Rad no longer answering 1

[phoneygirl]

I set up a fastrad several weeks ago, and it was working just great....until after the blackout.

It is set to autoanswer a line that I know is working, but it is not answering (I get ring no answer).

Is it worth asking the client to pull the power from the rad (reboot the rad??), or is a more extensive reboot (the switch - yikes) necessary, or did the rad possibly short out or something....

Anyone have experience with a rad suddenly not answering???

Thanks.

Elise Levine

 

[jerryreeve]

I would suggest you try to connect to the rad with the operator assisted method to verify that the rad itself is working then you can check the rad programming and wether or not the trunk/line is working by using the remote set tool.

JerryReeve
Communications Systems Int'l
com-sys.com

 

[galfaro]

Had the same problem today, location lost power, when it came back up the Rad did not work. Turns out the Rad lost it's programming, and had to be programmed.
Gabriel

 

[MarvO1]

This is the typical problem that happens when people suggest that the cap in the RAD be shorted out to reset the RAD password. It works, but if the RAD looses power for a period of time again, it will DEFAULT. Never, Never short out a cap on a RAD or any device without bleeding it off through a resistor. There are debugger programs to take care of this without ever shorting a cap. There is a lot of mis-information about this procedure out there. Your RAD will probably never be the same without replacing the cap.
Re-booting the RAD will not help. IMHO
If someone, somewhere suggests shorting out a cap, please bleed it off through a resistor. Wiil take about 15 more seconds. BTDT

MarvO said it

 

[WhiteStarMI]

Hey MarvO can you give a more detailed process for bleeding with a resistor? I'd like to pass on the correct information next time im asked

Thanks

 

[exsmogger]

I've always heard a 100 ohm resistor should be used to bleed off the voltage. Simply attach the leads of the resistor across the capacitor leads and hold for 30 sec. to 1 minute.

Brian Cox

http://www.jandjcommunications.com

 

[MarvO1]

Yes, 100 ohm is a good value to use. Value is not too critical. The higher the resistance, the longer it will take. The current will drop across the resistor instead of the cap.
Engineering told me that shorting a cap can build a "cat whisker" internally, much like what can ruin Ni-Cad batteries.
At least there is an old procedure that usually works to get a Nicad back, but not the cap.

I think it is important to try to get your techs to quit just shorting the cap. Applies to RADS, KSU's Flash-VM's etc.
Anytime you see a reply to a post, and they suggest shorting the cap, please pass this on. Maybe we can get a bad habbit stopped.

MarvO said it

 

[WhiteStarMI]

Thank you exmogger and MarvO I will pass that method on to all the guys I work with and of course anyone else who asks.

We've improperly shotred a couple of caps ourselfs itseems

 

[phoneygirl]

This is a rad that existed at the site when we took the account over. I did default the rad, using the procedure in the FAQ's.

I guess sometime in its past someone certainly could have shorted it out to default it.

And I hear you about not doing that.

I guess I will just reprogram it and see what happens.

Thanks alot as always.

Elise Levine

 

[jerryreeve]

I never liked the idea of shorting out the cap etc. but did not have anything other than "a bad feeliing" as a reason for not doing so. I appreciate actually knowing the reason why along with the correct proceedures.

BTW what was the correct way of bringing a nicad back to life, other than replacing the internal batteries?

JerryReeve
Communications Systems Int'l
com-sys.com

 

[galfaro]

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE IDEA TO SHORT THE CAP OUT CAME FROM. IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD GET FROM THE MANUAL OR ITAS.
GABRIEL

 

[exsmogger]

Memory caps act like a battery. As long as a certain voltage level is maintained the cap preserves system programming in case of a power outage. Shorting the cap zeroes out the voltage and thus defaults all programming changes, same as if the cap died of old age.

I'm sure the idea came from some phone guy looking for a quick fix.

Brian Cox

http://www.jandjcommunications.com

 

[MarvO1]

Jerryreeve, do you have an e-mail address that you could post here?
I will e-mail you the nicad procedure that I use.
It's not really a Norstar thing, so decided not to post it here.
I posted my e-mail address 1 time on this forum a long time ago and started getting a huge ammount of mail. Also, my phone number got posted by someone else and that was a bad deal, so I had to have the posts removed. After almost a year, I came back this spring as a different member. Just a little history on posting an address.

MarvO said it