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Noobie needs help.

Started by Come in Nighthawk, June 01, 2010, 06:57:29 PM

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Come in Nighthawk

 My first post.  If I'm in the wrong section, maybe the Admin will be kind enuf to move this to the correct section?

I will do my best to use correct terms.  I have a nice (cosmetic) W.E. B1/E1 combo (very shiny!), with at least one replacement cord, and a W.E. 5L dial.  The wiring is all weird, and it came w/out subset, but with a modular RJ11 on the loose end of the mounting cord...  The eBay seller accurately stated that at least one cord was a replacement, and, that it came with a 'ringer' (in fact a Sceptre TA-400).  I've seen the warnings here since finding & joining this board today about NOT using your B1/D1 etc. mounts and esp. E1 handsets without a subset.  I popped the base off the mount and am scratchhing my head at the wiring as compared to the nifty color diagrams here.

I wonder what I have?  I am a cavalrymen, and never played a signal corps officer, not even on TV!  :D  Here is my best shot at a description:

The four lines from the mount cord are thin and covered in plastic/vinyl (obviously a replacement).  The green line connects to the "G" (sic) screw-head to the "left" of the dial (on the posts), just as in the "B&D Mount for 102 Dialing" diagram on this board.  The _red_ line connects to the "BK" screw, NOT the "R" on the dial (which section of the dial containing the four screw-heads is actually black and I can not read any letters on the dial). 

It goes downhill from there.  The black and yellow lines are not attached to anything!!  The three lines of the handset cord are cloth-wrapped.  The black cloth line _is_ attached to what from the diagram ought to be the "R" on the dial -- not to the one that ought to be the "BK."

From left to right a short black cord runs from the "W" to the left of the dial to what from the diagram ought to be the "Y" on the dial.  The red-laced brown cloth line of the handset cord to what from the diagram ought to be the "BK" on the dial.  Another short black line runs between the "Y" to the left of the dial to what from the diagram ought to be the "R" on the dial.  Nothing is attached to the "R" to the _right_ of the dial.  ...the white-laced brown cloth line connects to what should be the "W" on what I'll call the "points" actually "on" the dial.

Finally, a resistor or capacitor or something, labelled as "TRW AU-182," is wired between what from the diagram ought to be the "Y" on the dial to what from the diagram ought to be the "BB" on the dial.

The seller said this phone worked if plugged into the wall with the RJ11, and if one plugged it into the 'ringer' and then _that_ into the wall the phone will ring with incoming calls.  All true.  But again, I worry about the warnings here about using my nifty new B1/E1 combo without a subset. 

Help?  E.G., has this weird wiring and that TRW "thing" taken the place of a subset -- since I can dial out and call in?  Appreciate all help.   ;D


JorgeAmely

Welcome to the forum CIM:

You landed in the right section. Can you post the ebay auction number or some pictures of your new "old" phone?

Jorge

Phonesrfun

As Jorge has mentioned, It would really help to have a photo to go along with the narrative.  Wecome to the forum!



-Bill G

Come in Nighthawk

Quote from: JorgeAmely on June 01, 2010, 07:24:11 PM
Welcome to the forum CIM:

You landed in the right section. Can you post the ebay auction number or some pictures of your new "old" phone?

Sure!  The auction won't show much.  But: 300423623688.  I'll get some fotoz of the interior of the mount and post 'em tomorrow!  Appreciate your patience!  :D

Phonesrfun

CIN:

You're right.  There is nothing in the auction that gives us a clue, so standing by for photos...

-Bill G

Greg G.

Welcome!  That was a pretty decent price, IMHO.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Come in Nighthawk

Quote from: Phonesrfun on June 02, 2010, 12:47:58 AM
CIN:  You're right.  There is nothing in the auction that gives us a clue, so standing by for photos...

OK, thanks for your patience.  Let's see if these will "explain" what I was saying?

Overview:



Cord entries at the back of the mount:



"Left side" of mount:



The TRW "thing":

.

Any ideas?

LarryInMichigan

CIN,

The yellow and black wires from the line cord are not needed and can be ignored.  It looks like someone simple used a capacitor to provide DC isolation to the handset, but the phone should not be wired this way.  Check out the section labeled "Method of mounting N-205 Mini Network inside of a B1/102 set" on http://telephonecollectors.org/library/weco/weco.htm for helpful instructions on how to install a real network into your phone.  Phonecoinc.com sells these networks for $10.

Larry

Come in Nighthawk

So, "Mini Network" = subset surrogate?

I was thinking: "Gosh, its the 21st Century, hadn't anyone invented a sub-miniature subset replacement?"  Something about the size of a deck of cards, or pack of cigarettes?  Something that would easily and unobtrusively screw to the wall next to the phone jack and allow these old phones to work w/out the big honking boxes of the Roaring 20s/Depression/WW2 era?  I'd figured it could even include a digital "ringer," like the mini-ringers in our cell phones!

So, someone at least did the subset-less-ringer thing??  But they've designed it to be stowed (crammed) into the mount?  Do I understand that correctly?

That, and you have to fabricate your own mounting brackets...???

Phonesrfun

You can always mount it externally to the phone.  I believe the original e-bay auction included something about a ringer box.  Is there such a box?  If so, can you take a picture?   You can probably  mount a mini network in there.
-Bill G

HarrySmith

Here is a link about using the AE mini network in a WE B1/D1:

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/files/oldphoneguy/rotatone/Rotatone%20-%20AE%20mininetwork.pdf

It includes a nice picture of the network.

Harry
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Come in Nighthawk

Quote from: Phonesrfun on June 02, 2010, 10:56:40 AM
You can always mount it externally to the phone.  I believe the original e-bay auction included something about a ringer box.  Is there such a box?  If so, can you take a picture?   You can probably  mount a mini network in there.

Here's the Sceptre ringer...  Not sure anything else would fit inside its box...


LarryInMichigan

CIN,

It doesn't look like you will be able to fit anything into your ringer box.  Mounting the mini network in the phone base should not be very difficult.  You can probably substitute insulated wire for the mounting brackets as long as the network will not bounce around and/or come into electrical contact with the base.  You may want to cover the bottom of it with tape to prevent any electrical contact.  I have a dial-less B1 here waiting to have a mini network installed in it once of these days.

Have fun!


Larry

Come in Nighthawk

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on June 02, 2010, 12:41:39 PM
CIN,

It doesn't look like you will be able to fit anything into your ringer box.  Mounting the mini network in the phone base should not be very difficult.  You can probably substitute insulated wire for the mounting brackets as long as the network will not bounce around and/or come into electrical contact with the base.  You may want to cover the bottom of it with tape to prevent any electrical contact.  I have a dial-less B1 here waiting to have a mini network installed in it once of these days.

Have fun!  Larry

Thanks, all!  Larry, yes, as I thought.  Related issue(s):

I think I'll hold off hazarding my lone B1-unit for now.  I have also acquired a D1/F1 combo (120566573258) at what seemed a fair price, and, a D1/E1 combo too (190393019510), that needs a little work.  My advanced degrees are in History, but my younger brother up in New England, who I'll be visiting along with others of my family in August, has a degree in "electrons" and about 35-odd years experience repairing big-screen TVs.  I'm thinking if I'm armed with a notebook with the diagrams from this forum, everyone's kind notes here, and URLs for reference, along with a couple of these mini-networks, that I can cajole him into helping me to modify the two D1 units as y-all've suggested!  ;D

Second, I _also_ have a gut-less (or nearly gut-less) WE 684C subset (300427506318) "dated" II-37.  I am thinking since its mostly devoid of its working bits, why not strip it down and get my little brother to help me install a third mini-network and a digital ringer inside the "cabinet?"  Surely my brother will be able to sort out the lines and cordings needed to set up something like a modern arrangement:

Handset >>line to>> B-1 mount >>line to>> mini-network & ringer in the 684 cabinet >>line to>> wall jack.

Too clever by half??  Appreciate your thoughts!!

PS: How do you interpret these Roman numeral and Arabic numeral combinations stamped in red on these WE parts?  Does II-37 on this WE 684C subset mean... "made in February, 1937?"  Or, made in the "2nd Quarter, 1937?"  I've never seen anything that explains these markings.  Again, MANY thanks!!

Dan/Panther

Most will say 2nd quarter 1937. In some newer dial, you may see he Roman Numeral "I", next to the date of say 7-61, ( so obviously the "I" could not stand for 1st quarter ) that Numeral they say is for Indianapolis.
D/P

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