Hey guys,
I am in a jam on two pre-wires which are in progress. Both homes are three story with an elevator. Both customers have decided they want us to prewire for telephones in the elevators. I am doing a Greyfox Cat5 intercom system in one of the two houses and the customer would also like an intercom station in the elevator. I have no experience or knowledge of how to "prewire" an elevator. If anyone has ever run into this, please help me out.

Thanks in advance!

Matt

telephones in elevators are a requirement around here... We just bundle the cat-5 along with the rest of the wiring that goes with an elevator...

Prewire a phone jack at the elevator mechanicals location, and the elevator people will take it from there. If they have another Cat 5 in the loom of wiring that connects the mechanicals to the elevator car, you can add the Greyfox intercom.

Put a box at the top of the shaft (by the elevator supply box). The elevator guys should take it from there. of course you need to tell them what your doing!

Just for the record, Theaterworks post wasn't there when I posted! ;-)

Beat you by a mere second, it seems. You can go first next time, OK? :-)

THANKS

In some areas its code to have a separate dedicated phone number run straight to the elevator. Like already mentioned, just run a line to the elevator"s mechanical room. There is generally a control panel which has terminals for tip/ring. From that point, the elevator's wire harness carries the signal into the elevator. In all the elevator's i've done, there is usually accomodation for a single pair. It may be tough to do an intercom with a single pair.

I have also found this to be the case. It also presents additional problems if you are using a phone system as you cannot use a system phone. What I will do in this case is have the client add and additional phone line to bypass the phone system. This is also useful as I can use this line for TV locations, fax, security, ect without running into any compatability issues.

thanks alot for the responses. i hope i can convince the homeowners to do without the intercom.

What about a cordless Phone ?

that was my proposed plan :)

give them a megaphone

I reccomend having the elevator guys supply the cat5. After installing many card access systems in elevators, Ive come to realize that after a year or two, you will be troubleshooting a hum or buzz in the line, or even a bad wire. The elevator companies have access to a high stress/intense use cat5. Or you can call up your local supply house, but buying a 500ft box of specialty cat5 @ $300 (last I checked) a box, for just a 40ft run seems kinda not smart. BTW, in Ohio, a telephone in an elevator is a requirement to get your CO, and it also needs to be plenum.

maybe i should just run a cat5e from the demarc to the location of all the elevator mechanical stuff and the elevator guys can have it from there.
as for the intercom station in the elevator, think i am gonna have to trash that idea. thanks for the help guys