Stromberg-Carlson

[PSGreg]

Hi Guys,
               New to the forum.  Been reading it for a few days, seems to be a lot of good info here. 
   While I have collected vintage items for years I can't say I've been an avid telephone collector, however I always seem to have two or three vintage phones.  I usually like to have them in working order and I use them regularly.
   Now I have an interest in doing more than the basic repairs (like replacing a missing cord).  So I'm wondering if there is a good starting point; or a "Repair 101" for basic testing/repair.  I believe I'll start with a standard Stromberg-Carlson 500 of early 70's vintage I recently required.  It looks complete and clean (with cord) but does not work when plugged in.
I think this is a good candidate to start with due to its lack of extreme complexity.
     Your input is appreciated.
Best,
         Greg
   

[Mark Stevens]

Howdy Greg!
Model 500s are child's play, and have even been known to fix themselves if left unattended in a dark room. (actually, I heard that from Dan/Panther) The first thing to do if your new acquisition doesn't work is to check the wiring, as that's the problem 95% of the time. I have a Kellogg Manual that should have innards pretty much identical to your S-C. (someone correct me if I'm wrong!)  Browse through that and see if it helps!

[McHeath]

Welcome.  This place is fast becoming a vast deposit of good phone info, and has some really knowledgeable and helpful people who seem to have been on the design team for some of these old phones.

Of course then there's me, all I know is that old phones are cool.

Anyway, do check the wiring as almost every old phone I've bought this year has had it's wiring changed or messed up at some point.  It's amazing what moving a few wires around can do to revive the dead.

[Dan]

Hello, please tell us specifically what isn't working. Do you get a bell ring when you use your cell to call it?

[mienaichizu]

Hello, please tell us specifically what isn't working. Do you get a bell ring when you use your cell to call it?

Hi welcome to the forum! I'm not an expert in repairing vintage telephones so I leave it to the experts, hehehehe...

enjoy the forum!

[Dan/Panther]

Mark;
I don't remember saying it had to be a dark room.
I will agree though, just because it isn't working, doesn't mean it's broken. Chances are it isn't.
D/P

[PSGreg]

Wow!  Thanks for all the input guys.

Mark,
           I will follow your link and see if the answer lies in your Kellog Manual.  I appreciate the lead. 

McHeath,
                I'm certain you are correct, this will simply be some "messed up" wiring.

Dan,
        Specifically; the ringer won't ring, the receiver won't receive, the dialer won't dial and my cell phone seems to have taken a Draconian stance of denial on the axiomatic grounds that rotary phones no longer exist and as such, refuses to acknowledge the existence of the 500 . 
In short, I plug it in and it's as dead as if I hadn't.

   I'll run through Mark's Kellog manual for a day or two and try some gentle prodding and rearranging.  I'll keep you posted here on my success....or lack of.

Of course there's always the unattended dark room, should I fail.

Thanks again all.

Best,
          Greg

[PSGreg]

Hello Mark,
                        Thanks for the link.  I've viewed the manual and, while it's similar, my telephone seems to differ from the one in the pictures.   The manual photos show screw type terminals for wire attachment, mine has push in spade connectors laid out in a different configuration.  The fault, I'm certain, is mine.  Perhaps this is not a Model 500.  I believe the phone dates from 1973 and the only actual numbers on the unit are on the underside of the receiver S-C G3.
   Sorry for the confusion
Best,
         Greg

[bingster]

Hi Greg,

Here's a Stromberg diagram:

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/sc500.pdf

...but it looks as though it's for screw terminals, too.  Do you have a way to post a couple photos of the phone?  One of the inside and one of the outside might help immensely.

[PSGreg]

Hello bingster,
                             Thanks for the diagram.  I will see if I can get a couple of pics up later this evening.
Best,
          Greg

[McHeath]

my cell phone seems to have taken a Draconian stance of denial on the axiomatic grounds that rotary phones no longer exist and as such, refuses to acknowledge the existence of the 500

You mean rotary phones still exist and are being used?      

[PSGreg]

Sorry, haven't been able to get the photos up yet. Soon though (camera glitch).
I see, by reading around the forum, that there is a certain amount of "discord" revolving around anything modular.  Does this also pertain to the use of modular cords?  The reason I ask is that this 500 I'm working on had a newer style modular cord attached to it when I received it.  Could this pose a problem?
I've determined this phone to be dated 1975 from an ink stamp date code on the underside of the dial (4/75) and another on the circuit board (7/75).

Best,
         Greg

[HobieSport]

Hi Greg and again, Welcome.  I don't know when Stromberg-Carlson went modular, but I think Western Electric went modular circa 1972.  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=207.0
So I wouldn't be surprised if your 1975 SC500 was modular to begin with.  I think the point is that we like phones to be as true as possible to original, and I'm guessing yours is original.

[PSGreg]

Hi Guys,
                   Sorry for the delay in getting these pictures up.  I'm also sorry for the poor resolution.  My camera is on the fritz and I think repairing it is just about as costly as replacing it, so I'll probably just purchase another.  I used my friend's camera for these photos and, now that I see them, I'm a little disaoppointed with their quality.
   Anyway, they do show the phone exterior and interior.  I have spent some time removing and replacing wires one at a time and I've managed to get some very faint clicking sounds (so there is lower brain function but still no heartbeat) but not much else. 
   I have an earlier (working) 500 that looks just like the pictures in the Kellog Manual Mark sent me (thanks again).  I wonder, is there a similar manual for this model 500 that clearly shows where all wires connect?  Or can I find some high resolution pictures of the same?
   As usual, your input is greatly appreciated.
Best,
         Greg

[Dan]

Greg, yours looks like my ITT that I am trying to fix, maybe we can kill two phones with one stone here..