Panasonic KX-TA824 Telephone System

© Brooke Clarke 2012


Panasonic KX-TA824 Telephone System

Background
Photos
    Fig 9 House DSL
Features
Components
    KX-TA824
    KX-T7731 Proprietary Telephone (PT)
    KX-T7050
    KX-T7735
    KX-T7736
    Table of Compatible Phones
Installation
66 Block
110 Block
6 Position Wall Jack
Failure - Backup Battery?
Power Failure Connections
Patents
Related
Links

Background

This is a small business telephone system that's a favorite on the Singing Wires telephone list server Yahoo Group.   That's because is loaded with features and out of the box supports both Panasonic proprietary telephones (PT) as well as old fashioned dial phones.  In addition it supports Caller ID on the first three central office outside lines.

I plan on adding a Voice Over Internet Protocol (WIKI: VOIP) capability so that I can make free long distance calls.  Note: my cell phone has no signal at my house and even with the repeater only has a couple of bars when the phone is located in the SpotWave Z1900 cell phone repeater hot spot.  The Magic Jack was the early low cost VOIP solution but there are now others.

The serial number starts with 2F which I've been told means this unit was made in 2012.

The key idea is that I can choose which outside line (home phone copper line, fax copper line or VOIP line) to use depending on where I'm calling.
2016 update.  This is working very well.  My long distance bill has gone to near zero (sometimes a guest uses the wrong line). Google Voice still is the VOIP provider and their international rate is 1¢ per minute.  Domestic calls are free.  There can be a problem if someone is watching Netflix while another tries to make a VOIP call since my download speed is only 2.2 Mbits/sec.

Photos

Fig 1
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System
Fig 2
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System
Fig 3

(Fig 4 same as) Fig 5 Options (CID 1 is in stock unit)
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System Options

Fig 6 Caller ID CID Card
KX-TE-82494/TA82493/TE82493
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System Caller ID (CID) Card


Fig 16 with 8 CO lines & 24 Jacks + CID on CO1 through CO6 (not needed on CO7 & CO8)
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System


Fig 7 Out Going Message OGM card
KX-TE82491/TA82491
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System Out Going Message OGM card
Fig 8 Built-InVoice 2-Channel Message Card (BV) KX-TA82492
8AASA003502
UPC: 0 37988 85141 6
Panasonic
                        KX-TA824 Telephone System Built-in Voice Mail BV
                        card
Panasonic KX-TA824 Telephone System
                        Built-in Voice Mail BV card

Initialization Instructions

  1. Connect a PT to extension jack 01 of the PBX & with handset down (on hook)
  2. Press PROGRAM (PROGRAM)
  3. Press *#
  4. Enter your SYSTEM Password (Default: 1234)
  5. Enter 808  (3-digit programming code)
    ------------------------------------------------------
    the above procedure is how all the programming starts
    use programming code 000 to set the date and time
    ------------------------------------------------------
  6. Press NEXT (SP-Phone)
  7. Press STORE (AUTO DIAL/STORE)
  8. Press END (HOLD)
  9. Press PROGRAM (PROGRAM)





Fig 9 Pre-wired board installed on garage wall
It was a mistake to locate the KX-TA824 box at the top of the backboard because when working on it the hinge is at the bottom so you can't place anything on the backboard below it.  A much better layout would be either:
  • Place the box at the bottom edge of the backboard (where there's nothing below to interfere with the lid, or
  • Use a larger backboard and use the space below the KX-TA824 for a system diagram.

Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System



There needs to be space below the KX-TA824 to allow the lid to open.
The supplied mounting screws have a shoulder and a washer and when the screw is turned
until it seats on the washer the gap between the top of the washer and the underside of the
head is just right for a snug fit to the KX-YA824.

Prewiring:
CO1, CO2 and CO3 at the upper right.
J01 and J02 at the left with J01 using the first two pair of the 6 pair cable.

The 6-pair cable can be seen at the right of the board and going through the wall at the bottom
which comes out at the NID out the outside wall.

PS the equipment below the backboard is a GRC-206 in it's MT-6250 mount.


Fig 10 Close Up of J01 on 66 Block
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System J01 66 Block wiring
Yel
Wht/Org
+15V
Grn
Wht/Blu
+30V
Red
Blu/Wht
-30V
Blk
Org/Wht
-15V
Predominant color/Trace Color
Fig 11 KX-TA824 working with KX-T7731 PT
The DSL spliter/filter is connected
and feeding office jack 4 -> computers & VOIP working.
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System with KX-T7731 PT
Fig 11a - 5 Feb 2013
Panasonic
                KX-TA824 Telephone System & DSL splitter & 66
                Punch down block
Still has no optional line cards.
Jack
Description
01
Downstairs
02
Upstairs
03
Garage
04
FAX/DSL
05
Master B.R. System Jack

Fig 12 KX-TA82481 2x8 extension card top
KX-TA82481 2x8
                extension card
Note: This is the second line card used for CO7, CO8 and Jacks 17 to 24.

In order to install this card I need 2 multi-contact spacers with guide pins and 3 each 3-0.5 x 5 mm screws (found the screws).
Where to get the multi-pin connectors? Ans: Panasonic Parts (800) 833-9626
p/n:  K1KA40A00234 (order 2 each)
Fig 13 KX-TA82481 2x8 extension card bottom
KX-TA82481 2x8
                extension card

Panasonci KX-TA82481 2x8 extension card  with the 2 riser connectors installed.


Fig 14 3x8 KX-TA82483 Kit
3x8 Panasonic
                Telephone Line Expansion Card KX-TA82483 Kit
Note:  This is the first optional extension card for
CO4 to CO6 & J09 to J16
Fig 15 3x8 KX-TA82483 Box
3x8 Panasonic
                Telephone Line Expansion Card KX-TA82483 Box

Fig 16 KX-T824 with KX-TA82483 3COx8Jack Expansion Card Installed
KX-T824 with
                KX-TA82483 3COx8Jack Expansion Card Installed
Note 1: the two spacer Plug-Jacks are installed first with the locating pins up
that makes it easy to align all the pins.
Note 2: The VOIP CO line has been unplugged from CO3 and installed in CO6 and
while I'm writing this will move CO2 to CO4 as part of the power fail configuration.



Features

There are some aspects of operation that you need to be aware of.:

Power Fail

One central office line (CO1) is connected to an extension (Jack 01) in an 8 line system.  When more extensions are added the lowest numbered CO line is connected to the lowest jack number on that card (CO4 to Jack 09, CO7 to Jack 17).  This means that for each line card there are two CO lines that are NOT connected when the power fails.

It may make sense to use relays with AC coils that are pulled in when AC is present and in that state connect the CO lines to the KX-TA824 and when AC fails each relay disconnects the KX-TA824 (it may be that in a power failure the PBX has open outputs) and connects a CO line to an extension line.

Manager

The system manager functions only work on Jack 01 so this is where the Proprietary Telephone (PT) should be if there's only one of them.

VOIP

The VOIP hardware should be near the Back Up Power Supply so it will keep working during a power failure.  But the KX-TA824 is best located in the garage near all the phone lines.

Components

KX-TA824

This is the PBX box.  It comes with the capability of handling 3 Central Office (CO) lines and 8 extension jacks on the motherboard.  Also included is one Caller ID (CID) plug-in board that works for CO lines 1, 2 and 3.

Possible Options

Model
Name
Details
KX-TA82483
Line Card
CO4 - CO6 & Jack09 - Jack16
KX-TA82481
Line Card CO7, CO8 & Jack17 - Jack 24
KX-TA82470 Line Card Jack09 - Jack16 or Jack17 - Jack24
KX-TA82493
Caller ID
CID1: CO1-CO3, CID2: CO4-CO6, CID3: CO6-CO8
KX-TA82461
Door Phone (4 port)

KX-TA82491
OGM DISA SMDR
allows two outgoing messages plaid at same time
KX-TA82492
BV
allows up to 60 minutes of Built-in incoming Voice message storage
KX-TVA50 Voice Processing System



T?

System phone that has CID announce by voice

KX-T7731 Proprietary Telephone (PT)

Parallel Telephone

You can not connect two proprietary telephones to the same extension (jack) and have them both work even when the jack has been programmed for parallel telephones.

If you connect a PT in parallel with a SLT (on the same jack) then only the PT phone will ring, the SLT will not ring.

But you can connect a Single Line Telephone (SLT) (plain old telephone) to the same jack as a Proprietary Telephone (PT) and after using program 610 "Paralleled Telephone:: enable) for that jack number both phones will ring.

PT phones will not work during a power failure, so if you have a PT on jack 01, 09 or 17 it would be a good idea to also have a parallel Single Line Telephone in parallel so it will ring on incoming calls and be able to dial out.

Single line LCD.

Panasonic KX-T7731 Proprietary Telephone (PT)
Shown with the bottom CO line active (with dial tone) with speaker mode on.
Panasonic KX-T7731 Telephone
Panasonic KX-T7731 Telephone

Panasonic KX-T7731 Telephone

When connected to Jack 01 this phone has special "manager" features.  It also can be used to program the KX-TA824 or a USB or RS-232 connection to the PBX can program it.

KX-T7050

No LCD. No Auto Ans.

Panasonic KX-T7050 Telephone
Panasonic KX-T7050 Telephone
Panasonic KX-T7050 Telephone

Panasonic KX-T7050 Telephone

KX-T7735

Similar to the KX-T7731 except has a 3 line LCD.

KX-T7736

Similar to the KX-T7731 except has a 3 line LCD.

Table of Advanced Hybrid Compatible Phones

These are all Proprietary Telephones (PT).

Not tested, just from surfing the web.

Model
CO Lines
LCD
lines
Features
KX-T7020
12
0
speakerphone
KX-T7030 12
1
speakerphone
KX-T7050 12
0
speakerphone
KX-T7130
12
1
speakerphone
KX-T7135 12
1
speakerphone
KX-T7320 12
0
speakerphone
KX-T7335 12
3
speakerphone
KX-T7350 12
0
speakerphone
KX-T7720 12
0
speakerphone
KX-T7730 12
1
speakerphone
KX-T7731 12
1
speakerphone
KX-T7735 12
3
speakerphone
auto answer
KX-T7736 12
3
speakerphone
auto answer
KX-T7740 48
0
48 buttons/32 lamps
KX-T7750 12
0
-
KX-T61620 12
3
speakerphone
auto answer
KX-T61630 12
?
speakerphone
auto answer
KX-T61650 6
0
-
KX-T123220 12
0
?
KX-T123230 12
1
speakerphone
KX-T123250 12
0
speakerphone


Installation

The system is on order (25 Nov 2012) as well as a KX-T7731 system telephone.  It will be installed on the inside garage wall near where the phone lines now go through the wall to the outside box.  Those wires can be routed to come out the inside garage wall and terminated on a punch down block with a cable to the KX-TA824 system.

A map of the house needs to be made showing the phone outlets and which wires go to which outlet.

The VOIP box needs to be connected to the at&t DSL modem (rather than the old fashioned USB connection of the first generation Magic Jack) and the other end connected to one of the now unused pairs on the 6 pair home run cable (using pair 5).  This will connect to the third CO line on the KX-TA824.

There's a problem when connecting CO2 or CO3 in that the real CO or the VOIP phone port do not have dial tone.  If the VOIP phone line connection to the CO input of the PBX has the polarity reversed it will not work  Positive on the green wire (Red is Ring, Green is tip) to the PBX.

9 Jan 2013 - Dialing:
81 gets to the main house phone line
82 should connect to the voice side of the DSL line.  This works on the system phone by pressing the CO2 button, but not on other phones pressing 82.
83 gets to the VOIP line
Note: on the system phone program 400 shows "connect" for lines 1, 2 & 3.

Assigning Central Office Lines

When you dial 9 for an outside number the KX-TA824 starts looking at the highest numbered CO line (CO3 for a stock system, CO6 for a system with one optional line card ( and CO8 for a system with the second optional line card (2x8 KX-TA82481).  In my case I'd like the free to all of the US VOIP line to be used so it's connected to CO3 on my stock system and will be connected to CO6 when I get the optional 3 CO x 8 extension line card.

The most used incoming line, in my case my home phone line, is connected to the lowest numbered CO line (CO1 in this case).

By dialing 81, 82 or 83 you can select which CO line to use for outgoing calls (home phone, FAX/DSL or VOIP).

Assigning Extension (Jack) numbers

When the power fails on a stock system CO1 is connected to Jack01 (extension 101).
In a system with one optional 3x8 line card CO4 connects to Jack09 (extension 109) in addition to the CO1->J01.
In a system with two optional line cards CO7->J17, CO4->J09 & CO3->J01.

Ref: Features Manual pg 129 para. 1.1.102

66 Block

I bought a kit of parts so that a 66 type block can be used to terminate the CO lines as well as the interior house phone lines.

66M1-50 telephone punch down block, 89 bracket and related parts
Wiki: Punch Down Block, 66 Block

66M1-50 telephone punch down block, 89 bracket
                  and related parts
6 each solid wire cables w/ RJ-11 on one end
some cross connect cable (single pair)
a 66M1-50 block & 89 bracket
a bunch of 66 block jumpers.

66M1-50 Punch Down Block

Each of the 50 rows has 4 punch-down terminals but they are not all electrically connected.
The left 2 terminals are connected and the right 2 terminals are connected.

The jumper clips could be used to make an electrical connection between terminals 2 and 3.  That would suggest that the CO lines and station wires are terminated on terminals 1 and 4.

The 66M1-50 punch down block is marked CAT5 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,372.
6010372 Cross-talk reduction mounting block for connectors, Communications Systems, Inc., Jan 4, 2000, 439/712 -

To make a connection between the 66 block and the RJ-11 modular connectors on the PBX you need a solid wire cable, not a stranded wire cable because 66 blocks only work with a single solid wire on each terminal.  Note that the common 6P2C or 6P4C connectors sold in the local hardware store are designed for stranded wire (Wiki)

110 Block

These can be used for either telephone or LAN cabling.  My interest is because by adding a hard wired LAN connection between the router (at&t DSL 2wire) and my TV or Blue-ray player the quality of Netflix streaming videos has very noticeably improved.

Each of the electrical terminals in the small connecting block are insulated from the adjacent terminals.  Connections are made from fixed wiring at the bottom to cross connect wiring at the top.   See:
http://www.siemon.com/int/download/installation_instructions/us/110_S110AW2-100_ii.pdf

It turns out that this sort of works for CAT5 but does not work for faster speeds where the building cables are terminated in jacks at both ends and a switch is used at the hub.
A possible switch is the Linksys Cisco 16-Port + 2 Gigabit Switch SRW2016 or something similar.

110 Block
110 Block partially disassembled





6 Position Wall Jack in office

This is intended for use with the RJ-45 jack LAN wiring, but the common RJ-11 phone plug works.  Just wire to terminals 4 & 5 (Blue/White).
In a bag that looks almost identical you can get either 8p8c RJ-45 LAN jacks or 6P6C voice grade telephone jacks that fit the modular wall plates.

Can be used to terminate the 6 pair in the home run cable between the NID and my office.
There is not any quad wire (red-green, yellow-black) here.

The DSL router and the Obi 110 VOIP boxes are located in the office and powered from the UPS and both need home run wiring to/from the PBX.
6
                    Position Wall Jack
from Home Depot
plate: Tech 615 723,  No. 5006-WH
UPC: 660559009116

Bag of 10 RJ-45 LAN Jacks: Tech 635-416, No. 5015-WH-10,
UPC: 660559009628
6 Jack Wall
                  Plate with 8p8c Jacks


Each of the 6 pairs that make a home run to the NID box
are terminated on this plate.
The line assignments are as found.

Jack
Description
1
Home Phone
2

3

4
Combined DSL & Phone - cord goes to DSL splitter.
5

6


Wiki: Registered Jack, TIA568,
Note:  It's OK to use an RJ-11 plug in an 8p8c jack for phone use, but it may
be a problem if the same jack is later used with an 8p8c plug because the outer
jack contacts may be deformed by the sides of the RJ-11 plug.
Quad Telephone Cable (2 Pair) Plug Color Order
Bad Redheaded Girls Yell
Quad
                  Telephone Cable (2 Pair) Plug Color Order
Quad Telephone Cable (2 Pair)  Jack Color Order
This is called a Keystone Module (Wiki) it fits into a Keystone Wall Plate.
The Wall plate is mounted on a low voltage drywall ring.
Quad
                  Telephone Cable (2 Pair) Jack Color Order
There are two kinds of 6P4C plugs: 1) the kind stocked at Home Depot designed for stranded wire,
and 2) the kind made for solid wire round cables, like above from eBay

This one

Model # VDV826-601

Internet # 203579138 says it's for either solid or stranded?

There are a number of RJ-series jacks at Home Depot.
Both for various flavors of LAN and for Telephone use
that all fit the various wall plates with various numbers
of holes.


Leviton also makes a number of White Single Gang  wall plates and jacks and some of them are stocked at Home Depot. They also have white 5e Jacks, Voice grade jacks, Type-F coax, speaker terminals etc.

They also make a 66 block with mounting bracket @ (Home Depot $20, SKU # 162677 ).
eTech
Wall Plates (CE Tech at Home Depot)
# Holes
Color
SKU
1
Wht
579644
2
Wht
595177
3
Wht
598515
4
Wht
614029
6
Wht
615723
Hole Filler
Wht
620740
6-32x1/2" Screw
Wht
95174
Jacks
Category
Config
Color
Qty/bag
SKU
5e
8P8C
Wht
25
636303
5e
8P8C
Wht
10
631078
Voice
6P6C
Wht
10
624865
Type-F
Coax
Wht
10
618650

Harbor Freight 3146023 - Multi Function Power Tool
Great for cutting Sheetrock (drywall) to install the low voltage ring.
Item # 68861
With Plunge Cut Blade Item # 68904
Harbor Freight
                  3146023 - Multi Function Power Tool

What's needed is a template for the hole.

Note:  The Carlon SC100RR has 4 holes for marking the wall opening.
Highlighted in black in the below photo.
Also Note:  the ears need room to open so do not position opening too close to framing.
Carlon
                  SC100RR has 4 holes for marking the wall opening.
Low Voltage Drywall (Sheetrock) ring - Old Construction
Home Depot Store SKU # 750544
Carlon SC100RR-CP
"Low Voltage 1 Gang Bracket Mount Multipurpose DryWall WallPlate"
Low Voltage
                  Drywall (sheetrock) ring - Old Construction
Video showing installation of Carlon SC100RR for new phone jack


Zircon Stud Sensor
Zircon Stud
                  Sensor
These are very handy when working on dry wall.  This one's seen a lot of use.
4099118 Electronic wall stud sensor, Jul 4, 1978

Failure

24 April 2013 - there was a power failure at 1:21:45 am that lasted for 10 seconds.  This was reported by the backup system for my computer.
In the morning I tried to use the phone and it was dead.  The LCD back light was out.  The green LED on the system box was out.
Cycling the power switch and unplugging the box did not turn on the green LED.
The power fail pass through works and some phones are working.

The power supply can be accessed by removing 3 screws.  But if the box is disconnected and removed for service the phone pass through will be broken, so I need to get some RJ-11 female-female couplers before removing it from the wood panel.

Cover Removed showing Power Supply on left

Panasonic
                  KX-TA824 Telephone System
Notice:
female-female coupler between CO1-Jack01, CO2-Jack09

Power Supply - Backup Battery ?

Note connector just below the center of transformer,
just to the left of the 4 wire (org, org, wht, grn) connector.
It looks to me like it is for a (lead acid) backup battery.
Let me know

This may be a standard three socket 0.1" header with the center socket not used.
Panasonic KX-TA824 Telephone System
The AC mains gets rectified to DC then switched prior to T1.
The output of T1 is a 27 VDC supply. 

So the external backup battery is is probably a 24 Volt lead acid type.
Note when charging a "24 Volt" battery is at about 28 VDC.

The 27 VDC rail drives a switching mode power supply that generates all the other voltages needed.

It may be that Panasonic never did the US certification for the backup battery so it's not talked about on US equipment.  They did make a cable (KX-A227) to connect to a series wired pair of 12 Volt batteries.

The GFI outlet which feeds the power strip seemed to break the connection if the top plug was wiggled, so I replaced it prior to removing the KX-TA824 box for troubleshooting.  Prior to this I had plugged the outlet strip into the bottom socket and it was powering other equipment so I'm very sure the outlet strip was hot.

After the GFI outlet replacement I powered up the KX-TA824 and it came to life.  The only thing I can think of is it was without power long enough for the power supply capacitors to drain down enough so that when power was applied it did a cold start.  This is why tech support often says remove power for a minute or more before applying again.

So far I think all the programming is intact.  I did not do a reset since the backup battery will hold the programming for a long time.  The long wait worked in a way similar to doing a reset.

Can the KX-T824 run from the modified square wave output of an AN line type UPS?  Let me know

Power Failure Connections

When the AC mains power fails each line card makes a connection between the lowest numbered CO line and the lowest numbered extension.
X101 is typically used for the system telephone that's used to configure the KX-T824, but it's also possible to connect a plain old telephone to the same extension.  I have done this and am able to make and receive calls even though my house AC power is off.

CO1 X101
CO4
X109
CO7
X117

Patents

From TX-T7050 Telephone. None of them are assigned to Panasonic (must have been purchased from the inventor).  They all relate to using micro controllers with machine tools, not telephone specific.
4120583 High registration photomask method and apparatus, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4121284 Computerized system for operator interaction, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4371923 Computer system architecture, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4396976 System for interfacing a computer to a machine, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4531182 Machine control system operating from remote commands, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4686622 Computer system architecture using serial communication, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4825364 Monolithic data processor with memory refresh, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4829419 Microcomputer control of machines, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4896260 Data processor having integrated circuit memory refresh, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4942516 Single chip integrated circuit computer architecture, Gilbert P. Hyatt
4954951 System and method for increasing memory performance, Gilbert P. Hyatt
-------------------
7054330 Mask-based round robin arbitration, Filing date: Sep 7, 2001

7463728 Private branch exchange, Filing date: Mar 15, 2004, 379/234; 379/142.06; 379/232 - about incoming call groups
7570747 Private branch exchange (PBX), voice store equipment, message processing method, program and recording medium,
Filing date: Apr 26, 2004, 379/88.25; 379/70; 379/88.23; 379/198
Integrates extension phone statas (at home, in meeting) with outgoing message.
7664060 Information terminal and information terminal system, Filing date: Nov 18, 2005,  370/293; 370/348; 370/464; 455/402
This may be related to the KX-TA824?
It uses two frequency bands (1) the conventional telephone audio band 20 Hz to 3.4 kHz and an RF band between 2 and 30 MHz for pulsed data.

7957519 Private branch exchange (PBX) system and method for control thereof, Filing date: Nov 10, 2008, 379/234; 379/142.06; 379/232
Incoming call is routed to group of extensions and logged as a group call.

8224398 (in car) Hands-free telephone conversation apparatus

The KX-TA824 is an improved version of the KX-TA624 which was introduced in Jan. 1999, so a patent in 1999 would be a better match to how the KX-TA824 system works.

EP 1002237 B1 Speech coding and speech decoding, Filing dateJun 8, 1999 -

Related

Phones
Telephone Poles
at&t DSL
Telephone Tool Kit

Links

Panasonic Business Telephones - KX-TA824 -

PRC68.com, Products I make and sell, Alphanumeric List of Web pages

Page created November 2012