Northern Electric Desk Phone With 33 1/3 Cycle Ringer Won't Ring

[Doug Rose]

Gary....adjust the gongs and move them very close to the clapper, but leave enough room so it moves. You should see it moving when you ring the phone. I can usually get a Galion to ring, even with a frequency ringer. Its not loud, but give a charming tinkle....good luck....Doug

[gands-antiques]

Thanks Doug.

I adjusted the gongs closed and then gradually spread them apart and the clapper never moved. I put my multimeter on the two ringer connections and the ringer is getting a strong current.

I am probably going to keep this phone, so for the lack of a straight-line Canadian ringer, I am thinking about adapting a 302 ringer in it. The biggest problem I see to fit the ringer and to keep it level is the gong adjustment slide brackets would have to be removed and they are riveted to the chassis. I hate to remove the rivets and adjustment brackets in case I should ever get a straight-line Canadian ringer.

I guess I could compensate for the height of the slide adjustment rivets by adding spacers under the side of the ringer frame (next to the coil) so I could mount it level. Disregard level issue....the ringer assy is not that far out of level and I don't think it would matter if it wasn't level anyway. 

The saga continues...

Thanks again Doug,
Gary 

[Doug Rose]

Gary....I always jump from the 1 pos on the strip to L2....Doug

[gands-antiques]

Hello Doug,

I jumped the #1 position on the strip to L2 and it killed the current to the ringer. I didn't have the gongs installed before or after the jumper wire was installed so I didn't figure it made any difference.   

Would loosening the nuts and adjusting the two screws in or out have any affect on the operation of the ringer.

Thanks,
Gary

[Doug Rose]

Gary....then try L1.....clapper should move if gongs are on or not....Doug

[gands-antiques]

Current returned to ringer terminals when jumper was connected to #1 position on strip and L1 but still no movement of clapper.


Thanks,
Gary

[poplar1]

Even though it is marked 33 1/3 on the base, I believe that the ringer has been replaced with one with a higher frequency, making it less likely you'll get much movement even when wired correctly.

[Phonesrfun]

It appears to me that the picture Doug has posted is that of a straight line ringer, where the one that Gary has is definitely a frequency selective ringer.

[Doug Rose]

Bill...it is a straightline ringer, I was just showing Gary how I jump the ringer from pos 1 to L2. Only stock photo I had...Doug

[Phonesrfun]

Thanks, Doug.

[gands-antiques]

Thanks,

I may just leave the gong adjustment levers in place, drill and tap a couple of holes in a 302 ringer mount to match the existing ringer mount holes in the chassis and replace the existing 33 1/3 ringer.

Thanks,
Gary

[gands-antiques]

A friend of mine called tonight and said he hated to see me drill holes in the phone base and he said he has an straight-line AE ringer and  asked if it would fit/replace the 33 1/3 ringer in my North Electric.  Without having it in front of me I can't tell.  Does anyone know if it would work?

Thanks,
Gary