AE 3 slot pay phone

[Dave]

I've only been around here a couple of weeks, and I'm not a phone purist like some of you guys. However, there are some things that I think are cool and I get them when I can.

I think having a pay phone is cool.

So now I have this one:



The tag says LPC - 82 - 55. And while it hasn't been delivered yet I look forward to its arrival. My intended purpose is to use it as a wall phone, a "daily driver" as some of you call it.

Here are a few questions:

Is this a particular model desirable, a hunk of junk, or somewhere in between?

Should I need parts to keep it operable (as opposed to fantastically restored) are they available?

Did I get hurt too bad at $182.50?

I'd love to hear any and all opinions.

Dave

[rdelius]

Not the greatest deal but it does look complete and clean. Did you get keys?.The top lock should be a 29S.If you do not have keys ,do not drill out the locks. There are other ways in.You will have to make minor changes in the wireing to make it work.The guts if not fooled with should work. A chrome fingerwheel would look nice here.
Robby

[Dave]

Not sure why these things are they way they are, but . . .

The coin box is held in with a magnet. I don't have a problem with that.

The lock that opens the body has been jimmied so that it opens with a small flat blade screwdriver. I don't have a problem with that either.

Apparently the phone has already been modified to operate on a pair of red and greens, and has been used that way.

I'm wondering (without having seen it in person) how it would mount on the wall.

[DavePEI]

Not sure why these things are they way they are, but . . .

The coin box is held in with a magnet. I don't have a problem with that.

The lock that opens the body has been jimmied so that it opens with a small flat blade screwdriver. I don't have a problem with that either.

Apparently the phone has already been modified to operate on a pair of red and greens, and has been used that way.

I'm wondering (without having seen it in person) how it would mount on the wall.

Remove the top cover and the cashbox, bolt it through provided holes into the wall if there is lots of support, otherwise get a payphone backboard and fasten it to the wall first, then bolt the phone to the backboard. Replace cover and cashbox.

The backboard will give you a passageway for the wires to the phone.

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/3slot.html

Dave

[Dave]

Remove the top cover and the cashbox, bolt it through provided holes into the wall if there is lots of support, otherwise get a payphone backboard and fasten it to the wall first, then bolt the phone to the backboard. Replace cover and cashbox.

The backboard will give you a passageway for the wires to the phone.

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/3slot.html

Dave

That looks like a pretty spot-on website considering my new purchase. Can anyone tell me the difference between an LPB and an LPC?

[DavePEI]

Remove the top cover and the cashbox, bolt it through provided holes into the wall if there is lots of support, otherwise get a payphone backboard and fasten it to the wall first, then bolt the phone to the backboard. Replace cover and cashbox.

The backboard will give you a passageway for the wires to the phone.

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/3slot.html

Dave

The following will give you some idea about the differences between models. It is from a document written by Steve Cichorsky several years ago:

    LPA Series = Manually Compensated (series rheostat). LPB Series = Self Compensating
    (varistor). LPC Series = P.C. Board Network."

         PREPAY - LPA 82 & 92, LPB 82, LPC 72 & 82, 92N uses Western Electric F1A
         handset, 101 induction coil and dial, 92W uses Western Electric F1A handset, 101 ind.
         coil and AECo dial.

         LOCAL PREPAY - LPA 89 & 99, LPB 89, LPC 79 & 89.

         SEMI-POSTPAY - LPA 86 & 96, LPB 86, LPC 76 & 86, 60 series with type 40
         monophone components.

         POSTPAY - LPA 88 & 94 & 99, LPB 84 & 88.

So LPB has a self compensating network, LPC has a PC board network. Both are prepay sets.

More Info that may help you, schematics and mounting detail - GSP 476-200-200: http://www.islandregister.com/phones/gte%20payphones.pdf

See link below for LPC82-55 schematic:

Dave

[Dave]

Thank you again, Dave.

[DavePEI]

Thank you again, Dave.

One thought. Unmodified AE payphones don't include an internal ringer. If you plan to use it as a "daily driver" you will want to provide a ringer for it, externally mounted. An extension ringer which mounts below the set with modular connections works great. Better yet, if you can find an original external ringer for it.

Dave

[Dave]

With all the old phones I have hooked up in this house, not hearing the phone ring just isn't an option. But I do appreciate the info.

[DavePEI]

With all the old phones I have hooked up in this house, not hearing the phone ring just isn't an option. But I do appreciate the info.

So, then as I said you will need to add a ringer. These phones had no ringer. A ringer must be added outside of the phone to allow it to ring. An interior ringer can be installed, but space for an interior ringer is a trade-off for needed items in the phone, such as coin box, etc. there are only so many places to hide a ringer. Best option for an AE is outside of the phone as was the original design.

Dave

[Dennis Markham]

Speaking of Automatic Electric pay phones, check out this eBay listing that I saw tonight.  It's one of the best listings I've seen in a while describing the phone and how it works. 

http://tinyurl.com/7pnuoxn

The seller (not known to me) has three listed now.  I would love to have one of those.  For $600 bucks I guess I could have one.

I don't normally like to post eBay links because it will be a  dead link in a few weeks.  But this is topical for your discussion.  Check out the video provided on the listing.  It's very informative.  I know very little about pay phones so I'm easily impressed.

[Phonesrfun]

I have dealt with this guy before and he is top notch.   Colin Chambers was involved in the design of the collect and return circuit.

[Dave]

With all the old phones I have hooked up in this house, not hearing the phone ring just isn't an option. But I do appreciate the info.

So, then as I said you will need to add a ringer.

Dave

Sorry, Dave I wasn't clear. What I meant was with 3 Western Electric ringers going off in my (not so large) house when the phone rings - there's enough clatter to raise the dead. You can't help but hear the phone ring. So if this one sits mute that'll probably be OK.

Dave

[DavePEI]

[

Sorry, Dave I wasn't clear. What I meant was with 3 Western Electric ringers going off in my (not so large) house when the phone rings - there's enough clatter to raise the dead. You can't help but hear the phone ring. So if this one sits mute that'll probably be OK.

Dave

Ok, I understand now... Just as well, it is just one less thing you will have to find for the project. While I do have several of the later in-line ringers, I only have the one AE ringer for my AE pay phone.

You will enjoy yours!

Dave

[GG]

Seems like AE made their payphones in just about every color they used for the rest of their phones.   The light blue version looks nice.

The collect & return circuit those folks developed is sheer genius.  And for those of us who care to listen for such things, the sound of an original payphone coin hopper relay operating is very different to, and more "solid" than, the sound of modern "self-contained" coin phone relays. 

What would be cool as the next "project" along those lines, would be to develop a "postpay" adaptor that reverses line polarity after the digits have been dialed, thus requiring a coin to enable the transmitter.  First time I ran into that in real life was on an AE payphone in "independent" telco territory in New England.  It seemed odd at first, but sensible enough, since you could call Operator in an emergency without coins.