Help with 302 ringing

[Kenny C]

I see the problem now.. Your condenser is supposed to have 4 wires Red, Black, Yellow, and slate. I will send you  condenser Just PM me your address.

The yellow wire is a line cord wire. It is wired to ground so it doesn't perform a function.

[LarryInMichigan]

The tube is probably in place of the condenser.  There have been discussions here before about ringer tubes.  I do not have any phones with tubes, so I know little about them.  You could use a capacitor from Radio Shack, if you wish.

Larry

[mmd]

If it helps, here's how mine is hooked up..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/Evilweredragon/phonehookup.jpg

[Bill]

Bill, are you saying there should be no washer under the screw?  I've seen them many times but never thought to replace the screw without the washer.  I think it's a fiber type washer, or maybe even a metal one.

No. there is a metal lockwasher under under one (or both) screws, as shown in photos in the following posts. And it belongs there. I meant to ask about a soft felt or fiber washer.

Bill

[Dennis Markham]

I'm no expert on those but I have had 302's with that gas tube in them before.  I have removed the tube and wired it as a standard model 302 as Kenny suggested.  I don't believe it's a condenser.  I can see in your picture the 195A condenser below the tube.

If it rings with it connected, re-connect it and let it go.  However you believe that may be the cause for the dampened ringing?  Is there a model designation on the phone somewhere?  On the bottom, inside the housing near the "mouse hole"?

[Nilsog]

AB1 is the designation on the casing in the back. I think the dampening is due to the steel gongs rather than brass. Would adding a regular condenser cause the actual ring pattern to be normal rather than short long long? Or is that another wiring issue?

[Dennis Markham]

Ken, that I cannot help you with.  There are others here that are more expert in the wiring.  Looking at Paul F's site that set might be a Model 251.

Look here:

http://www.paul-f.com/we300typ.htm

Does the handset read F1W on it with no Bell System?

[Nilsog]

Yes, F1W and no bell system marks. So what exactly is a 251? A just a variation for party lines?

[Kenny C]

I don't think the Steel bells make a difference. I cant tell the difference between brass and steel.

[Doug Rose]

AB1 is the designation on the casing in the back. I think the dampening is due to the steel gongs rather than brass. Would adding a regular condenser cause the actual ring pattern to be normal rather than short long long? Or is that another wiring issue?

Ken...welcome to the Forum. This was used for party Line ringing, If it is still rings the one short,,,,two long, I would leave it alone. I have seen tubes for Party line ringing, but never what you have.   Ususally the old party line ringers do not ring on today's system. It is definitely a piece of history. You will find more 302s in the future, but you may never find one like this is working condition. Just my opinion. Welcome....Doug

[Nilsog]

That makes sense. I like this phone, but I was really looking for the ring that I was accustomed to. I'm sure I'll come across a regular one someday.

Thanks, everyone, for helping me out!

[Bill]

I'm under the impression that the ring pattern of shorts and longs is sent out from the central office (CO). Nothing you can do in the phone can change it. Am I wrong about this?

In a standard configuration, the CO applies the ring voltage across the two wires that come in from the pole. These wires are called tip and ring, and they are connected to L1 and L2 in the phone. In a party-line configuration, though, the CO may apply ring voltage across tip and ground, or across ring and ground, and so the ringer in the phone has be connected across L1 and ground, or across L2 and ground, to make it respond. These three different connections enable the phone company to independently ring three different phones on the same line. But if more than one ringer (one phone) is connected in the same way, then all will ring (or not ring) together. The addition of short-long sequences is simply intended to let all of the parties know which party is supposed to pick up.

This is a basic summary as I understand it. Beyond the basics, there are ways of expanding the number of phones and independent ringers on a party line, such as frequency-selective ringing. I would welcome corrections where I am incorrect - I am in this to learn.

To get back to the topic at hand, if  the ringing voltage is supplied in a standard configuration, but your phone is wired in a party-line configuration, it may not ring at all. I recently experienced this on a 354 I was repairing, and returning the wiring to the standard configuration took care of it. In your case, restoring the wiring to the standard 302 configuration would ensure that there is no problem in this area. But the short-long sequence should have no effect.

Bill

[Doug Rose]

Bill...that's exactly how I thought it worked, but I have only seen tubes, not whatever this is. For lack of a better term, a metal tube! If Ken is getting the party line ring from the phone now, I would leave it and be very happy that it is working that way. I'd get a dial card with one short and two long on it. I have a few 302s with tubes and cannot make them ring, so this might be "something different."  I would LOVE to have one of mine with a ring cadence like this!!....Doug

[gpo706]

I have no idea what the silver thing is but it looks like a ringing capacitor fitted to some of my GPO sets, same size, same aluminium tube - nowadays they are fitted in the master socket.

I have revived some 706 scrappers with this component removed, but probably rewired at refurb to bypass it.

Just my 2p (cents) worth...

[AE_Collector]

10-4, the ringing current and pattern comes from the CO. Going bact to Magneto CO's the operator OR any phone on your line could generate the ringing with their Magneto but after the Magneto era the ringing all comes from the CO.

Terry