"Calibrating" Dials?

[Dan/Panther]

Basically, if a dial is properly calibrated at 10 pulses per second, if your dial makes a complete cycle in one second it's cailbrated ! 10 numbers, 1  second, equals 10 pulses per second.
D/P

[benhutcherson]

I've written here in the past that I've had some plans for a dial testing apparatus in the back of my mind for a while.

I'm glad to report that, just today, I've secured the necessary parts, and will hopefully have a functional example by the end of the week.

Once I get something working, you'll here about it first here. So, please watch this thread for details.

[Phonesrfun]

I would be very interested, keep us posted.

[Dan/Panther]

Very interested myself.
D/P

[mr_a500]

I've written here in the past that I've had some plans for a dial testing apparatus in the back of my mind for a while.

I'm glad to report that, just today, I've secured the necessary parts, and will hopefully have a functional example by the end of the week.

Once I get something working, you'll here about it first here. So, please watch this thread for details.

I know this is an old post... but whatever happened with this? Is there some kind of (cheap or easily built) dial testing device available?

I've got about 4 phones that don't dial properly - and I have no idea how to test and adjust them.

[dencins]

I use a PC Oscilliscope with my laptop.  This gives a picture of the pulses when dialing.  Dial "0" and check the elapsed time of the dial cycle to determine PPS.

I bought a 3.5mm (1/8") 3-element cord from Radio Shack (part no 42-2492) that cost $7.29 plus tax.  I cut the female end off and stripped the wire back then used the red (Tip) and bare (Ground) wires. Connect one lead to Y and the other to BK on the dial terminal bar.  Plug the jack into the laptop sound card.  A project box and alligator clips are optional - I use it to hold the dial steady.  I use Zelscope ($20 download) software.  A few things I have found with Zelscope:

1. Change the buffer size. It is in the Settings on the top menu.  I increased to from 50 to 500 then click Save Settings in the drop down menu. This captures more than one second.

2. Increase the MS/DIV from 1.000 to 200.000. This sets the screen x-axis to show 2 seconds.

3. I click the Start arrow button (upper left corner) then dial a number. I have the cursor sitting on the Pause button. When the dial stops, I click the Pause button. On the right side of the screen are Page Back and Page Forward buttons. I click the Page Back button one click and this usually gives me the full picture.

4. The program allows you to save data as Screen Shot (.bmp) which is usually 1.5M. I save it then bring it into another program to save it as .jpg (about 175K) to be able to email it. It also saves data as Text (bunches of data points) or Wave files.

Here is the picture of a 2AB dial I tested.


Dennis

[Jim Stettler]

I've written here in the past that I've had some plans for a dial testing apparatus in the back of my mind for a while.

I'm glad to report that, just today, I've secured the necessary parts, and will hopefully have a functional example by the end of the week.

Once I get something working, you'll here about it first here. So, please watch this thread for details.

I know this is an old post... but whatever happened with this? Is there some kind of (cheap or easily built) dial testing device available?

I've got about 4 phones that don't dial properly - and I have no idea how to test and adjust them.

I use a BK Precision  1045 telephone tester. It has a long and short loop ringer test. Dial tone, you can intercom between the test jacks. You can test your mod cords. Dialed digits , side tone, dial light
I think they are around $650.00 new. Used you can get them delivered for under $100.
They also have a model 1050 Telephone analyzer. They used to sell in the 2-3 K price range. If you can find one you can probably get it delivered for around $100.

I have gotten the 1045's for as low as $40.00 with shipping. It looked rough but worked well. There doesn't seem to be any difference other than cosmetic on the 1045A and 1045B

Jim

[Dan/Panther]

I turn the finger wheel all the way from '0' to the finger stop then let go, and start at the same time saying out loud 1001.
If the finger wheel stops at the same time I get to the second '1', it's OK.
D/P

[mr_a500]

I turn the finger wheel all the way from '0' to the finger stop then let go, and start at the same time saying out loud 1001.
If the finger wheel stops at the same time I get to the second '1', it's OK.
D/P

OK, but if it's too slow, what do you do?

I've got four WE 500 phones. Two have 7A dials and they work perfectly fine. The other two are 7D dials that move slightly too slow and don't work. I oiled them (using the nice, fancy "oiling points" pictures for reference) but they still didn't work. I then disassembled them, cleaned them, checked connections, rotated the spring the correct number of times and reassembled - but they still move too slowly and they still don't work.

I'm really starting to hate 7D dials.

[JorgeAmely]

I turn the finger wheel all the way from '0' to the finger stop then let go, and start at the same time saying out loud 1001.
If the finger wheel stops at the same time I get to the second '1', it's OK.
D/P

OK, but if it's too slow, what do you do?

I've got four WE 500 phones. Two have 7A dials and they work perfectly fine. The other two are 7D dials that move slightly too slow and don't work. I oiled them (using the nice, fancy "oiling points" pictures for reference) but they still didn't work. I then disassembled them, cleaned them, checked connections, rotated the spring the correct number of times and reassembled - but they still move too slowly and they still don't work.

I'm really starting to hate 7D dials.

Try relaxing the governor spring or Steve Hilsz.

[mr_a500]

How do you "relax the governor spring"?

(good this sounds like I'm getting somewhere - hopefully an adjustment I can make)

[KeithB]

Try relaxing the governor spring or Steve Hilsz.

How's relaxing Steve Hilsz going to fix his slow dial?

[Kenny C]

Steve fixes dials right?

[bingster]

Try relaxing the governor spring or Steve Hilsz.

How's relaxing Steve Hilsz going to fix his slow dial?

Bwahahahahaha!

[mr_a500]

Try relaxing the governor spring or Steve Hilsz.

How's relaxing Steve Hilsz going to fix his slow dial?

I think he's saying to get Steve Hilsz nice and drunk so that he's relaxed enough to agree to help me.

I hope he didn't also mean "relax the governor in spring"... because I can't wait that long.  (and I don't know the governor that well)