Western Electric 293A

[wds]

I spent 3 solid days trying to bring this one back from the dead.  Finished up, and the phone works and sounds very nice.  All the glued joints had come loose on the box, and the bottom plate split in half.  One exception, the condenser is bad.  Any suggestions for finding a correct replacement?  Also need new bells, those are borrowed from another phone. 

[Doug Rose]

WOW!!! First rate refurb Dave.....you should be very proud....Beautiful....Doug

[Sargeguy]

I use old 533s f0r replacement parts.  Beaters with no receivers can be found for $15-25 on eBay and you can use the housing and ringer to make a subset.

[wds]

The only problem with that is I would try to restore the 533, so I never really get ahead.  Instead of looking for one part, I'll end up looking for several parts. 

[Bill]

In the world of old radios, we often encounter bad capacitors. Those who restore (as opposed to repair) old radios often rebuild the capacitor. This involves cutting the can open, making the cut right up against a seam in the metal can. (You can cut it open with a Dremel tool with a cutting blade, for example, or very careful use of a fine-tooth saw.) Pull out and discard the guts, but save the wires if you want the finished product to look totally authentic. Buy a new capacitor of approximately the same capacitance value. For a phone, the voltage value should be 200 volts or more, and it must be non-polarized. Thread the leads out through the lid of the can in the desired way, solder them to the new capacitors, adding a bit of insulation sleeving as needed, secure the capacitors inside the can with a glob of hot melt, and use a thin bead of gray epoxy to reattach the top of the can to the body.

New capacitors are readily available, and are MUCH smaller than capacitors back in the day, so they fit in the old can quite nicely. Lotta work, but worth it if you put a high value on complete visual authenticity.

Bill

[wds]

that's a good idea.  the condenser is bad anyway, and I always wanted to see the inside of one, so why not.  One question though, not only does the ringer use this condenser, but terminal #3 from the coil, which is the return side from terminal #4 which is for the reciever also uses the condenser.  Does this change the value of the replacement capacitor that I'm gong to stuff inside the old condenser?

[Bill]

There is only one capacitor in the can, according to the diagrams on TCI (you can look them up). The value of the cap is not specified, but pending further investigation, my guess would be that a 1 microfard cap would do fine.  

Bill

EDIT - Ralph Meyer 1st edition page 156-157 confirms 1 microfard is "typical".

[wds]

It does seem a little odd for a condenser to be pulling double duty, but that's the case here.  The wiring diagram is downloaded from the TCI site, and matches what's on the box.  My condenser only has two leads, and is 2 M.f.  I suppose by adding the receiver to the circuit is an early version of anti sidetone.

[wds]

I think I got the answer for why the receiver and the ringer are connected to the same condenser.  Post by D_S_K :

"This telephone (317) was made as an "universal" telephone and could be put on various lines and exchanges. (Even on a common battery line.) When connected to a CB line the condenser was needed in series with the ringer to let the exchange know if it was on hook or off hook. This solution, just connecting a local battery telephone to (a normal) CB line was done in the early days. The DC current will travel through the receiver, and will after loooong time ruin the permanent magnets of the receiver. An other exchange which I only have read about, used a DC signal to engage a ring off signal, and the condenser was needed in series with the receiver.  With many phones on the same line the condenser in series with the ringer would help to reduce some of the loss of voice signal. "

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=6237.0;topicseen

[Vern P]

Doug, YES you did a great job on this, congrats. Looking at the diagram, I find it intresting that it shows a knurled nut on the trans and a pony rec. 

I have had some junkers of these, but don't know if still here or not.

Did you find a set of bells ?? Do you want Nickel or Black ?

Vern P

[wds]

I want brass, and if they're painted brass, I can clean them up.  I found an Ebay seller who says he has some, but he hasn't quote me a price yet. 

Something interesting about that drawing and my box - the drawing shows a knurled nut, and I'm assuming the 229 transmitter.  My box has been updated to a 323 transmitter, but still only has the one wire going to the transmitter.  The return is grounded through the cup and the mounting bracket, exactly like the drawing.  I have an old cup with the hole in the back, so I'm thinking about using that one and exposing the nice green wire like it would have been with the 229.

[Vern P]

WE bells were made of brass and painted Black or Nickel plated. I have bells, just need to look.

As for the trans, I would agree that a 229 or soild back one would be the one orgainly used with this diagram.  Are there other soild back trans. other than the 229 ? I don't remember.

Were things changed later on these ?  I am thinking so, but don't know it all.

Vern P

[wds]

Nickel plated bells would be great - would save me the trouble of sending them to Dennis for plating!  I think the 329 is still a solid back, but I'm not sure.  Since everything on my phone is nickel, and my transmitter is black, I'm guessing somewhere along the line someone took the nice 229 and knurled nut, and replaced it with this black 323.  

[Sargeguy]

I have 6 or 7 of these.  The 229 is often found on early versions with patent dates 2 piece cups and knurled nuts.  These were upgraded to 329 and 323s.  I have also found 250w and 229w.  Yours is a later version, but not the latest, so the 323 is probably original.  You could use a water slide decal on this one and either nickel or black bells.

[Vern P]

I went out in the cold to look at mine, and I have some questions about them.

This one is a #293"A", with pat. 7 dates from 5-3-92 to 4-30-07.  But the diagrams shown matches a 293"Y". Can't see the top edge to see if it is a "Y" or "A"

My 293Y has the same diagram. The trans is wired with 2 wires, as shown.  But on my 293A, the trans. only has 1 wired, as the one shown hear.  Also the diagram is not a detailed, as the "Y".

A question about another wood phone of the same age and type as these.   It is about the 296E.  This looks to be the same age as the 293Y, with the same set up. The diagram maybe the same, but I don't have it.

Does any one have one ?? TCI is of no help.

Vern P