sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems ESI Telephones & Systems Ring voltage too weak?

Hi guys,
we installed a Comm Server 200 on Friday night and the customer has a gate that is locked and a 3rd party call box installed there. The way it works is that it rings an analog port on the system which is connected to a Wheelock relay (don't have the part number handy but it is the one that looks like a big "can of soup"). The relay trips and causes a tone to be generated over the page speakers then the warehouse people can do a call pickup on that analog port and dial a code to open the gate via DTMF tones. The problem seems to be that the ESI does not put out enough ring voltage to consistently trip the relay....sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Their old system worked exactly the same way but consistently. Is there an easy way to correct this? I think one of our techs was going to contact ESI but got pulled for another install so I thought I'd post here just so I can let the customer know what we can do about it...it's not a major problem as long as we can get it fixed soon.

Thanks,
Tim

Tim, there is a resistor in the relay's coil circuit that can be eliminated (or bypassed with a piece of wire) that will allow the relay to respond to lower voltages. With the resistor removed (option H), the coil can respond to voltages as low as 39 VAC. Refer to figure 2, schematic A on sheet 3 of the attached document:

Take a look at this schematic

how do you have the analog port programed?
modem.doorbox,fax,phone? try seting it as a doorbox then set the doorbox to offhook ring where ever you need it to ring i sugest seting up a department group and have it ring it

Sorry, Tim. I should have said to use the "C-H" option in the relay unit in order for it to respond to 39-60 volts. I'm sure that your tech will understand, but I thought I'd add that just in case.

A lot of systems use 55VAC ringing, which is just below the relay's factory setting. More than likely, the old system's ring voltage was just a little bit higher, hence the reason that it occasionally worked. Hope this helps.

Thanks Ed....that looks to be an easy and less expensive solution to buying Viking ring boosters which is what I initially thought of....
I'll pass this on to oobie and see if he can get it working!

Tim

Thanks ED!!

It is working now....thank again Ed for coming up with that quick solution! We owe you a beer!

Tim

Anytime, guys. Thanks for letting us all know how it worked out.

I think the gang at ESI owes Ed at least a case of Coors Light. One little detail like that can give a recently installed system a black mark.

ESI, don't you wish all your resellers had that kind of field knowledge?

Edited by request

Yes thanks again Ed!!