Multiple RJ31X jacks?

IVB

Senior Member
I have a current ADT system, and I need to minimize "downtime" of security, to keep wife happy. [we live in Oakland, 'nuff said].

I found what I'm pretty sure is an RJ31X jack in the ADT panel. Looking through these diagrams, I see that the wiring seems pretty dang simple: 2 wires from Telco->RJ31->2 wires to house phones.

All my reading says that all that an RJ31 does is allow a panel to seize control of the lines even if someone is on them, basically a phone equivalent of an N/C - N/O relay. If there's no issues, it allows signal to pass through to the phones. If there is, it takes over and does its thing.

Given that, is there any reason that I couldn't migrate to an Elk in 2 steps:
Step 1) Wire up a 2nd RJ31X inside the Elk panel, run output from ADT's RJ31->ElkRJ31. Then go to the house phones.
Step 2) Once that's done, wiring confirmed, wife happy, ready to push the Big Red Switch, I can pull the 1st RJ31X out of the loop, twisting wires directly together.

I'd bet it takes 1-2 weeks between step 1 & 2, just to make sure everything's cool.
 
IVB,

Your idea will work fine; Phone company->ADT RJ-31->ELK-RJ31->House PHones. In this configuration the ADT gets priority when the line needs to be seized (it will disconnect the M1 and house phones). This will keep the wife happy and give you test access to the M1. And as you say just wire the existing RJ31 out of the picture when your ready to "throw the big red switch".
 
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