sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information butt sets

I have used the Harris TS-22 and TS-22a for years. For the price and durablity you can't beat it.

I have thought about getting a 25......but everyone I have talked to says it don't hold up like the older ones.

Managed to drop my TS25D on a concrete floor and break off the little plastic loop on top. What a shock! Now I can't hang it on a nail, which is a real pain.

It's not a bad set, but I'd prefer it were a bit more rugged, for obvious reasons.

I have a old Western Electric rotary, a TS-21, and a TS-22L..

Unfortunately, the TS-22L requires a battery to operate, and if you let the battery go dead, the memory battery seems to follow, which is a real PITA to replace.. (and the set is dead without it).
It uses a lithium disc type with solder tabs.. the biggest problem is finding a replacement, and then you have to scrape off the clearcote in order to unsolder it, which kills the moisture resistance of the board.

My TS21 that I had 27 years finnaly bit the dust - the cheap early model dial pad went out. My newer TS21 is still good after 20 years.

With so much DSL around, its time to upgrade to something that's DSL safe, able to read DTMF outpulsing and Caller ID. However...when you think about it, do you really need to know the exact digits dialed out - usually I simply need to verify digits are going out and the $10 Caller ID box with a clip leads and a modular plug & jack adapter would work great. And I already have a home-made DTFM digit grabber.

I would say the greatest concern with a butt-set that needs a battery to work would be it may not really emulate a 2500 set - the "gold standard" for testing copper.