Jon D Curtis wrote:

> Doug:
> At least in Spain, public switching telephonic network works with 48 V =
> dc but the ringing signal could reach 75 V ac (hazardous voltage =
> according to LVD). In fact, if you catch both poles of a telephone line =
> during the ringing process, you will suffer that voltage. So for that =
> reason, LVD applies.

Gee, I hate to disagree with you Jon. 

I'm not supporting the argument I'm presenting. It was used 
by a former boss to a great extent. More like a little 
knowledge is a bad thing, especially when marketing gets a 
hold of something like this. It was a battle. 

The ring signal of which you speak is in what I've known 
as the 'local loop' between [I believe] a Class 5 office 
[last in line before the subscriber] and the subscriber on 
the analog line. The ring signal is handled *sometimes* 
[because I'm not 100% sure] by a *channel bank*. There are 
analog and digital channel banks. Some that I'm familiar 
with control the interface between the T1 line and the 
ring voltages out to the subscriber. A T1 line by spec 
cannot handle the ring voltage. 

Now, if your product is a T1 IMUX device or a DCS device 
*behind* a channel bank, that is to say not on the 
subscriber side of the channel bank, the IMUX or DCS device 
handles only 48vdc power [and sometimes 24vdc] and the 
T1 signal levels. 

Now for Europe, substitute the above use of T1 with E1, 
remove the Bell term "Class 5 office", and the scenerio 
is very much the same. I would appreciate any corrections 
here. 

So the voltages handled by this E1 device are: 

 a power supply of 48vdc and 

 the signals as defined in G.703 

There are no voltages anywhere near the 75vdc lower 
limit of the LVD as defined in 73/23/EEC, Article 1. 

So, the conclusion could be any telco device powered 
by 48vdc and only handling E1 signalling is NOT 
covered by the LVD - 73/23/EEC.

This same argument was used by my former boss to try 
circumventing UL testing, i.e. 48vdc being in the SELV 
and NOT a hazzard. 

I got him nailed on both T1 and E1 devices by pointing 
out that safety testing of a device is not solely dependent 
upon normal use voltages. It is used to test the device 
for overcurrent overtemp overvoltage abnormals, ground 
currents ... conditions for safe operation attested by an 
independent third party.

Comments.

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   The comments and opinions stated herein are mine alone,
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