Static on ports of a 206 module 5

[chevyman1]

I have a client that is getting static on various telephones. I take my test phone to the 206 module and go right to the port. I get static at the port. The processor is a Partner R4.0.

What electronically is going on with the port? Sometimes I will swap out the 206 module, bring it home and plug it into my test cabinet. No static. Could it be the backplane of the cabinet, could it be the processor?

When I have sent 206 modules in to have them repaired what is the maintenance company accually doing?

 

[skip555]

common problem with 206 modules , a capacitor has gone /is going bad .

It needs to burn in awhile before the static starts so If you bring it back and plug it in you may not get static right away .

time to retire them and replace them with 308 s

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Partner R4.0

Is that a Partner Plus or Partner II?? If so, 308's won't work, and you need to find a refurb 206.

 

[chevyman1]

Partner Plus, it has the second cabinet.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

If you have a 2nd cabinet, you have a Partner II.

206 modules are your only option. They are no longer manufactured, so you will need to find quality refurbished ones, hopefully with a warranty.

 

[skip555]

or upgrade the whole thing to acs and 308s

 

[chevyman1]

The static seems to move around the system. Static on an extension, it goes away and then static on another extension. I call it the moving static. Could there be a problem with the cabinet backplane or the processor?

The system is well grounded.

 

[chevyman1]

Why the ACS? Are the 308's built different electronically?

 

[Dexman]

The 206s have been around for years & years so chances are very high that a capacitor will fail. The ACS and 308EC are relatively new so their capacitors should, theoretically, last longer.

 

[chevyman1]

The static seems to move around the system. Static on an extension, it goes away and then static on another extension. I call it the moving static. Could there be a problem with the cabinet backplane or the processor?

The system is well grounded.

 

[skip555]

is it really moving around the system or could it be various ports on the same 206 ?

Ive not run into that but when one post on a 206 goes bad others may follow .

if in fact its jumping around between 206's then I would suspect the processor .

could also be a cabling issue when you have a extension with static do you check it at the module ?

 

[chevyman1]

The static that I encounter is at the phone but I am checking it at the port of the 206.

 

[sandman1969]

chevyman,

Static is a very common problem on the old 206 modules. Avaya/lucent/ATT last made these modules in 1998 so the odds are the 206's in your system are at least 10 years old if not 15. Capacitors become flaky or just go bad. Before you sell the customer a "new" 206 make sure they know that the guts are at least 10 years old. I have had a few 206’s"refurbished" However, it seems like the static will appear on another port. If you are going to get it repair be sure the company replaces capacitors on all ext ports. I literally have a 5 ft stack of old 206 that all have some problem with them. I give them to my nonprofits clients that may need a few additional ports on an existing system. I put phones on the good port and don’t use the bad.

Someone else pointed out that the static sometimes take a while to start. If you bring a card home it could take more than a day for the static to start. I also think heat (temperature in the phone closet) plays a key roll in both the static appearing and the failure of the cards.

Since you have 2 cabinets I assume that at least one is completely full. The old cabinets have the modules closer together so with a full old cabinet the modules do heat up. I would suggest you don’t put the covers on the cabinets.

Best option would be to convince your customer to upgrade to new partner ACS and 308 cards. It will cost less in the long run compared to T&M on tracking down static. 10-15 year life span for phone equipment sounds pretty good to me.