Trace phone system at punchdown block (Merlin Magix)

[JD Safari]

Hello,

We have an ancient Avaya phone system, which I am certain is a Merlin Magix. I need to move a phone line for a user to a different jack in the wall. The port I want to use I traced back to the punch down block (the cable going from the "new" wall jack to the block is not hot). However, I don't know where on the punch down block to move the twisted pair. None of the previous IT documented what extension goes to what punch down. I know how to punch wires down if I know where they go. Is there a way to safely trace where individual extensions go at the punchdown block?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

From the main, programming phone:

Menu
Maintenance
Port
Station
Dial the extension number, Enter
Status

This will give you the "Logical ID" and the "Slot/Port"

Now you can find the which card the extension is on (the Processor is slot 0, so the card after that is slot 01), and the port on the card (if it has modular jacks for connections, they are numbered from the BOTTOM up, if it is a TDL card that uses an Amphenol connector to extend the stations to a block, the port is the pair number)

 

[merlinman]

Depending upon the type of phone, you need either 1 or 2 Pairs of wires. The "NEWER" TDL Phones, (44xx Series) use only 1 pair of wires (The white/blue, where the MLX (Identified with MLX on the set) uses at least 2 pair (white/blue & white/green).

So, look at the Jumper to determine which colors are being used on the Current connection and replicate that.

If you have problems with that, please post a picture and we can go from there.

http://merlinmanswebpage.yolasite.com

 

[JD Safari]

I should probably expand on the situation a bit. The punch down block I'm working at is in a closet about 100" away from where the phone system is physically located. It looks like the previous IT/Maintenance ran cables from some punchdowns at the phone system to this particular block. I don't think I can reliably say where each inidividual wire cable on the punch down is going.

You did give me an idea I that I can experiment with, however. I have a toner and an inductive amplifier. I could use the logical ID to find out where her extension comes out in the phone closet. I unplug her line, connect the toner in place of the line, and find the signal at the other end.

Does that sound like an idea, or is there a better way to sort this out? Or..., do I burn down the phone closet and use it as an excuse to implement VoIP?

EDIT: I can confirm that our phones use 1 pair, the blue/white blue pair.

 

[merlinman]

Yep, that's how I've been doin' it for over 50 years. You now have a plan. - Good Luck and keep us posted......

http://merlinmanswebpage.yolasite.com

 

[JD Safari]

It worked like a charm! I happened to discover that there are actually three places I have to tone out, for future reference. There is yet another set of punchdown blocks in the janitor closet which go between the phone system and other locations in the plant. I was aware that the second previous IT did some weird things, but some infrastucture planning decisions that he made really make me scratch my head.

Thanks!