M2616 handset volume drops out 1

[OrangeMonkey]

I have a Nortel digital 2616 set that is driving me bonkers. I have literally changed everything including the phone itself, wiring, and terminal block. The issue is the handset earpiece volume. One second its fine the next I can bearly hear with the volume set to max. Sometimes it will start working by unplugging for a few seconds. Obviously after changing all related components I suspect the switch. This phone had been working for years with the same programming without this issue. No other phones have been reported with the same problem. This set does have the handsfree feature where it adjusts its speaker volume but this is the earpiece. I have noticed if I blow into the mouthpiece the earpiece volume drops momentarily. This is consistant with the rest of our phones. Its just that this one does not come back. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[GHTROUT]

Have you changed the digital line card, or moved this user to a different TN in all of this effort?

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[OrangeMonkey]

Thanks GHTROUT,
Sorry if I used the wrong terminology in my original post. I have not changed any cards in the switch. I don't have any spares. I do believe I have changed the TN. I moved the connection point at the switch. I am beginning to suspect the handsets I have tried. I have no new ones but I thought the ones I tried were good. Either there is an issue inside the switch or I have bad handsets. As I said when I blow into the receiver I can hear the volume drop in the earpiece monentarily which I assume is a good thing. If the earpiece is bad maybe it can't handle the volume when it is set at high. The digital phones use two conductors. Is the volume in the earpiece controlled by the circuitry in the phone or in the switch? No other phones exhibit this problem.

 

[johnpoole]

i would roll the tn with one without the problem, if you can move the problem you can isolate it. sounds like a bad tn or port.. it could be a cont or net card but the dlc is the 1st place to look

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[nessman]

How old is the phone (should be on the barcode label underneath)? I've seen a lot of 2616's from the early 1990's with leaking capacitors that affect earpiece volume.

If the phone behaves consistently from TN to TN (especially from card to card) it's a bad phone. If all phones on a card are behaving the same, but with no problems on another card, then it's a bad card.

2616's and NT8D02 digital line cards are fairly inexpensive on the grey market. It's always a good idea to have spares.

 

[OrangeMonkey]

Thanks Nessman,

Finally a response that makes sense. You could be right. Is there a way to id that capacitor and replace it? As I said I have switched phones but both are from the same purchase made in the 90's. No other phones have been reported to have this problem but this location is at the front desk and is heavily used. Is there a way to get a circuit diagram? I'll take the original phone apart and see if I can locate that capacitor. Thanks again.

 

[nessman]

I wouldn't bother, not worth the time or trouble... you can get refurbished 2616's online for less than $50 - if not cheaper.

 

[OrangeMonkey]

LOL

 

[OrangeMonkey]

Thanks, Nessman,
I have discovered more phones with same issue. I am now looking to determine which cards may be at fault. I have one NT8D02EB Rise 03 on shelf 0 and one NT8D02EA Rise 04 on shelf 1. When shopping for cards do I need an exact match for the last two letters (EA, EB) and Rise numbers (03, 04). I see ebay has some for $45. Are there other cards that could be at fault? Thanks again

 

[nessman]

If the TN's of the affected phones are the same loop, shelf and card (i.e., 4 0 1 1, 4 0 1 8, 4 0 1 12), then it's a bad card. Really comes down to looking at common elements and the process of elimination.

Also, pay attention to system messages on the system terminal and what happens during midnight routines. You can review these in LD 22 (PRT -> AHST). You can see what the various messages mean by **** out of any LD's and doing an ERR and the message code (i.e., ERR OVD004) or looking them up in the appropriate NTP.

The card vintage and release shouldn't make much difference unless you're doing something exotic. The more recent the better because of newer circuitry. AA is going to be older than say EB. Release is just firmware revisions.

 

[OrangeMonkey]

Nessman,

Thank you for your patience. I have made some more progress. I have determined that during my effort to solve my problem I have connected to both digital cards with the same results. One card is 4-0-2 and the other one is 4-1-3. I only have 2 free TNs on the first card and 5 free TNs on the second. Apparently the fault only occurs with heavy use since the users of the other digital phones have not reported any issues. The other day I moved one of the other digital phones from the Night Auditor's desk out to the Front Desk using a longer wire (no TN change) where it received heavy use. After about 4 hours it started to crap out. I disconnected the line cord and reconnected it and after several attempts it began to work properly again. I will take your advice and investigate the midnight routines. I'll let you know what I find. If I want to reseat the cards do I need to power down the entire switch, or the shelf or disable the cards before hand?

 

[nessman]

No need to power anything down when reseating cards.

To properly reseat...

LD 20
REQ: DISC 4 0 2
Pull card out, put back in - the red light on the card should remain lit
REQ: ENLC 4 0 2
Red light on the card should go out

Repeat for card 4 1 3

You'll see some XMI messages on your maintenance terminal during this process which is normal.

You may have a bad phone at your night auditor's desk if reseating doesn't help.

 

[GHTROUT]

Ya, you can use LD 20, but why teach someone where not to find the commands.

Disable and enable in LD 32. You can actually follow along with the books that way.



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[OrangeMonkey]

Hey let's all get along... I'll try the reseating tomorrow and let you know. Also would a power cycle on the shelf or switch have any effect on our current problem? If these cards are not faulty where would I look next. Are there other cards or components I can look at? I will look at the midnight routines but are there other diagnostics I can run during the day. Are there tests I can run on the cards? I have all the manuals but its always easier with a little push in the right direction.

 

[bhassell2000]

I always avoid a power cycle unless a last resort. maybe I am fertile for problems but I have a history of power supplies not coming back up.

Thanks,

Buddy

Linked in Profile

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/buddy-hassell/7/5a5/b8b

 

[OrangeMonkey]

I would fear a hard drive crash myself. I also have to reset the alarm and enable the Voicemail to get it working. This is basically a ticking time bomb.

 

[OrangeMonkey]

Hey guys...
I wanted to share the conclusion of this thread. You have to understand that the phone and it's location get a lot of use and abuse. I must have replaced the 25' handset cord at least 10 times over the 12 years or so we have had the system. This is the first time a faulty handset cord has presented these symptoms but that's what it was. Since the cord had just been replaced I kept using it not thinking that reduced volume could be caused by the cord. Even though I swapped out 4 different phones and thought each one had the same issue at the end of the day the handset cord was the common factor. It just goes to show that when you ASSUME it does make an ASS out of you sometimes. Thanks again for all your help.