atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems ComKey 416 power

Tomorrow I am replacing a comkey system with 4 phones with a new system. Currently all the phones look like they have 2-25 pair cables going into them. The office is in an artist studio with alot of shelving and piles of clutter. I don't see any amphenols. How do I disconnect the power to the button lamps, etc.?

Bob, unless someone 'scotchlocked' them, they all have amphenol connectors. The Comkey 416 has 1 or 2 master phones, depending on the number of C.O.'s. 2 lines per Master. The Master phones have 110VAC power cords that are for the P/Ss in their back-ends. They supply power for all the phones. The phones that look like they have 2 amphenol cables have ONE (1) Amphenol cable and ONE (1) 110VAC POWER CABLE!!!!!! DO NOT CUT THAT CABLE!!!!! BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, on a 1A2 cabinet! The power cord looked for all the world like another 25pr cable. Absolutely ruined a nice (BRAND NEW) pair of Klein choppers! John C.

OOPs, that said, they all shoud have their 25pr cables in parallel, except for the last 5-8 pairs. (Been a while) You should be able to find a "master" cross-connect panel someplace. Good luck! John C.

It's important to note which ComKey system is in use. If the line keys are in a vertical row up the right side, then you have a 416. If the line keys are horizontal in one or two rows of ten, then you have a 718, 1434, 2152. Trust me, ALL ComKey systems used Amphenol-type connectors.

Like Lightninghorse said, the 416 system has two master sets, each having a 25 pair line cord and a 120 volt power cord. Other sets, known as "satellite" stations only have a 25 pair cord. In this system, all of the first 22 pairs are common, as in "tied together" at some point. The first two CO lines enter the first master set on pairs 24 and 25. The third and fourth CO lines go to the second master set on pairs 24 and 25. There is no KSU as the master sets provide this functionality.

If it is one of the latter systems, then there is a main KSU to support it. The 718 is a dark gray cabinet that is about the size of the freezer compartment on a residential refrigerator. It is wall mounted. All phones use 25 pair cables.

If it is a 1434 or 2152, then the KSU is floor-mounted with a dark gray lift-off cover. Either one is about waist-high and about three-feet wide. The phones on these systems use 50 pair line cords, so they should be easy to spot.

Regardless of the ComKey system, all of the cable pairs are tied together for at least the first 16 pairs. The only reason that I've gone into so much detail about the hardware is that you said that this is a cluttered office. It's very possible that the KSU has become a piece of furniture that may be covered-up.

If it's only four phones, I'd consider running new cables if I were you.

Thanks all. It is a 416. I am just installing a base unit and a cordless Panasonic KX-TG4500. It is a one man shop. I will unplug the masters before I clip the 25 pair. Hunting down the amphenols will be next to impossible because of the furniture and the clutter. I will punch down jacks at the 25 pair for the line cords to the base unit.