Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Switching => Magneto & Manual (Cord Boards etc) => Topic started by: ernest12 on November 21, 2011, 08:28:22 PM

Title: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: ernest12 on November 21, 2011, 08:28:22 PM
I have just ordered a switchboard operator headset to plug into my Western Electric 555 switchboard.

I have a power supply and can get the buzzer plus lamps to light.  What do I need to do to be able to  answer an incoming call through the headset?
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: rdelius on November 21, 2011, 09:33:13 PM
I have wired these before. Wire your telephone line to an incoming trunk. when called the buzzer should buzz any you should be able to answer,look on the interner for a WE 555 or Leich L55 switchboard. I used an old 1A2 power supply.
Robby
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: AE_Collector on November 21, 2011, 09:37:34 PM
Connect to the ringing trunk by plugging in one of the cords. I think that a specific cord is needed for this, not a particular cord set but either the front or the rear cord, probably the rear. Then I believe that you turn the associated lever to the right to connect the operators circuit and talk.

Then you can plug the other cord of the pair to the station that you want to put the call through to, press the ring button (while turning the magneto crank if you don't have a ringing power supply). When the station answers you return the lever to verticle positon to connect the trunk to the station and remove yourself (operator) from the circuit.

Without looking up the instructions, that is how I remember it. If anyone has better info please reply as well.

Terry

Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 21, 2011, 10:29:35 PM
I think there may be information on the 555 in the TCI library.  The 555 is probably the most used switchboard among collectors.  Go to www.telephonecollectors.org, (which takes you to www.telephonecollectors.info) then choose the TCI library and then do a search for 555.  It's free.
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: AE_Collector on November 21, 2011, 10:34:02 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on November 21, 2011, 10:29:35 PM
Go to www/telephonecollectors.ord

Does www/ rather than www.  work and did you mean .ORG rather than .ORD ?

Long day at the office Bill?

Terry
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 21, 2011, 11:14:47 PM
Quote from: AE_collector on November 21, 2011, 10:34:02 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on November 21, 2011, 10:29:35 PM
Go to www/telephonecollectors.ord

Does www/ rather than www.  work and did you mean .ORG rather than .ORD ?

Long day at the office Bill?

Terry

My fat fingers.  I changed it.PS:  I am actually on vacation this week in Portland.

Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: AE_Collector on November 21, 2011, 11:23:53 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on November 21, 2011, 11:14:47 PM
My fat fingers.  I changed it.PS:  I am actually on vacation this week in Portland.

Okay, tough day on Vacation.
If you were a bit closer to the ocean I coud say (and believe) Tough day on the beach! It has been trying to snow here in Vancouver Canada, not the Vancouver close to you.

Terry
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 21, 2011, 11:49:20 PM
It's been typically wet here today, and blustery.  I haven't been out looking for phones on this trip yet, but I may just go over to Chuck Irwin's later in the week.

As far as tough vacation, it's been a matter of dealing with dogs and grandkids.  When I go back to work next week, I can rest up!  Besides that, I don't like the keyboard on this laptop.  grumble, grumble.  I guess I need to read it over before hitting the "post" button.

:)
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: ernest12 on November 22, 2011, 08:01:29 PM
I have been trying to activate my W.E. 555 PBX.  So far I have accomplished the following:

I connected the wall phone jack to the jack (labeled incoming) mounted and wired in the back of the switchboard.  This jack module has green and red wires wired to the terminal block on board.  The yellow and black wires are also wired to terminal blocks.

Withe the other outlet on the jack module on back of board (labeled telephone) I connected  a rotary telephone.

When I dial my land line phone the buzzer and lamp light for the trk circuit.  I plug in the trunk, turn the key.   

take out station cord and plug it into station jack.

MY PROBLEM:  NO DIAL TONE ON ROTARY PHONE, CANNOT RING THAT PHONE FROM CORD BOARD


Any help would be appreciated.
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: rdelius on November 22, 2011, 08:52:02 PM
You might move the telephone to a different extension. That cord might be bad
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: DavePEI on November 22, 2011, 09:38:44 PM
Quote from: ernest12 on November 22, 2011, 08:01:29 PM
I have been trying to activate my W.E. 555 PBX.  So far I have accomplished the following:

I connected the wall phone jack to the jack (labeled incoming) mounted and wired in the back of the switchboard.  This jack module has green and red wires wired to the terminal block on board.  The yellow and black wires are also wired to terminal blocks.

Withe the other outlet on the jack module on back of board (labeled telephone) I connected  a rotary telephone.

When I dial my land line phone the buzzer and lamp light for the trk circuit.  I plug in the trunk, turn the key.   

take out station cord and plug it into station jack.

MY PROBLEM:  NO DIAL TONE ON ROTARY PHONE, CANNOT RING THAT PHONE FROM CORD BOARD


Any help would be appreciated.

What are you using for a ring generator. Other than the magneto on some 555's, they used an external ring voltage source.

Dave
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: AE_Collector on November 22, 2011, 09:51:31 PM
As Dave said, you EITHER need to have 90VAC ringing supply connected to the PBX along with the 24 or 48 VDC Talk Battery supply or as I mentioned in the other thread you started about the 555, you need to have a generator (Magneto) that you turn like crazy to generate ringing voltage while pushing on the RING button.

With cords plugged from trunk to station, you have returned the lever key to normal when trying to get outside dial tone on the station?

Terry
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 23, 2011, 01:53:14 AM
The 555 like any other switchboard needs a power supply to extend calls through to another phone.  Probably a 48-volt supply, although it may be 24 volt.  I am not that familiar with a 555.  It absolutely needs the external supply to provide talk battery to the phone, and to activate the relays and the lamps.  The board does NOT get its power from the phone line. Depending on whether it is 24 or 48 volts, there are power supplies available on e-baY that are not costly and will do the job.  Some of the others that have done 555's can chime in.  My 552 uses 48 volts.  You will need to refer to the connection diagram to see where to connect it, and the polarity to use.

Also, while the board will "ring" on incoming calls, that ringing current is supplied by the central office only for the purpose of ringing the incoming line.  When extending the call to another phone, and for calls between two phones connected to the switchboard, the switchboard needs to supply ringing current.

This is a special AC voltage of about 90 volts at 20 Hertz.  This can be supplied by an old magneto that is cranked by the switchboard operator at the time of extending the call, or it can b e supplied by a dedicated rigning current generator that is running all the time.

The most often used ringing generator is a Western Electric 115A frequency generator from a key system.  They come up on e-bay periodically.

The short answer is that a 555 switchboard is not plug and play.  The concept of plug and play did not exist back then.
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: DavePEI on November 23, 2011, 04:15:31 AM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on November 23, 2011, 01:53:14 AM
The 555 like any other switchboard needs a power supply to extend calls through to another phone.  Probably a 48-volt supply, although it may be 24 volt.

Most 555's are 24 volt, but there were 48 volt versions made. The chief difference between models was the voltage of the bulbs used. Mine is 24 volt falling into the more common variety.

You do need a ring voltage source. I have a spare ring generator here which runs off the 10 vac output of the power supply and provides 90 vac ring voltage. It is basically an inverter. It can feed ring voltage to the board if you want and is exactly the same type  I use on my 555 board. As Bill said, you do need a good KSU power supply as well. Most will provide the voltages needed by the board, but don't provide ring voltage. The Power Supply and ring generator  can both be mounted on a piece of plywood below the connection block on the angle iron at the base of the board.

Ring generator is $20 plus postage if you are interested. It needs 10 vac in, and gives 90 volt ring out.

There are a number of documents and manuals for the 555 posted on http://www.telephonecollectors.info/ Just search for 555.

Two photos below; 1) showing my board during wiring, and 2) details of connections for power and ring to the block. Download the bottom image to view it at its full size.

Another good idea with a 555 or similar board is to place it on heavy casters. It makes it much easier to move it in and out while working on it. Do not do this without help - they are top heavy and can fall on you when returning to the upright. I made the mistake of doing it alone and wound up with severe bruising over a large area of my leg due to its falling on me when I was setting it up many years ago.

Dave
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: ernest12 on November 23, 2011, 06:26:23 AM
With the information and photos you supplied, on the Forum, I am sure I can have this PBX working.

 
I do have a power supply connected to talk-grd, signal-grd ( 24V).  I do not have a ring generator which I will be buying.

THANKS,THANKS THANKS .....


Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: ernest12 on November 23, 2011, 07:43:52 AM
What do you think the shipping cost would be to ship the generator from The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island to Columbus, Ohio,  USA?
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: DavePEI on November 23, 2011, 08:06:56 AM
Quote from: ernest12 on November 23, 2011, 07:43:52 AM
What do you think the shipping cost would be to ship the generator from The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island to Columbus, Ohio,  USA?

The generator is a Northern Electric QGG1 (if I remember the model number correctly). Shipping would be somewhere between $10 and $17.00. It is very difficult to calculate the shipping on items going to the US, as it is a combination of weight, dimensions, postal code it is going to, and whether it is small enough to go first class (or even too small) in which they make you send it at a premium rate. I would almost have to pack one of them up and take it to the P.O. to get the price....

The generator is reasonably small and light, e.g. 6"in depth, 3 inches wide, and 4 or 5 inches tall. It is shown on the left of the main power supply of my 555 screwed to the plywood.

The connections from it are 10 vac from the power supply, and the output ring voltage is of 90V, which goes to the terminal block on the 555.

If you are going to hook up a lot of phones to your board, I suggest making the connections to the board's block with a short 25 pair cable with matching amphenol cables attaching to a mating amphenol then a short length of 25 pair attaching to a 66 block on the wall, the phones are wired to. That way, the board can be quickly disconnected for servicing, and can be rolled out for servicing by simply disconnecting the mating amphenol connectors.

Actually, I found a better photo of the generator, posted below. I have a number of phones attached to the board, including 302s, 354s, 500s, princesses, etc. All ring well with the output of the generator.

Dave
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: DavePEI on November 23, 2011, 01:38:04 PM
Quote from: ernest12 on November 23, 2011, 12:24:35 PM
I am sure the generator you show will work.  I would like to purchase it.  Write me how to order it and pay you. 


PM sent

Dave
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: DavePEI on November 23, 2011, 07:38:19 PM
Quote from: ernest12 on November 23, 2011, 12:24:35 PM
I am sure the generator you show will work.  I would like to purchase it.  Write me how to order it and pay you.  

I found another photo I took recently of the 555 power connections, perhaps a bit easier to follow.

Dave
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: AE_Collector on November 23, 2011, 09:28:54 PM
I was going to ask "Where's the -24V Talk Battery" but finally noticed it at the far right side of the block. So it really goes on Pins 1 & 2 but also gets attached to the metal frame of the PBX.

Terry
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: DavePEI on November 24, 2011, 07:38:54 AM
Quote from: AE_collector on November 23, 2011, 09:28:54 PM
I was going to ask "Where's the -24V Talk Battery" but finally noticed it at the far right side of the block. So it really goes on Pins 1 & 2 but also gets attached to the metal frame of the PBX.
Terry
Hi Terry:

Yep! I am going to trek through the snow to mail out the ring generator this morning to ernest12 - have to ask him to say Hi to his cousin Lily (inside joke)! Now he can have his board do the "one ringy-dingy,  two ringy dingy thing!"
Dave
Title: Re: WECo 555 Cordboard
Post by: ernest12 on January 12, 2012, 10:37:29 AM
Well I am happy to report that the old 555 PBX is working at 80%. All the station and trunk lamps, bussers etc that I have wired work.   By replacing the mouth piece I can now call out using the Western Electric #52 headset, however I still cannot hear the party at the other end.  I exchange out the original ear piece with an extra one I had.  This ear piece might not be functional.  It is scratched up a bit.
It did not work.

Any suggestions?

My next challenge  will be to try to get the dial to work.