sundance-communications.com Forums More-Phone & VoIP Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems Touch-a-Matic (TAM) 32 Battery Replacement

Fellow techies,

For those who are still using the grand old TAM-32 phones, with or without a 1A2 system, it has probably come to your attention that the NiCd battery pack in these beasties was a custom build, and is not easily (if at all) found.

Thanks to a bit of reverse-engineering (OK, I cracked open an old pack and looked at it), I have discovered a means to easily replace/rebuild these batteries, at least for the 872A2M or 2872A2M series (the secret is in the 'A2M' designator -- the batteries for the 'A1M' are, as I understand it, different).

First and foremost: Crack open the old pack. This is easily done with a flat-blade screwdriver and a few judicious taps from an 8-Oz. ball-peen hammer along the seam. SAVE THE OLD MODULAR PLUG AND PIGTAIL WIRES! You will need them!

Next: Order yourself Mouser Electronics part number 6396-2.1K-F4. It'll run you $16.75 plus shipping. It consists of nothing more than four Sub-C size, 2100mAh NiCd cells in series with solder tabs on the outside terminals. If the Mouser assembly goes away, pretty much any similar-size Sub-C pack should do the same job.

Finally: Solder the red lead from the old plug to the new pack's positive terminal, and both black and the yellow lead all together to the negative. Reassemble the plastic shell any way which hits your fancy, and put the whole thing back in the phone.

I have a .PDF document available, describing the process and wiring, if anyone wants a copy.

Happy tweaking.

Thanks for taking the time and for letting us know!

Sam