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Question

How to install 4 line office phone

Feb 6, 2012 7:58AM PST

I do believe the phone is analog. We are a nonprofit charity that doesn't have a clue how to install the GE 2-9451 office phone. We can't figure out the basics or the manual. I have tried to access information online, but nothing is telling me how to do this. Can anyone help with basic step by step, point form instruction?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
It may be impossible to do with just text.
Feb 7, 2012 12:25AM PST

The manual didn't help and I can't tell if you or staff have the basic wiring skills. It was not funny when I found one did it myselfer had wired one wire to the ground of an outlet but it was actually HOT. This could have ended badly.

Since you are a charity, ask for help from folk you know. If you are in SoCal there may be help I know of that will come by for the price of "kind words."
Bob

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Thanks for the reply
Feb 7, 2012 7:32AM PST

Hi Profitt. Thanks for your reply. I didn't explain too well, I guess. I do believe that the office is wired for four lines (we are presently running phones on three lines). I am from Canada and no, we have no clue about wiring, or about programming the phone. The phones we have now are about 20 years old and really need replacing; however none of us has a clue how to even program a phone like the GE Pro Series. Problem is too, we only have after hours to set the phones up and we are a hectic office and are all tired by 5:00 pm. Thanks for your opinion. I don't think though, that we need to wire anything?

Have a great evening. Happy

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I have a contact in the Vancouver area.
Feb 7, 2012 11:54PM PST

And he has battled (installed) multi-line phones before. Again, since it is a charity you call out for help on Craigslist or via your channels and hope for a kind soul to pitch in. I've done such work but will walk out if the charity is unkind in any way.
Bob

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Hi Proffit
Feb 8, 2012 9:44PM PST

Proffit, I am having trouble accessing anyone to help in my small area. We are not a large community and for someone to come here, it would cost some money and really we have so little. We are a nonprofit that helps the poor and disabled with various legal and housing needs.

I have one question that perhaps you could answer. On the base of the phone at the back, there is two inputs. One says it is for L1 L2 and the other says it is for L3 L4 ; however we only have the one wall jack in each room. I do believe the wiring is up to snuff, to handle the lines, but how do we put two lines into one jack? Is some sort of splitter needed, and is it a special splitter to handle for lines?

Thanks for your answers. I appreciate the help.

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Let's say they got the 2 lines on one jack right.
Feb 9, 2012 1:34AM PST

It's not a "special" splitter. It's been around for decades. Here's one at amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-41062-Telephone-Splitter/dp/B0002J2PXY

Anyone I found complaining about that thing usually had a miswired wall jack.

There are a lot of sites explaining this wiring so I won't rewrite how the two most inside lines are line 1 and the next two outside line one is line 2. Then adapter is very nice since I get line 1 on one jack, line 2 on the second jack and the third jack had both lines.
Bob