Partner MLS-18D Phone - clicking noise from speaker

[Kinneman]

I have a phone that started making a clicking noise randomly through the phone speaker. It's the same sound you get when you push a progammed button. When it starts doing this, all the phone buttons stop working.

I get the feeling a button is stuck down - but I took it apart and looked - nothing is wrong that I can see. Has anyone else had this problem and found a way to fix the phone?

Thank you for your help

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Have you tried the phone on another port of the phone system, and have you tried another phone on the jack where this one is plugged in?

Clicking noises are usually caused by a short of one side of the data pair to one side of the voice pair, and can be caused by a 6-position modular plug that didn't center into an 8-pin jack, or a short in the I/W.

 

[Kinneman]

Hi TouchTone - yes I tried the phone in another port (phone still ticked) and I tried another phone in the same port (with the same RJ cable) and it didn't tick.

After I posted, I managed to get the phone to stop ticking just long enough to press "Feature-0-0" and when it started ticking again, the display showed "Blank" instead of the date and time. I also discovered that phone has one button that was accidentally not assigned to any function. When these phone buttons are pressed and are not assigned, they show "Blank" on the phone display. I suspect that the mylar template that goes under the buttons may have some build up carbon or dust - just enough to make the button trigger. I will take it apart and clean it. If that fixes it, I'll let everyone know. By the way, this tick is not static - it's the same sound that the phone makes in notmsl operation when pressing the programmed buttons.

Thanks for responding TouchTone
Kinneman

 

[exsmogger]

The MLS phones often had the mylar membranes go bad and lock the phone up. I'd suspect this is the problem. Either replace the phone or purchase a new membrane for the phone.

Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[Kinneman]

Does anyone know who sells the membrane (brand new) - or how to properly clean an old one?

 

[exsmogger]

I buy from Dynamic Voice & Data near Houston, TX. Their website is

http://dvd-inc.com/.

Cleaning doesn't usually fix this problem. The membranes are double-sided and the problem is usually a short or open between the two sides of the membrane. You can try gently rubbing the membrane contacts with a pencil eraser.

Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[Kinneman]

Thank you Brian Cox - this place has great prices. I just placed an order.

 

[Kinneman]

Follow Up:

Turns out the Mylar part (which is called a "Flex Circuit") was the cause of the ticking noise. The problem was fixed once I put a new flex circuit in the phone.

I looked at the old Flex Circuit under a microscope and there was a tiny build-up across the two circuit traces. It looked like residue from the carbonized rubber button that presses down on the trace when a phone button is pressed.

Kinneman