Comdial FX Series User manual

Installing The Communications Card
In The FX Series Digital Communications System
Understanding The Communications Card
The communications card provides serial data ports for interfacing such items as open architecture interface
applications, PC attendant positions, and the SMDA data printer.
NOTE: The serial data ports provided by the communications card are in addition to the two that are located on
the CPU board.
You can install communications cards at the front two positions on the auxiliary board.
With each communications card providing four serial data ports, and with the auxiliary board accepting two cards,
the system can have a total of 10 serial data ports. The system designates these ports as COM 3 through COM 10.
The maximum serial data transfer rate available through COM ports 3–10 is 19,200 baud.
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This manual has been developed by Comdial Corporation (the “Company”) and is intended for the use of its customers and service personnel. The information in this manual is subject to change
without notice.While every effort has been made to eliminate errors, the Company disclaims liability for any difficulties arising from the interpretationof the information contained herein.
The information contained herein does not purport to cover all detailsor variations in equipment or to provide for every possible contingency to be met in connection with installation,operation, or
maintenance. Shouldfurther information be desired, or should particularproblems arise which are not covered sufficiently for the purchaser’s purposes, contact Comdial, Inside Sales Department,
Charlottesville, Virginia 22906.
Printed in U.S.A. IMI89-272.01
3/97

Removing And Installing Circuit Boards in the Equipment Cabinet
CAUTION
Circuit boards for the FX Series system are susceptible to damage caused by electrostatic discharge, and
you must keep this fact in mind as you handle the circuit boards. Refer to the Comdial publication
IMI01-005, Handling Of Electrostatically Sensitive Components, for general information. Specific
handling precautions are also included in this installation instruction.
The FX Series system includes installed circuit boards when it arrives at your site. The system consists of two
parts—the computer portion and the telephony portion. (You will find the computer portion discussed in a
separate publication and not discussed here.) In the telephony portion of the FX Series system, the equipment
cabinet provides universal slots that will accept either line or station boards.
When removing or installing circuit boards in the FX Series cabinet, you must install a static discharge wrist strap
on your bare wrist, and adjust it for a snug fit. Be sure that the strap is touching bare skin and is not isolated by
clothing. Connect the wrist strap cord between the wrist strap and a AC or earth ground.
Unless a circuit board has a pre-charge port on its front panel, disconnect the AC power cord from the AC service
outlet and disconnect the cable between the cabinet and any external battery back-up assembly before you remove
or install the circuit board. However, if the board does include a pre-charge port, you can connect a standard
telephone handset cord between the pre-charge port on the circuit board and the pre-charge port on the power
supply assembly and remove or install the circuit board while the system is operating.
Whenever you remove a circuit board from the cabinet, immediately place the board in a static protection bag
while you still have your wrist strap in place and properly grounded.
IMI89–272 Installing The Communications Card
2 – Removing And Installing Circuit Boards in the Equipment Cabinet

Creating A Static Safe Work Area
When removing circuit boards from an installation location for servicing, always transport them to a static-safe
work area in static protection bags. If you do not already have a static-safe work area, you can create one by
arranging a work area as detailed in the illustration.
Typical Earth
Ground
Static
Wrist
Strap
ESD Protective
Mat
ESD Protective
Mat
ESD Protective
Worksurface
Static2
Common Point Ground
Creating A Static Safe Work Area
Installing The Communications Card IMI89–272
Removing And Installing Circuit Boards in the Equipment Cabinet – 3

Installing The Communications Card
You can install up to two communications cards on the auxiliary board to attain a maximum of 8 serial data ports.
These eight ports plus the two serial data ports provided by the CPU board provides a system total of 10 serial
data ports.
1. Install your static discharge wrist strap on your bare wrist; adjust it for a snug fit. Be sure that the strap is
touching bare skin and is not isolated by clothing. Connect the wrist strap cord between the wrist strap and an
AC or earth ground
NOTE: With the common equipment in the installed position, the ground lug on the side of the cabinet is an
appropriate grounding point since it should have a heavy ground wire connected between it and a good
earth ground.
2. Disconnect the AC power cord from the AC outlet and disconnect the optional battery back-up assembly from
the cabinet power supplies.
3. Loosen the retaining hardware and remove the auxiliary board from the equipment cabinet, place it in a static
protection bag, and transport the board to the static-safe work area.
4. At the static safe work area, with your wrist strap in place, remove the host circuit boards and the
communications cards from their respective static protection bags.
5. Referring to the illustrations on the next page, orient the host circuit board and the communications card, and
attach them with the supplied hardware.
6. Place the auxiliary board
and its newly installed
communications card into a
static protection bag and
transport this assembly back
to the common equipment
cabinet.
7. With your static strap on
your wrist, remove the
board assembly from the
static protection bag and
install the board in its
designated board slot.
8. Make a final inspection to
ensure that the board
assembly is oriented
correctly and mated
properly.
9. Install and tighten the
supplied screws to secure
the circuit board assembly
to the board cage.
10. Plug the AC line cord into
the AC outlet, reconnect any
battery back up equipment
and switch on the power
supply.
Dedicated Auxiliary Board Slot
Dedicated CPU Board Slot
Universal Board Slots 1 through 6
(Used for Line or Station Boards)
fulbox3.cdr
Locating The Auxiliary Board
IMI89–272 Installing The Communications Card
4 – Installing The Communications Card

Typical Auxiliary Board
Communications Card Mounting Locations
com_card1.cdr
4-40 x 3/8 Machine Screw
Option Card
#4 x 1/2 Standoff
#4 Star Washer
Auxiliary Board
#4 Nut
Card mouting hardware
(3 places each card)
Card mounting hardware
(2 places each card)
#6 x 1/4 sheet metel screws)
Installing The Communications Card
Installing The Communications Card IMI89–272
Installing The Communications Card – 5

Connecting Data Devices To The Communications Card
The interface connector between the external device and the communications card is a standard modular jack, and
each serial data communications port supports various baud rates, data bits, stop bits, parity, and flow control.
You can program these various options using database programming. Since the serial data ports are short-run, you
must keep the cabled distance between the data device and the data port to 50 feet or less when operating at data
speeds of 19,200 baud or to 500 feet or less when operating at data speeds of up to 9600 baud.
When preparing a data cable for connection to a data device, refer to the manufacturer’s manual for the equipment
being interfaced and make the following wiring connections:
•Wire the common equipment RD (data from device to common equipment) connection to the device TD
(transmit data) connection.
•Wire the common equipment TD (data to device from common equipment) connection to the device RD
(receive data) connection.
•Wire the common equipment SG (signal ground) connection to the device SG (signal ground) connection.
•If required for proper operation, wire the common equipment CTS (clear-to-send status from device to common
equipment) connection to the device RTS (request-to-send) connection.
NOTE: The common equipment requires a positive voltage, with respect to signal ground, in order to send data.
•If the cable has spare wires, be sure to ground them so that they will not act as antennas and induce interference
into the system. Further, if there is a source of RF power nearby (such as a radio transmitter), use shielded cable
and ground the shield at both ends.
The default data format is shown in the following chart. Configure the data device that you connect to the
maintenance port to match the charted information.
Port Type Baud Rate Data Bit Stop Bit Parity Bit
COM 3–10 19, 200 8 1 0
CAUTION
As an added precaution against induced interference, route the data cable as far away from any
fluorescent lighting as you can reach, and make every effort to route the data cable perpendicular to all
other wiring.
IMI89–272 Installing The Communications Card
6 – Connecting Data Devices To The Communications Card

Pin 1 = Request To Send
Pin 2 = Clear To Send
Pin 3 = Receive Data
Pin 4 = Transmit Data
Pin 5 = Signal Ground
Pin 6 = Frame Ground
(Front View of Jacks)
123456
123456
COM 1 COM 2
NOTES:
1. Maximum distance between the serial data ports and the
external data equipment is based on the baud rate of the port.
The distance is limited to 50 feet when the port is operated at
19,200 baud and 500 feet when it is operated at speeds up to 9600 baud.
2. Some data devices require the CTS signal for proper operation.
Route CTS to the device as needed.
data.cdr
COM3 COM4 COM5 COM6 COM7 COM8 COM9 COM10
(COM3-10 provided by communication cards mounted on the auxiliary board)
Locating The Data Connections
Installing The Communications Card IMI89–272
Connecting Data Devices To The Communications Card – 7

Charlottesville, Virginia 22901-2829
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IMI89–272 Installing The Communications Card