having issue with NE 35Q3L1X dial in a NE Chestphone and NEW QUESTION

[RotoTech99]

Dear Forum:

Hi, I need help please with a NE 35Q3L1X dial in a NE Chestphone,It is not breaking dial tone, even with polarities reversed, I don't know if its a polarity issue, or my dial is bad.

My dial has its wires connected as follows: Red lead to red handset via a floating connector, White handset wire connected to white dial wire via a floating connector, orange/bk wire to C, the red/green dial wire is on R.

I wondered if installing a polarity guard might resolve this, but I remembered the NE princess I did that with before has different wiring for the dial, so I'm going to need someone who's familiar with the NE TT Chestphone
for advice and help with this, please.

If I cannot resolve the TT dial issue, I'm planning to convert it to rotary, but i will need the beige faceplate (the one used with carved walnut chestphones by ATC/Decotel) that accepts the WE and NE #6 rotary dial; i have the dial, and what i need to wire and install it.

If someone please has the rotary faceplate for the Chestphone in beige as I described above, please PM, or email me at eburnett1963@gmail.com.

I will be very thankful for all replies and assistance regarding my post.

NEW QUESTION: I think I have found where the polarity guard leads should go if I put a polarity guard in... I believe in a NE set, it should go to C and RR, and the leads from the hook on those to the polarity guard; does that sound right, please?

RotoTech99

[Key2871]

It sounds like the dial is bad. If you want a NE touch tome dial, I'd send you one. But it could take months to get it with the mail the way it is today.

[RotoTech99]

Dear Key2871:


HI, I think I'm better off converting my chestphone to the rotary version; I've tried 2 NE TT dials with the same result,  So i think changing it to rotary will be a good compromise I can live with.

Do you have the beige rotary faceplate that accepts either the WE or NE 6 type dial?  Thankfully, i have the dial, hardware, wires for the hookup.  I could use that more than i could a dial at this point.

I need to give you my new address to send that to... I'm now at P.O. Box 975, Wewoka, OK 74884. Due to unforseen issues, i had to move, so the address here is my one to send things to.

BTW: I'm seeing if I can run down that faceplate through Phoneco, also.

PLease let me know.

Ed Burnett
RotoTech99

[Key2871]

Then theres a problem with the wiring. I find it hard to find you had several dials that wont work in your set.
Have you checked everything out, because i had a set once that did the same thing it had a polarity gaurd tbat went bad, some how blocking tbe signal and would not break the dial tone.

So if it were me id check the set wiring and try the dial in even a rotory set to see if it works.
As long as the pad wired proper it should work in a differant phone.

[RotoTech99]

Dear Key2871:

Hi, I tried your suggestion....I confirmed it,  Both of my dials turned out to be bad, one allowed dial tone, but generated no tones, the other allowed dial tone and gave tones but couldn't break dial tone.

On a whim i wired a rotary dial to my chestphone and made the appropriate connections, and it did just fine, so i think converting it won't be a problem beyond getting the proper faceplate.

Normally, what I'd do is take the dial/network from a NE/NT "Rondesvous" or Diplomat phone, and use that because I had minimal issues with installing it, or it not working. The only "trick" was being sure the dial brackets would accept it.

And since the dial and network were one unit, it in a sense simplified doing it.

[Key2871]

Yes a rotary dial would work fine, especially with the fact you had two bad dials..
Well good luck finding the correct face for your phone.

[RotoTech99]

Dear Key 2871:

Correct me if i'm mistaken, but isn't the hookswitch wiring in the NE Chestphone like the wiring in the B series WE Chestphones before changing it and adding the BLUE and BLUE/WHITE hookswitch wires?

The reason for asking is I think I have a solution that I'm pretty sure i have the parts for... I could replace the network with a WE 4293 network and  the dial with a 72 type dial pad, and as long as the wiring colors for the hookswitch match up. I know how the 72 type dial wires in, but i'll have to refer to a B series chestphone diagram to wire it correctly.

i know this is probably something you wouldn't do as you most likely prefer to keep the set as close to original
as you can, but since there's good odds on there being some cross compatibility (at least as far as the hookswitch goes), i stand good odds on making the conversion work; perhaps the only other factor would be making sure i have strong foam tape to stick the network down solidly.

PLease message me and tell me what you think; I think since I'm using parts i have on hand, I'll save myself some money and get a functional set.

Thanks,
RotoTech99

[Key2871]

Yes you can chage the network, and the dial, as for the color codes i have no clue for the NE.
But if you have a continuity tester its simple, the set that makes when the handset goes off hook, can be your Green and White, and the second set can be the Brown Yellow, with Red Black being the shunt for the receiver as going on hook to mute the loud click you would hear.
Important note: there will be two sets of contacts that make or break when the handset is lifted.
Make btw is turn on, break is to turn off.
Its been for ever since i had a specialties manual for designer sets.. Or follow the wiring for any western sets

The Ringer black to green line, the Red if it is that color can be A on the network (filter cap) and a jumper to K on the network. And you would need another jumper to the Ring, Red line.
If you feel exploritive you can see if the color code Brown Yellow have another lead that makes on hook, use that as the connection to K.
That way its as close to WE as you can get and if you had a jumper from K to the ring side of the line you wont need that, as the lead that makes on hook will do that job.
Thats just about it. Ive not worked much on NE stuff so im not familiar with their color codes, and it may be thst the colors arent even NE but ATC the maker of the chest phone.
Any questions I'd be happy to help.

[RotoTech99]

Dear Key2871:

Hi, My switchover using a WE 4293A network and 72 type dial worked.... Aside from the hook leads being slate with the appropriate colors marked for each lead, the hook is basically just like the B series WE component outfitted Chestphone, every thing matched up, color for color.

i'll send you a copy of the diagram for the WE B series Chestphone so  you can compare it to the one in the NE practices.

I inadvertantly popped a wire off the ringer, but I "slapped in" a coil from a P type ringer, and am in the process of "fine tuning" it to get a good ring.

I think the WE #72 dial i used with white dial buttons looks nicer than the NE original dial in my opinion...I'll send a pic of the set with that dial in it for you to comment on tomorrow.

It gave me some aggravations getting everything to fit, but it turned out ok; took the better part of an evening, tho.

[Key2871]

Good job! Glad you got it working.

[poplar1]

Why did you have to change the network? It is true that some WE 4228 networks are bad (unrepairable according to a former employee of the Atlanta Western Electric service center), but you said the old network worked with a rotary dial, so it seems the network was OK.

For both the NE and WE networks, the input is C (-) and RR (+), and the output is GN (receiver), B (transmitter), and R (common transmitter and receiver).

[RotoTech99]

Dear Poplar1:

I changed the NE network to the WE 4293A mainly for easy compatibility with the 72 dial I used. I have tried "using mixed components" with different terminal designations and had a good deal of troubles as a consequence.

First and foremost reason for the conversion though was difficulty locating a working NE TT dial, or finding conversion parts to change it to rotary; the cost was prohibitive for doing either of those, so converting with parts I already have, and using my prior knowledge from earlier experiences saved me money, ordering parts, and any delays that might crop up.

Luckily, the hookswitch had the same leads and colors as a B series chest phone with WE internals which made things easier.

Yes, the NE network is good, so it's getting set aside for use with another project.