atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Nortel Telephones & Systems Nortel MICS Trouble

There is something very weird going on at a customer site. Several months ago they had a lightning strike that took out the phone system. We replaced the entire system and added a sine wave output battery backup. Today I get a call from the customer that they are once again having problems. The system has been up and down all day. Sometime you can make and receive calls, sometime the phone just show the time and date and none of the buttons work and sometime the phones blink like they are booting. I removed all of the station cabling and tried booting with an amphanol tail with a extension tied to the first pair with no success. I removed all the cards and expansion bay except for the software card, plugged the power directly into the outlet and still nothing. I could really use a hand in this troubleshooting. Also, if I remove the software card will I loose the programming?
Thanks in advance.

Sounds like it's time for another cabinet. (Was this one a used/refurb?)

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" Also, if I remove the software card will I loose the programming?"
Only if you turn it on while the card is out. OR you pull the card with power on, which will also damage the card!

It was new. If I replace with another cabinet will the station programming be there when I power up the new shelf?

No, the modifications to the basic card 'instructions' are held in the cabinet, if memory serves me. I know, not what you wanted to here.

Before changing the cabinet again, I'd get the circuit tested and I don't mean by a $10 volt/ohm meter. Beg, borrow or steal a power recorder. It won't take long if you can get your hands on one.

We had problems at the work center that I worked at with Bell. The building's dept brought in an "L-Cheapo-Delux" one, left it for a week and it showed 120 vac without fluctuations at all.

We call the "Special Services depart. and they attaced a $50,000 recorder ued for computer circuits and within 5 minutes his reported fluctuations from something like 82 vac to 142 vac for .3 seconds, 1.7 seconds, etc.

That got the electricians to straighten out the circuits affected. :read:

I agree with MooreTel..I had a similar problem. Our electric company was providing 120 VAC at 59 cycles!! Since you mentioned sine wave, I think that is where your problem lies. I had to bring in an o-scope and a frequency counter to prove to them that the issue was on there side. Once they replaced the transformer outside, my problems were gone. This problem was caused by a lightning strike as well.

I think that you are correct about the power issues. Now I just need to find someone who can test the circuits. Luckily I had an old spare MICS at my office that we installed and now the phones are working again, at least for today. Does anyone know of a good place to get a MICS main cabinet repaired? I've got several damaged units laying around now.

I've used Tennessee Telecom for about 20 years when I needed a repair and that has been very seldom. They are as competent as I've ever found.
615-443-0040, Very pleasant people to deal with and they have done several upgrades on VM for me.