Where to start? Intercom fault finding.

[th_walking_dude]

Hi All

Hoping one of you kind people could give me a few pointers with a job I am going to look at next week.

It's basically fault finding on an intercom system, a tenant in an apartment can't hear when people are buzzing up to them, that's about all I know so far.

I'm afraid to say I don't know much about intercom systems, the job is part of a maintenance contract I have with a property management company so it's not really something I can easily avoid and to be honest as it's a weakness I would rather get stuck in, get good at it and make it a strength but ideally without making a fool of myself in the process!!!

Having lived in an apartment myself I know how crap handsets can be so it is quite likely a dud handset but it would go against the grain to go around blindly changing parts without knowing why.

So if any one has any faultfinding tips or hints would be really appreciated.

Can't find any good resources online.

Also I don't suppose there are really any books which touch on this too much but if anyone could recommend anything that would be great.

 

[Dcf]

That's awesome you've (all) been a massive help. I have seen those online. sods law they have an install from the 90s and I won't be able to get parts although having looked at those systems I don't imagine changing the whole panel wouldn't be too terrible.

As recent as the 90s... You will be doing well!
some of the older ones have some weird and wonderful methods of operation.
start at the panel to check the push.
If it's not right short across the push to make double sure.
if ok check the handset
watch out for common wires that are sometimes looped from flat to flat
the likes of videx and bpt have tech support who are quite good tbh.
check out intercomsrus who have an excellent handset finder bit on their site which has got me out of a spot on a few occasions
the hardest part of fixing a door entry is getting the full picture about what the problem is
is everyone else's working ? Oh yeah. Then after you've spent a bit getting a handset and the like the neighbour says his isn't working either and it's the lock that's faulty!
you get the drift I'm sure

 

[simpson93]

I would check to see if the volume is up
some people knock it down without realising it's even there

before it all gets too complicated.

 

[th_walking_dude]

Just a quick update, went to this job the buzzer was working when calling the effected flat but not ringing the phone upstairs so, either a lose connection, dodgy handset or break in continuity I thought. Opened up the handset checked all was ok and from what I could see it was, closed it back up and went downstairs to have a look in the control panel but thought I'd try the buzzer again and it worked right away, tried it a few times and it was fine. I asked the tenant if it was an intermittent fault and he said it has never worked, not even once so it looks like a loose connection in the handset (i did tighten them) or a break in a wire in the handset that is now sitting pretty. Either way the jobs a good un (for now at least!)

Just wanted to post an update and say thanks for everyones help and advice, I spent a few hours reading up on these and looking at wiring diagrams so feel a lot more comfortable doing these in future.

 

[ruston]

Just a quick update, went to this job the buzzer was working when calling the effected flat but not ringing the phone upstairs so, either a lose connection, dodgy handset or break in continuity I thought. Opened up the handset checked all was ok and from what I could see it was, closed it back up and went downstairs to have a look in the control panel but thought I'd try the buzzer again and it worked right away, tried it a few times and it was fine. I asked the tenant if it was an intermittent fault and he said it has never worked, not even once so it looks like a loose connection in the handset (i did tighten them) or a break in a wire in the handset that is now sitting pretty. Either way the jobs a good un (for now at least!)

Just wanted to post an update and say thanks for everyones help and advice, I spent a few hours reading up on these and looking at wiring diagrams so feel a lot more comfortable doing these in future.

Nice for someone to actually come back and give the result , and a thank you at the same time.

Well done for that.

 

[Dcf]

My thoughts exactly Ruston.
the way it should work on a forum of any type in the ideal world.

 

[john osborne]

What a helpful lot you are.
Going to check one myself today and good to have back up from you guys.

 

[Specialist]

A good tone & trace kit can be your best friend with jobs like that, especially on bigger systems.

 

[Rpa07]

I went to a job in a flat the other week where the boss just gave me a 'bell 501' handset and said 'go change that over'.
Wasn't as easy at that! There was no logic to be used, looked at new schematics, no good. Tested old for microphone and power but no solid evidence of what would go where so being 12v dc max I got the daughter of the flat owner to go stand by the door, I phoned her on loudspeaker and tried every combination of the six wires until we got it. Thank you vodaphone, thank you daughter - yeh Thanks Boss!

 

[DPG]

Thanks for the update OP, glad you got it sorted.

 

[Specialist]

What update DPG ?

 

[DPG]

The OP told us he'd found the fault.

 

[Rpa07]

Not the OP @DPG was a SP (secondary) - he might update us but he hasn't been yet! Confused. Com!

 

[DPG]

I see what's happened. The op did tell us the outcome but it was in May! I think someone has resurrected an old thread.