Discontinued NuTone Intercom Models: IMA3303

Every week I have five or six homeowners contact me looking for a NuTone IMA3303 Master Station to replace their broken IM3003.  The conversation is almost always the same, they searched around online and found many sites that recommend the IMA3303 as a direct replacement for their older IM3003.

While the IMA3303 was a direct replacement for the IM3003, the IMA3303 has been discontinued and out of production since 2008.  When NuTone announced that the IMA3303 was being discontinued, they held back some units which were to be used as in-warranty replacements for recently sold masters.

NuTone sold the remaining IMA3303 master stations on their own web site and through eBay until the supply was exhausted.  If a Distributor or Dealer wanted a unit, there were no special deals, they would have to buy it from NuTone just like a consumer.  The supply of IMA3303's was exhausted by the beginning of 2011.

There is always a lot of outdated information on the internet and sites that show IMA3303 as a "in-Stock" item usually don't really have any at all.  Everyone should make a phone to to any dealer to verify that they actually have the item they show on line.

I have seen some sellers on eBay selling IMA3303's for as much as $850.00 which is more than the final retail price in 2008.  Remember that to use a IMA3303 as a replacement for a IM3003 either the wall housing needs to be replaced or at a minimum the original transformer will need to be replaced and a second transformer will need to be added.  IMA3303 require 2 NuTone 301T transformers, which are now also discontinued.

I'm not sure if spending $800.00 to $900.00 for a discontinued IMA3303 is a good value considering that the average IM3003 can be repaired and rebuilt for around $275.00

Lightening Damaged Intercoms

Here in California we don't have a real problem with lightening and lightening storms.  I think that people from other parts of the country would laugh at the kind of lightening we have.

I've talked with so many people from the Mid-West, Southern States and the East Coast where lightening storms are a real problem.  I spoke with a homeowner last week who had a actual lightening strike on the roof of his home, causing thousand of dollars of damage.

Lightening damage to electronics is real and it does effect intercom master stations all the time.  The real problem with lightening damage is that it does not follow any particular pattern in regards to where the damage occurs.

Lightening can damage components that normally would never fail on their own, it is particularly hard on Integrated Circuits (IC's) which almost never fail on there own in intercoms.  Sometimes the damage is subtle, just a random amount of static in the background noise of the system, or it can be strange operational problems that don't follow any normal patterns for that model.

Newer models like the IM(A)3303 and IM(A)4406 use micro-controllers and logic IC's to manage the operations of the system.  If these micro-controllers become damaged due to lightening, the set is unrepairable unless a replacement board can be found.

Update on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 4:47PM by Cindy & Christopher

When Lightning Strikes

I had a IM4006 selivered to the shop a week ago.  The house where it's installed was actually struck by lightning and the IM4006 went dead during the storm.

Here is the most telling picture of the damage.  This is the amplifier IC and you can clearly see where the high-voltage from the lightning mad it's way into the amplifier circuit and blew a piece of the plastic case off the IC.

Can you repair your own Intercom Master Station?

The short answer to this question is usually No.

While many times a Master Station will only need a typical repair, but there are just as many times that it will need a more extensive repair.  Why is this?

I think it is because many owners are unaware of how their model of intercom system was designed to function.  However it worked when they moved into their home is how they expect it to work.  When the system has a more dramatic problem and it becomes obvious that it needs to be repaired, they are unaware that the master station actually has more problems that need to be solved.

I see many master stations that have operational problems that aren't included in the list of problems that the owner has provided.  Of course all of the problems need to be repaired before the unit is returned to its owner.

While a hobbyist might be able to replace the capacitors in a failed power supply, they usually are not equipped to solve more technically involved problems with their unit.  It's very disappointing to have spent the time to order components and install them, just to find out that the master station still does not work correctly.  

We receive many sets each month that have had uncompleted repairs started by other shops or homeowners.  These units always need more time and attention to repair.  Figuring out what was done by someone else and often redoing the work is time consuming.

Also, since replacement boards are rare (and expensive) extreme care must be taken to not damage the boards when they are reworked.

Unless you have experience in repairing electronics, it is often best to leave it to the established NuTone Service Center.

Do you have a NuTone intercom problem or does it need repair?

For the past few months I have been working on the Common Repair and Service section of this web site.  The response from our viewers has been very positive and a lot of visitors have downloaded copies of Service Manuals and Owners Manuals.

I have added a contact page called Ask a NuTone Intercom System Service Question.  Here you can email me questions regarding your particular intercom problem and issues.  Please be as specific as you can be and always include your systems Model Number.

I'm interested in hearing from our vistitors as to what topics, pictures or how-to videos you would like to see on our site.  Please email me your ideas.

Soon I will be adding a picture gallery which will help you to identify what equipment you have.  I have a huge library of vintage NuTone catalogs and literature and I think it wil be interesting to see how things were back in the day.

Chris

How would that look in my home?

Most of the time Broan & NuTone products are sold either in big-box stores or electrical wholesale warehouses, places that most consumers don't like to visit or can't buy from.  Our original store was kind of a mix between the two.

I had an idea for a long time that our customers would like to be able to see the products they were looking for in a setting more like their homes.  This idea grew into a new design for our display panels.

I have envisioned and designed each display area to represent a different and unique home setting.  This allows our customers to see what a product looks like in a real setting.   Gone are the pre-made display panels featuring odd colors and signage, they have been replaced with surfaces that you might have in your own home. Textured wall panels, ceramic and glass tile, marble and stone and stucco for outside items.

The store has taken on a definite Arts & Crafts look with dark wood accents and color pallets from a warm point of view.

As we continue to build out our store, we are looking for new and complementary items that round out our new look.  We are focusing on handmade useful and beautiful items from local crafts people.