Craig's List WE Payphone

[Doug Rose]

I know what you are going to say...... But it was $50 on CL and was in Yarmouth and we were in Hyannis. The outside is a Payphone, not sure about the inside. It opens with a screw driver. Gets dial tone and conversation is loud and clear both ways. Dial is like it is not connected. I hate to admit it, but I cannot even figure how to get to the dial without taking the phone apart. I have concerns about putting it back together if I tried  Two wires are not connected from the dial and have no idea if the wiring on the block is correct. ...Doug

[RotarDad]

Doug - That phone has several elements of a converted D180574 decorator set sold to the public.  The locks have the ink-stamped part number and open with a screwdriver, and there is that ridiculous bell in the coin box compartment.  The phone also was a 236G (commonly used for decorator sets), which would have had a 4010 net behind the coin track.  In the decorator set, the coin track was replaced with a straight chute, hence the bell below.  You have what appears to be as original coin track in the upper (I can barely see the edge in one pic), and, of course, a net from a 500 set.  I'd guess a previous collector swapped the upper for a more complete one, but used a 233G part without a net.  A 236G BSP wiring diagram should help get it working if the net connections are the same....

[Doug Rose]

thanks Paul

[Alex G. Bell]

Doug - That phone has several elements of a converted D180574 decorator set sold to the public.  The locks have the ink-stamped part number and open with a screwdriver, and there is that ridiculous bell in the coin box compartment. 

The phone also was a 236G (commonly used for decorator sets), which would have had a 4010 net behind the coin track.  In the decorator set, the coin track was replaced with a straight chute, hence the bell below. 
You have what appears to be as original coin track in the upper (I can barely see the edge in one pic), and, of course, a net from a 500 set. 

I'd guess a previous collector swapped the upper for a more complete one, but used a 233G part without a net.  A 236G BSP wiring diagram should help get it working if the net connections are the same....

An upper housing from a 233G would have transfer contacts instead of the 15-pin D-sub plug.

Unless Doug inspects the upper housing and discovers a network in front of the coin chute, a 236G wiring diagram might cause more confusion than help since it will show the network in the upper housing when it's probably not there. 

So it's probably easier to work from a 233G wiring diagram, making the mental leap that the network is on the coin relay tray instead of a separate subset (not much of a leap) and the D-sub connector replaces the transfer contacts (a little more of a leap). 

Doug: remove the two bayonet screws at the top of the upper housing chute and the screw in the black rubber grommet at the bottom to remove the coin chute from the upper housing.  With the chute removed you will see the back of the dial well with (3) 5/16" hexnuts holding the dial and dial mounting.  You will then be able to pull the dial off and examine connections between the dial cord and dial.  It's not all that difficult and I doubt you will find it challenging to put it back together.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Great payphone, Doug!

I couldn't find a decent WE 3 slot for $50 if I tried!!

For the dial, simply remove the hex nuts in the housing that are holding the dial to the housing. From there, you can just pull the dial out and disconnect the conductors attached to it if you need to. The only other part you need to remove is the coin chute, assuming it's still there.

I know it's still 'taking the phone apart', but it's the simplest way I know how!

EDIT: You took the words right out of my mouth, Alex!

[Doug Rose]

thanks to all for your help...Doug

[Alex G. Bell]

Great payphone, Doug!

I couldn't find a decent WE 3 slot for $50 if I tried!!

For the dial, simply remove the hex nuts in the housing that are holding the dial to the housing. From there, you can just pull the dial out and disconnect the conductors attached to it if you need to. The only other part you need to remove is the coin chute, assuming it's still there.

I know it's still 'taking the phone apart', but it's the simplest way I know how!

EDIT: You took the words right out of my mouth, Alex!

I agree.  Cosmetically it's a excellent starting point for a restoration.  Restoring it to original and working condition will be much easier than any refinishing job.  Chrome plated cast iron vault doors alone can easily go for a good part of $50.  So can a 63A dial mounting equipped with a daisy petal number plate that's free of chips and scratches.

If one can take words out of someone's mouth via the internet could cyber remote brain surgery be far off in the future? 

[oldguy]

Nice find Doug. Cosmetically it looks great. I'd probably get the dial working & sell it.

[Doug Rose]

Here is how it is wired....Doug

[Doug Rose]

Closer! I have bridged L2 to the ringer red and R. Conversation and rings on incoming!


Bad news is I am a dope, you already knew that  . The cable coming out of the connector that runs to the top with the dial is cut! How did I miss that? Dope.

I need to wire directly and bypass the connector. Also red and white from the dial are not connected in pic two, not sure if its an issue.

Again....any help is greatly Appreciated.....Doug the Dope

[RotarDad]

My thought about the replaced upper was indeed incorrect.  I can now see that the original coin track is gone, and replaced with the metal "flat funnel" part that was included on the D180574 Decorator set.  So someone must have taken the 4010 network out if the phone.  The net you have now is actually a 4228, I believe.  The is indeed a fairly complete D180574, but with a replaced net, and apparently, some damaged wiring...

[Alex G. Bell]

Closer! I have bridged L2 to the ringer red and R. Conversation and rings on incoming!


Bad news is I am a dope, you already knew that  . The cable coming out of the connector that runs to the top with the dial is cut! How did I miss that? Dope.

I need to wire directly and bypass the connector. Also red and white from the dial are not connected in pic two, not sure if its an issue.

Again....any help is greatly Appreciated.....Doug the Dope

Hard wiring the top to the bottom will probably make it difficult to work on.  If the plug ended cable is not cut too short to re-use and the leads at the female are not cut off you might be better off putting spade tips back on the lead ends and trying to use it instead of direct wiring. 

If you end up wiring directly you should use stranded wire, not the solid wire I see in some photos, which will break after being flexed a few times.

Without knowing what the connections are from the dial to the dial cord it's impossible to say what changes will be required to make the dial work.  You need to dismount the dial and inspect the dial cord connections.  Proper connections are shown in 233G and 236G BSPs in the TCI library.

Essentially it's a 500 set, which needs 4 dial leads even though the dial and dial cord have 5 terminal screws and leads.  In a 233G or 236G the 5th (R) dial terminal short circuits the electromagnet on the coin chute to prevent it from following dial pulses but if RotarDad is correct, you don't have a chute nor electromagnet so 4 (Y, BK, BB, W) would make it work as a 500 set.

Partial photos showing only the areas you think are relevant make it difficult for others to understand the full state of the phone.  Complete interior photos would be more revealing.

[Doug Rose]

thanks Paul for your input. I appreciate your help.

Big thanks to Stan the Payphone Man for his hard work with me last night and this morning. Stan got it to ring for me and that was huge. It is a mess of parts, but still displays very well. Someone will be happy with it!

I have been collecting Telephones for almost 40 years and I am very happy to be a member of this Forum. The help for newbies and old timers alike is always....Top Notch.

I can't forget David, Robbie and Karl who always come to my aid with their vast History in Telephones. The knowledge without pretense is what sets the Forum apart from the other clubs.


It just goes to show you....You can teach an old doug a new trick  .....Doug

[HarrySmith]

I just came across a seller on eBay with a bunch of old phone parts including a lot of payphone stuff. I have no idea if any will work on your phone but here is one listing, there are a lot of others!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/192226093700

[Doug Rose]

thanks Harry....it is going on eBay as is on Sunday. Conversation is loud and clear and it rings loud. Looks great...perfect for a game room or man cave....Doug