atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems My 1A2 project

Arthur...so should I replace my 12 gauge green wire with some quad? lol

Joe, I'm going to jump on the band wagon here. Using 400D cards requires a solid ground and proper line polarity, period. Series E,F,G and H cards by WE and other manufacturers overcame this by introducing bridged ringing (across tip/ring) vs: grounded ringing (across ring/ground).

While this sounds as if it was an upgrade, the grounded ringing ability gave us plenty of tricks up our sleeves, like ringing multiple lines to a single ringer without a ring generator.

That required a 'real' central office with a truly grounded tip side of the CO line, something that is apparently optional these days.

One last suggestion is that you should check for a fairly large-gauge (18AWG?) white wire connected to the ground bar at the top of the 66 block in your KSU. Make sure that it is present and connected. If all else fails, use a piece of cross-connect wire to provide a true ground to any of the "G" terminals on the power supply. They are all common, so any of them will suffice.

Hi Ed,

There is a heavy gauge white wire at the top of the 66 block. I will check to see that this is common to the G terminals (using an ohmmeter).

With the ground connection that I will make tonight, should that be to an electrical box ground or a water-pipe ground (or both)?

Thanks again for the help!

Joe

Ifpossible, check continuo between the cold water pipe and an electrical ground. It should be 0 ohms. If it isn't use the water pipe.

Sam

I HEAR BELLS! :banana: :db:

My 1A2 phone system works! It rings on incoming calls, the line one button flashes, I can answer, hang up, place on hold... everything that it is supposed to do.

THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED ME WITH THIS!

To think that it was a simple ground issue! I connected the ground bar at the top of the 66 block to a cold water pipe using a hose clamp (the perm. install will use a proper ground clamp and # 10 solid copper wire in proper WECO grey), and without getting my hopes too high, I dialed in. IT WORKED!

Now, I need to figure out line two, and how to get that to work, but at least I have a working phone system!

Can you tell I am happy???

Now I need to find some more phones...

I will be back with a few extra questions tomorrow!

Best to all,

Joe

One last report... I forgot to mention that the KSU grounds were all connected to the ground bar at the top of the block.

Also, in my present abode, the resistance between the water pipe ground and electrical ground was abysmal, so I wound up using the water pipe ground.

I have not done the test with the light between the L and L1 terminals yet, but will do so tomorrow or next week. (I have to go out of town tomorrow, but I will check in with this board regularly).

The new house that we are moving into has had a complete electrical go through, and the new breaker panel is fully grounded. I had a whole house filter installed at the panel, and will instal a line filter at the outlet where the KSU will go. Eventually, I will put a UPS there as well, so I can use all of the features of the KSU if the power goes out.

Now that I have this working, I need to start accesorizing it! :-)

Best to all,

Joe

Good catch Arthur!

Sam

Actually, to keep it in true Haiku form, it should have read:

You all missed a clue.

No flash on incoming calls.

He did not ground box.

Next week I will connect a CO line to the second line on my KSU. Is there a specific slot on the KSU that the 400D KTU needs to be in? (The first line KTU is in the upper left slot looking at the KSU from the front.)

I will report what happens when I do this. Also, pictures will be posted on Sunday night.

Things I have learned so far about this project...

1> GROUND GROUND GROUND GROUND! I had no clue just how important that grounding is for this system to work properly! Now I know.

2> When planning for a smallish 1A2 system, add at least 50 percent to what you think you will need for backboard dimensions.

3> Use a <i>high quality</i> type 66 punchdown bit. I have a really nice Fluke Networks punch down tool, but the bit that came with it got dull after a few punches. I went and spent the premium to get an 'eversharp' bit, and it works much better.

4> CO TR voltages can bite you!

5> Working on this 1A2 project has been a blast!

Best to all,

Joe