sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems ESI Telephones & Systems Caller ID

Hey everyone,

Let me start by saying so glad I found this forum. I am new to the ESI world. In my other life I administered a large Nortel 81c for about 15 years. I have since changed jobs but was recently was asked to assist with the replacement phone system for my new employer from an older IVX system that was apparently stuck by lightning to the ESI-100. That said I have a couple of questions:

What are the specs for proper ground on this ESI-100 system? Seems to me if that was proper this should not have happened. The Nortel was on a designated ground.

We randomly lose Caller ID. (did it in the old system as well) Had the local carrier out last week and they are think they need to place an ADTRAN between their equipment and the ESI system. HAs anyone have any ideas and or fixes?

Thanks in advance

The caller ID buffer can get full causing caller ID not to work , ESI can clear the buffer

First off, welcome!

Second, if the Adtran is converting a PRI or T1 into POTS lines, you can test the Caller ID by connecting a caller ID box to the CO lines and make some test calls. If the caller ID does not display on any of the calls, then you know it's the carrier or their Adtran. If you are consistently seeing Caller ID information displayed and the ESI does not, then you have an overwrite buffer problem. If the ESI is directly connected to a PRI, then you need to contact an ESI dealer in your area and have them come to the site and call ESI and the technicians at ESI can look into the system when calls are coming in and tell what is going on with the caller ID.

I would be really surprised to see the problem with the ESI.

Third, if you do a search in this site for grounding, you will see that much has been written regarding grounding and bonding of telephone systems. The proper method of bonding and grounding is to run the ground wire to the telephone company's cable sheath bond and then make sure there is no resistance between that ground and the building electrical system's ground. If there is, run another wire to the building's electrical system's ground point (usually an incoming water pipe) and your ESI ground.

That said, there is NOTHING that will protect ANY equipment from a direct or near direct lightning strike. Damage can be greatly minimized by placing lightning and surge suppressors between the incoming telephone lines to the ESI and the ESI itself. Those devices also need to be grounded as explained above.

Rcaman