Topic: Adding a station on an existing CX system

[EV607797]

I was sent out to activate another station on an existing CX installation.  The set is a Mitel labeled 4110 set, which I believe is the equivalent to Inter-Tel's 5120 series.  Anyway, I'm trying to add this phone to what should be the 13th station port on the system.  Ports 1-8 on the first module are cross-connected and ports 1-4 on the second one.  I'm using the fifth one. 

I get dial tone with a butt set on the first pair and data noise on the second pair, so I'm sure my cable and jacks are good.  When the phone is connected, I get talk battery in the handset and the display is fully functional, but the phone doesn't work otherwise.  Do I need to get into system programming via X20 to activate this port or is there more to it?  I don't think it is programmed as "disconnected" since it should be returning a busy signal when going off-hook under those circumstances.  Could it be a polarity issue?  Any ideas?

[MacGyver]

Have you frogged a phone from another station just to rule that out?  Polarity is always worth doublechecking on an Inter-Tel.  They do strange things with the second pair characteristically.  We jumped ship when they changed the licensing structure and made choices that were better for us and out clients, so I don't know that system, but in previous Inter-tel systems, you did have to go in and enable the port to make it work. 

I can't remember if Rhett knows that system or not.  He might be worth a PM if you don't find an answer.

[EV607797]

Don't everyone answer at once! I'm posting back to convey that I found out what the problem was in case someone else encounters this scenario. After returning to the site, I determined that there was something about the white/blue pair that the system didn't like. I could get dial tone across it with a butt set with no problem, all of the usual continuity testing passed, but once a digital set was connected, the pair didn't work for audio. After moving to another pair, it worked fine.

What's odd is that I only had a three pair cable to work with and the third pair was being used for a fax. I put the fax on what was the "defective" white/blue pair and it works perfectly fine.

[hbiss]

Something bridged off that pair someplace you can't see?

-Hal

[MacGyver]

Ed I was taught early on that on Inter-Tel 66 blocks we could use bridge clips on the incoming trunks, but not on the digital stations.  The reason being that even the slightest bit of oxidation under the bridge clips could cause issues.  According to Ken, the battery voltage from the CO was strong enough to jump the oxidation on the tip and ring, but the digital stations just didn't have it.