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Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment |
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16th May 2016, 8:57 pm | #1 |
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BT Ensign PABX
I bought this PABX from the Bring & Buy at the NVCF, along with two and a half telephone terminals for use with it.
Unfortunately, when I power it up the indicator LED flashes (long on/short off). According to the information on Bob Freshwater's web site, this means that the the test routine has detected a fault, which it says further down means a memory or processor error. I notice from the section "Commissioning the installation" of the above-mentioned page that I should set the "run/park" switch upwards to the "park" position. Unfortunately, I can find no information regarding which switch it means, but assuming it is the one next to the indicator, this is permanently on with the switch upwards and flashing as described above with the switch downwards. Does anyone know of a non-fatal cause of this or anything I can check - or has my unit "shuffled off the mortal coil" like the proverbial Monty Python parrot?
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16th May 2016, 9:12 pm | #2 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
is there a memory battery in there?
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Kevin |
17th May 2016, 7:02 am | #3 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
Yes, but it's probably well past its use-by date. Other PABXes I have with such batteries simply lose any settings when switched off, requiring them to be re-entered next time the unit is powered up. Do I take it, then, that this system won't even start up without a functioning battery?
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21st Jun 2016, 11:39 pm | #4 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
mm, I dont know. I just wondered if a partially discharged battery had lead to a corrupt memory checksum failure or similar sort of thing.
I do know stuff that won't boot properly if the battery is short but that's another subject!
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Kevin |
22nd Jun 2016, 7:42 am | #5 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
Another subject it may be, but it's also another possibility.
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30th Apr 2018, 10:59 am | #6 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
Thread reopened at OP's request.
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30th Apr 2018, 11:10 am | #7 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
Many thanks.
After leaving this project on the back burner for nearly two years, I am have decided to have another go at getting it working - starting by replacing the battery. Below is an image of the existing battery, so I am wondering whether it would be appropriate to replace this with a set of three 1.2V NiMH cells.
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30th Apr 2018, 12:52 pm | #8 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
Farnell do one by VARTA 55615603059 150ma 3.6v so do RS
Dave
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30th Apr 2018, 1:52 pm | #9 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
Thanks Dave. This looks like the way to go - and cheaper than a set of three cells with a holder.
I'll let y'all know how I get on.
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30th Apr 2018, 6:54 pm | #10 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
While you're in the area I would check for track damage. Any sign of corrosion or seepage of goo..dried-on or otherwise?
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1st May 2018, 12:10 am | #11 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
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11th May 2018, 10:26 am | #12 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
The new battery arrived this morning, so it was out with the old and in with the new. Unfortunately, I seem to have upset something in the process. When I power up, the line relays operate as they should, but the LED doesn't light up at all! Moving the run/park switch between run and park makes no difference.
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11th May 2018, 3:11 pm | #13 |
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Re: BT Ensign PABX
After taking out the board, giving the tracks around the battery a thorough clean, and reassambling, I'm almost back to my previous situation. With the system switch in run mode, I again get the LED indication (long on/short off) of a processor or memory error, but in park mode the LED goes off instead of on.
It does appear, though, that my original problem went deeper than just a dead battery.
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