XJNick said:Hi,...............I really didn't mean to clutter this thread with facinating, yet irrelevant information... :mrgreen:
-Nick :!:
TwistedCopper said:Nick, I'm not sure where you got your info on telephone lines, but ...
A telephone line is 48V DC, but when it rings, it is 48V AC, not 90-120V - which would fry a ringer set. You are correct that it is normally not 60 hz, but the actual frequency varies between different types of switching and central office equipment.
A solid short circuit would quickly fry an OE port in a central office. It is all electronic these days and the line will shut down automatically within a few seconds. The power supply for plain old telephone service is still a large bank of big 48V batteries in vaults underneath the C.O.'s.
A telephone line with a DSL still runs on 48V dc. A T1 or any other high-capacitance circuit can run at voltages substantially higher then 60 volts, in many cases more than twice that amount and can be quite deadly.
The threshold for high/low voltage is 60 volts - at least as the federal government sees it from a safety standpoint. That is the minimum voltage that can throw a heart into fibrillation (as I mentioned above). That is why OSHA requires CPR/first aid for those employees. I am sure that in any given field that deals with electricity, their view of what high and low voltage varies but it is 60V as the feds see it.
I have on many occasions worked in the wet weather and got into ringing voltage . It hurts and will leave burn marks on the skin. It's not lethal, but as I stated above it will give you a little respect for low voltages and it'll definately get your attention.
Trust me I am sure about this stuff. It is what I do. I didn't want to get into an electrical pissing match with ya, I just wanted to point out that low voltages are often underestimated. I hate to see it talked about so casually, as these welders have the power to melt metal.
On a side note, if anyone has ever seen the result of a set of auto jumper cables hooked up backwards it can give you an idea what merely 12V is capable of when there is alot of current present. Do you not have a warning label in your 12V electric vehicle?????