atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems Couldn't Believe My Eyes Today...

I'm out of town with my squadron in Fallon, Nevada. Today, before meeting up with everyone to go bowling, I decided to grab some food, so I walked over to the Chinese restaurant two buildings down from the hotel I'm staying at. I walk in the door, and what do I see on the wall?



After I finished eating, I mentioned to the lady that owns the place that I collected that type of phones, and she mentioned that they were having random issues with it now and then. I asked her if I could take a peek at the cabinet, and she obliged. I followed her to the rear of the kitchen, and sure enough, right on the wall, I see an ITT 601 KSU.




































She mentioned that they were having issues with it "overheating," which sounded odd. I think the issue was more that English was not her first language, and less of that the KSU was overheating, which sounded unlikely to me. Upon investigation, I found that the top line card was corroded, and had clearly at one point shorted. But... it was still working. This would explain any intermittent issues they were having. As they only have two lines, I swapped out the line 1 card with the spare that was in the line 3 slot.

Before I left, she mentioned she'd been offered new system installations, but they were all to expensive. She mentioned she likes and wants to keep her current phones. I told her I could easily find her some replacement phones and some extra line cards for a relatively low cost. The only issue is, I'm about 800 miles away from my tools and phones. I could sell and ship her some 1A2 wall phones, but who would put them in? The phones are hardwired to the KSU... So I couldn't instruct her on how to swap them out. Any ideas? Anyone local willing to take on just hooking up the phones?

And you had that great big area to put notes and write on.

Those phones aren't hard wired. They are just an inverted desk set, complete with a standard 25 pair line cord. I will admit that I used to unplug the factory line cord from the bottom of the ITT sets in instances where there wasn't a hollow wall to allow me to stash the cord away.

A few line cards and spare phones will last her a lifetime. I'd sell them to her. I mean think about it, anyone can screw a phone to the wall or change a line card.

Good find Scott!!!

So there's a plug I'm just not seeing? I'm going to see if I can go by today or tomorrow and hook up line two on all the sets before I leave here, this way she can just replace the phones.

@brokeda: Notes? You mean for a future installer or tech?

I believe that's called sarcasm

I made an appointment for tomorrow at 1030 just before they open to go by and show her how to replace the phones with the ones I'm going to ship her. I'm also going to pick up some more KTU's and fuses so she'll have spares for everything. I'll let you guys know how it goes!

Free fried dumplings for life, in return for lifetime service?

On the bottom of the phone, there's a small, gray, flat plastic "door" that slides out. It holds the female connector of the cable into the male plug that's part of the phone.

Great! Thank you Arthur, you saved me some poking around, as I've never messed with one of the 2854 sets before. I've only got a 2851, which has it's own punch blocks inside.

As much as I'd love to ask for free food forever, I don't live here in Fallon so it wouldn't do me much good