Dead Lucent Partner ACS

[LCTexas]

I work at a small non-profit and our phone system died.
It is an old Lucent partner ACS
by died, the symptoms are no lights on any card, no nuthin.

i believe the culprits may be
a) main processor
b) power sub-module inside main processor
should I also suspect the backplane and cabinet

(in photo ( disrgard 1st line card - it shorted last year and is not plugged into backplane

we did have storms the other night.
sadly, system is poorly surge protected

I dont want to buy replacements willy nilly without some reasonable analysis.

Thoughts? Ideas? Thanks

 

[Telecomboy]

The main processor can run on its own. So, power the system down, remove the processor, and plug the power directly into the back of the processor. If it doesn't power up or sparks and dies that is your culprit. Bad processor.

 

[Telecomboy]

Looking at the pictures, why is the card on the right pulled out? Did you do this? The cards all have to be seated properly in order for them to come up properly. They are dependent on the one to in the slot before it and that is slot 1 so it could be effecting the other cards. Slot 1- Slot 2- processor- Slot 3- Slot 4. I would still try my first recommendation though to verify the processor is the culprit.

 

[LCTexas]

Thanks
(you mean left, yes?) The system red lighted last year and we were not using all 4 lines - and by removing the bad line card (thus half out.. left it there) swapping line cards and moving lines we got it up using the second line card It has been working fine for the last year as you see it, slot 1 empty

oh right does look not seated does it?? !!.. it may have been while I was troubleshooting.. I will check it!!!! thanks

 

[LCTexas]

right to left? How .. non-intuitive.. engineers!

 

[Telecomboy]

Left to right, yes. That card that is pulled is in the left-most slot which would be the 1st expansion slot. If the processor works by itself, you may need to remove that card and move the 206E to the left-most slot and the Partner Mail VS to the slot between the processor and the 206 module....But if you do need to do that you will need to reprogram the voicemail ports for that to work properly again, and the extensions that were in the 206e will differ due to the removal of the card.

 

[LCTexas]

Follow-up Q.
Any thoughts on just replacing the power sub-module I see on eBay or just go ahead and do the whole module?
I like the warning on this one on eBay i posted the pic of..! //bad processor may toast this power module. Look for shorts on processor first!//
So maybe I will pull it, and if it sparks and look inside carefully. Does the processor module crack open in an obvious way?

 

[LCTexas]

PS Telecomboy - I appreciate your help!



re: order of cards, slots and empties.
The fat left slot has been empty* (card half inserted - the 200E) for a year and everything working.

so left to right

empty*, 206, acs processor, mail, empty

and originally the 200E was inserted for years until it died last year.

 

[Telecomboy]

You can try to replace the power supply. If that is all that fried you can get it back up and working that way. There are about 7 tabs you need to release to take the processor apart. It isn't that hard once you figure it out, but be careful as you can snap the plastic tabs off.

 

[LCTexas]

OMG THANK YOU FOR THE TIP to plug the power directly into the processor. It seems to be working!
SO... It is the backplane??!!! wow.. didnt see that coming!

thoughts?

 

[LCTexas]

I found the 350 page pdf manual of the partner! ->

http://198.152.212.23/css/P8/documents/003678472

And just saw the top backplane has a FUSE! (page 180 / 18-8)

VERY optimistic now... Thank you telecomboy!

 

[Telecomboy]

It might not be the backplane... try only plugging the processor into the backplane and see if it comes up. If it does, power down and add the 206 to the left-most slot and power it on to see if they both come up. If that works, power it down and add the PMVS to the slot between the 206 and the processor and power it up. If it all comes back up, you will need to do a little reprogramming, but no need to buy equipment.

 

[LCTexas]

I did try processor by itself after it passed the power-direct-gren-light test and nada

I have sobered up a bit. Even if it is the fuse, what blew the fuse? bad backplane/connector? bad card? external surge?

Still work to do.

 

[Dexman]

You can power each module directly by using the power cord. If any of the power supplies caused the fuse to bloe, it will make itself known by sparking and other "wonderful" actions.

Make sure you point the tops of the modules away from you when testing.

The problem with just replacing a bad power supply is that there could be damage "downstream" that would render the replacing of the power supply pointless. Replace any defective module.

I "FEATURE 00"

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7n25t/

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Buy a quantity of fuses, the old one is a ceramic one, the new one doesn't need to be, just the right size and amperage.

Replace the backplane fuse, install just the ACS processor, see if it will power up. Then power down, add the module that goes in slot 1, and power back up. If that was the bad one, the fuse will blow again, if it is good, power down and add the next module and try again. You're looking for the module that pops the fuse in the backplane. Once you find that, toss the module (or have it repaired) and replace the fuse once more.

 

[LCTexas]

HAHA Love the smileys & emoticons!

All good and logical advice.

I did find the spec and a cross-reference number

4amp, 5mm x 20mm, 150v.time lag, high
breaking capacity fuse

cross ref (internet forum):
GMC-4A

Everything is making sense. I will report back once I know more.

Thanks so much for all the help.

 

[LCTexas]

update#1

Testing revealed the (obvious) bad module - the 206e with a bad short.

We have purchased new fuse(s) from Grainger today.

I will let you know if system boots up when I get fuse replaced. We will be down one line until we get the card replaced. 200's and 206e's seem pretty cheap. We can run on the 3 lines plugged into the ACS 308 Controller Processor fine.

It tool so long because the Board of Directors was too busy to decide whether to throw more money into a 20 year old system.

When I decided only 420 for a bad of fuses and my time may be all it takes, they were more accommodating!

I will let you know!

 

[LCTexas]

Thank you everyone for your help!
Fuses from Grainger after finding a thread on it from googling
206 easily IDed as bad card with trick of plugging directly to cord bypassing chassis
System booted and alive
System also confused, first by all programming being wiped.
by line cards all dead except 3 in 308
and also Partner Mail expansion card problematic and temperamental
missing line cards and VERY WEIRD COM line cabling confusing bringing all three lines up on ACS fighting back
And now trying to learn Chinese.. er ACSlanguagefeaturecodesridicbuttonsequencethatisworsethanatwodollarchinesedigitalwwatchfrom1989

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Since the 206 is dead, and so is the old 400 card, set it up with the Voicemail in Slot 1 and of course the ACS in Slot 3.

Then at Ext. 10, Feature 00, Left Intercom twice, #505-7-22-1, #505-7-23-1

This will set up the voicemail ports and stop the lines fighting themselves, as the voicemail ports are trying to answer then simultaneously and can't handle the truth.

 

[Dexman]

Given the age of the hardware, would the BoD be willing to allow an upgrade to either the IP Office...or...the final Partner ACS hardware offerings?

The prices of ACS hardware have come down quite a bit on the secondary market.

I "FEATURE 00"

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7n25t/