Telephone

Will an office type Multi line PBX type phone work if I take it home and plug it into a regular line?

Probably not. PBX phones are internally network appliances. They need the proper signal and voltages from the main control hub to function. I believe that the ordinary telephone lines are incompatible.

and; probably a different number of wires and thus a different connector.

From a retired telephone/PBX man, no, it will not.

From another retired telephone man, no.

I'm assuming it's not really a pbx - but a "key" system, so yes, it probably would work.

But all they really do is handle multiple incoming phone lines.

You put the multiple lines in a hunt group so people calling you dial one number, if it's busy it rings on the next open line.

But most homes have only two pairs of wire running to them from the street. Meaning you can have up to two incoming lines. You'd need to have them run more wire to your house to get more lines (and pay for those lines of course!).

You have to have the matching desk set phones with the system, regular phones won't work. Those sets have a lot of features, you can transfer calls between phones, join others in a conference call etc.

But, most of those sets have to have more than the usual single pair wire to operate.

They'll need at least two pairs, sometimes three or four.

So most likely you'd also have to rewire each phone location in you house.

On top of all that, you have to program the system.

There are MANY options that need to be set. These tend to be very flexible business systems - so there are many options that need to be set that you're probably not going to understand if you don't do this kind of work for a living.

so -

Yes it'll work - but only for somebody who really needs it and knows what they're doing with it.

If you really want more than one phone line, but can live with just two - there are plenty of small systems that do that well. Those work with your current wiring, aren't all that expensive, and are meant more for a small office, or personal use - so the programming tends to be significantly easier.

You got nothing to lose by trying.

Current key and PBX systems can use standard phones, but rarely are they multiple line phones. Most multiple line Ky or PBX phones are actually digitally controlled, and the dial tone, ring, etc. is generated in the phone, rather than coming form the phone office as it does on a modern phone. The key phones form 30+ years ago could be rewired to use on a standard line, but the amount of wiring required was not worth it. Remember, if you want to use multiple lines, you will have to pay for them from the phone company, just having the phone will not do it.