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Swirly potted network

Started by Volvoguy, July 25, 2014, 01:38:52 AM

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Volvoguy

This might be old news to everyone, but I opened up this black AE80 expecting to see a black potted network, and this was there! Are multi colored networks a common thing?


unbeldi

#1
Quote from: Volvoguy on July 25, 2014, 01:38:52 AM
This might be old news to everyone, but I opened up this black AE80 expecting to see a black potted network, and this was there! Are multi colored networks a common thing?
Looks like the production line ran out of carbon black to color the resin.  Probably was not intended, but I really don't know the correct answer.

You should find a clear housing for this set.

LarryInMichigan

My guess is that they did the same thing as WE and other companies who used recycled excess plastic of various colors to make parts whose color did not matter.

Larry

unbeldi

That's probably the correct answer, I does appear that by this time these were likely made by injection molding of thermoplastic material, rather than a thermosetting resin.

Dan/Panther

Is that "D" designation letter common for AE, or are they stealing early WE ?
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

AE_Collector

I have seen the swirly colored plastic on the potted networks several times. I assume the recycled plastic scraps is likely correct. Another place is the base plates of AE 80E phones are sometimes swirled though never wild colors.

"D" numbers are common with AE as well.

Terry

Volvoguy

So this doesn't seem to be a reason to keep the phone if I was otherwise goin to sell it?

paul-f

Quote from: Volvoguy on July 26, 2014, 02:39:31 PM
So this doesn't seem to be a reason to keep the phone if I was otherwise goin to sell it?

Interesting question.

Like most collecting questions, it's a personal preference.

I can envision someone deciding to collect examples of phones that had internal components made of swirled plastics.  Over the years I have noted swirled plastics on the back of U-type receiver elements, C-type ringer resonator shells, G-type handset transmitter cups, etc.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

Volvoguy

Terry, it has a plastic fingerwheel and plungers, but the potted network and old style feet. I guess those older features gradually faded out through production?

AE_Collector

My guess would be that it was refurbished at some point and they changed te plungers and FW then. Does it appear to be a BCTel phone? If so, there would have been a time when our shops would have done a refurb like that.

Terry

Volvoguy

I'm over in the island for the long weekend, so I can check out the phone more when I get home. Makes sense it could have been a refurb. I also noticed that of the 4 black AE80's I have now, no two have the same logo under the handset.

Also picked up an early pink starlite today over here, and found an AE50 that the guy wants too much for....

AE_Collector

Another new vs old item might be the handset. Originals were bakelite so Heavy but this one might have been updated to plastic handset.

Yes, lots of possible AE Logo's:
Automatic Electric with AECO diamond between the words
Automatic Electric Canada
AEL Microtel
Microtel
Simple "AECO" Diamond with no words (possibly)
GTE Automatic Electric

Keep collecting!

Terry

LM Ericsson

I once had an Automatic Electric Model 80E that had the AEL Microtel Logo on the housing, is that a Canadian Branch?
Regards,
-Grayson

AE_Collector

Yes, the Telco that I worked for, BCTel (British Columbia Telephone Company) bought out AE Canada in about 1980 in a realignment of assets of GTE. It was renamed AEL (Automatic Electric Limited) Microtel. Something with that name didn't stand some legal test and quite quickly the AEL part of the name was dropped. There are lots of 80E's with AEL Microtel on them though!

Terry

Jim Stettler

Quote from: paul-f on July 31, 2014, 01:01:46 PM

  Over the years I have noted swirled plastics on the back of U-type receiver elements, C-type ringer resonator shells, G-type handset transmitter cups, etc.

I had never seen swirled resonator shells. I didn't know they existed till Paul mentioned it.
I have a set on the way now.
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.