How do you rig an external ringer to work?

[Greg G.]

Like this one?  While we're on the subject, how much do these usually go for?  This one was part of a collection I got a year ago and haven't done anything with it.  There was one like it at the same place I got my last subset, but I passed on it.  I can't remember how much it was, but if it's at least in the ball park, I may go back and get it.

[dsk]

Nice ringer
Traditionally it has been 2 ways of connecting a ringer;

• The very old way, in series with the ringer on the hard wired phone, then you could skip an expensive capacitor, and not increase the ringing current.
• The more common way just wiring the ringer in series with a capacitor, and put it across the line.

I can't see any capacitor, but I would suggest to use one. Try about 0.5 microfarad in series with the ringer. If it rings far to weak, increase the capacitor value.

dsk

[paul-f]

Look under the terminal strip.  Some models have a capacitor installed there.

Here are photos showing the cover.

[Greg G.]

No capacitor under the terminal strip.  If I just want to do a temporary rigging to a working phone to test it, how would I hook it up?  I can only understand which wire goes where, I don't know electronics.  I found a couple of them on ebay that I'm watching to see what they sell for.

[paul-f]

You should be able to see which terminals the ringer coil wires are soldered to -- probably R and K.  (Use these for testing, using the capacitor in your working phone.)


When you find a capacitor, it goes between K and BK.

The phone line goes between R and BL.