Strange phone porblem

[nafuk]

Hi, just got back from a few days camping and our 1 month old cordless Aldi phones no longer work (base station plus the extra handset). There is a 3-way adaptor into the BT box. Everything worked ok before we went away.

1. Tried another old phone and it works ok.
2. Connected the line to the upstairs computer into the 3-way box and the old phone started ringing constantly. When picked up the dial tone is there and calls ok. The computer was off.
3. have used the same phone line to the Aldi phones but they still dont work - no dial tone etc.
4. Have tried them without the 3-way adaptor, turning the power off, taking batteries out and reinserting etc.

So two problems, the Aldi phones and the strange ringing when the computer line is connected tot he 3-way adaptor.

Before I take them back to Aldi does anyone know what the problem may be?

Thank you.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Aldi phones...thats the problem.

[Owain]

Continuous ringing is crossed/reversed wires, in effect shorting the ringing capacitor and putting DC onto the ringing wire. Many electronic phones will ring with DC on the ringing wire.

Owain

[John White]

The usual reason for continuous ringing is wires 2 and 5 crossed on the extension socket concerned.

Make sure that you are using the cables that came with the phones and computer modem as some cables deliberately have the order of the wires reversed.

Most computer modems do not use the ringing circuit (wire 3) and will happily work when the socket is reversed. Phones generally need wire 3 to ring and will behave as described if the line wires are reversed.

So check you are using the right cables, then check if the socket is wired correctly and then, failing that, take the phones back.

John