The Value Based IM2003 actually has very few problems

The IM2003...a really handsome built-in system at an economy price!

Today's styling. . . plus the wonderful convenience and security of Intercom and the pleasure of FM – AM radio throughout the home . . . all at an easily-affordable price!

The IM2003 was introduced in 1984 along with the all new IM3003. The IM2003 is a 3-wire decentralized system with the capacity of 8 remote stations and up to 3 entry door speakers.

The IM2003 could use one of the 3 optional Chime Modules (IA27, IA28, IA29), and with its Teak and brushed aluminum finish, it was a very good looking model.

The target market for the IM2003 was new home developers who wanted to offer a less expensive standard or optional intercom system. Even though the IM2003 was limited to 8 remote stations there were both 8” and 5” inside stations available along with ceiling speakers with wall controls. For outdoors there were both 5” wall mounted Patio Stations along with 8” Speakers (IS79 & ISA77) with separate wall controls.

The IM2003 was the last NuTone Intercom system made that had a “Push-To-Talk” button on the entry door stations. This type of design goes back to the earliest intercom system from the 1950's. To provide the homeowner with some privacy, there is a Door Speaker On/Off switch on the master station. When this switch is in the off position, the door entry speakers do not function. When the switch is in the on position the entry doors operate just like the inside and patio stations; music will play through the door speakers and all intercom communications will be heard from the door speakers.

Since the IM2003 is a Decentralized System, there are no individual remote stations controls on the master station. These controls were eliminated to keep the cost low which made the system more attractive to builders.

Each inside or patio remote station simply has a Volume Control, a “Push-To-Talk” button and a “Monitor” button. The intercom requires both users to operate the “Talk” buttons and when the “Monitor” button is pushed, that remote station will be in permanent “talk” mode, picking up sounds from that station and sending those sounds throughout the system.

Even though the IM2003 had some design compromises to help keep the price low enough to attract builders, it was one of the most popular models that NuTone made at the time. A builder could buy a prepackage IM2003 Kit, which included a IM2003 Master Station, 3 IS205 Inside Remotes and an IS60 Door Speaker, including all the rough-ins and wire for right around $270.00.

Common Problems:

Because the IM2003 is such a simple design, there really isn't much to go wrong with it. Once you clean the volume controls, replace worn out patio and entry door speaker cones, you have fixed most of the common problems.

The IM2003 Master Station has the typical problems due to age. Components in the power supply will fail and the background noise of the system will increase until the system becomes unusable. If the IM2003 is left in this condition for a long period of time, more damage will be done to the amplifier and the repair will be more costly.

The radio tuner in a IM2003 is a variation of the tuner used in the IM3003, except it doesn't have the digital readout. These tuners are not problematic and usually don't require any sort of repair.

Really, the IM2003 is perhaps one of the most trouble free systems produced in the 1980's because it is such a simple design.

Since the IM2003 has one extra “Auxiliary” input jack, an external music source like a CD player, iPod or iPad can be connect to the system. This external music source will play throughout the system and adding this type of feature adds more usefulness to the system.

Even though the IM2003 is becoming a “vintage” model they still have a lot to offer the home they reside in.

See All of the IM2003 Pictures Here

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Repairing a Water Damaged NuTone IM2003 Master Station

It's All About The Corrosion. . . 

This NuTone IM2003 was delivered to the shop with almost no signs of life.

Initial testing showed that that the Master Station had power, but it did little more that turn on its power LED.

Upon inspection I found fairly severe water damage on both side of the main circuit board.

The red arrows point to the typical corrosion and some rust that had formed.  The blue arrow points to what looks like some light corrosion around the power switch.  What's hidden under the switch is a completely different story, the corrosion was so bad that it had eaten away one of the leads on the switch.

On the bottom there was more corrosion and many solder connections had turned to dust and failed.

The red arrow point to corrosion that has formed between the leads of the amplifier IC, the blue arrow points to rust on the board, the green arrow point to where the corrosion has turned the solder to dust and underneath the copper solder pads have been somewhat eaten away.

The blue arrow points to the the most serious damage to the main circuit board.  The copper trace on the other side of the interconnect wire that protrudes through the board had been eaten away, breaking the connection on either side of the wire.  The red wires are temporary, just enough to complete the circuit for more testing.

Here is the completed repair to the damaged trace.  The temporary red wires have been removed, the solder mask was scraped off and a bridge lead was soldered across the break.  Once this repaired was tested and know to be successful, some new solder mask was applied to cover this area of the board.

Due to the amount of damage to this end of there board, I removed all of the effected components and replaced them after cleaning the board.  This is the only way to insure that the problem won't reoccure in the future.

 See the Complete Video of this NuTone IM2003

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcMN_sDzaDThDYRBb2Qcahw