Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Switching => Strowger (Step by Step) Switching => Topic started by: DavePEI on June 05, 2015, 05:34:06 AM

Title: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on June 05, 2015, 05:34:06 AM
A lorge amount of progres was made ont he 1949 British Strowger switches and switching demo in the Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island yesterday, and it should all be buttoned up on Saturday. John Mulrane, visiting from Ireland is working away on the switch, and adding the 1st selector (linefinder) controls and l/co relays, a tone generator and cadence generator, etc. and we are generally re-organizing the rack.

We wanted to get past the messy stage and get everything situated on the rack before we took photos - I did take one yesterday of John working on the rack, but the majority of the photos will come after today.... A lot of progress will take place today - everything is mounted now - we changed the rack layout around almost completely, but today will get most things up and running again. Tomorrow should finish it off.

The rack will have full metering, call counters, alarm, and if things go as planned using digit absorbtion, will take a 7 digit number. It is shaping up nicely, and great to have a gentleman who is as knowledgeable as John work on it! He does beautiful work! Sunday, we hope to have a couple of the Island Tel people down who originally worked on the switches down to meet John and for a BBQ. It will be the first time they have seen them working completely since 1988!

These switches were saved from The Summerside exchange when the switch was cut over to DMS in 1988 by Earl Pauley. The original exchange was PEI's first automatic office, and was installed in late 1949 and inaugurated in early 1950. It was 100% UK Strowger. The final selector (Connector) was one of the original 1949 switches, having survived 66 years! The only thing found wrong on that 66 year old switch, in addition to the normal cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment they all need after non-use for 30 years, is a copper oxide rectifier had gone bad, as they often do.

Incidentally, the reason that Summerside was chosen to receive PEI's first automatic switch, was that it supplied the very busy RCAF lines at CFB Summerside, and the exchange enabled better service to the base. It wasn't until 1952 that Charlottetown, the Island's capital city went automatic with a Northern Electric 5,100 line, 7,000 terminal automatic Strowger switching machine and a No.3 CL - 12 position toll switchboard.
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: twocvbloke on June 05, 2015, 06:15:35 AM
Just goes to show, us Brits used to build things to last once upon a time... ;D
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on June 06, 2015, 06:05:18 AM
A number of photos of the switch at its current stage of construction may be seen on the Museum's FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PEITelelephoneMuseum/1467676986867609/?notif_t=like

Have a peek, and see John Mulrane's excellent lacing and design work!

It should be 100 percent operational by tonight, and hen we will take more photos and shoot a video of it working...

Dave
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on June 08, 2015, 03:02:02 PM
The Completed Machine!

The system is all done, but we have a very flaky connector, so we will be trying to find one in better shape. However, one can dial right through the exchange and ring any of four phones. It provides quite an effective demonstration of Strowger switching and of the old UK Summerside switches.

Shown in the video:

Top row, Fusing and Alarms, L/co relays, Call counters.
Next row: Control Relays, Linefinder (First Selector), and Start Relays.
Left hand side of rack: Microprocessor controlled Cadence Generator (Interrupter) and Tone Generator (mounted on the side of the rack).
Bottom Row: 2 Selectors and Connector (Final Selector).
Back of rack: 7 amp. 48 VDC switching power supply, 1 amp p.s. for call counters, dial tone generator and ring generator.

I have posted the video of the switch in operation on You Tube.

http://youtu.be/F54X884ZdHQ (http://youtu.be/F54X884ZdHQ)
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on July 09, 2016, 11:25:20 PM
Finally today, after many months of procrastination, I got the Demo Switch moved out to the main part of the Museum. It has resided on my workbench in the office/workshop since we completed it. Jeffery is visiting this week, so I decided it was time to make the move.

I have put off the move for some time, for two reasons - fear I might damage it moving it, and secondly, its size and weight... Today, I removed the switches which could be removed to lighten it up, and we loaded it onto a cart and moved it out, placed it on the divider between the main Museum area,then lag bolted it down.I re-mounted the switches, moved its phones out,then cleaned up.

Tomorrow, I will double check the alignment of the wipers and banks,then put ti through its paces - hopefully all will work well. I simply ran out of steam today.

It is so nice to have my workbench clear again after three years of working on the demo!

Dave
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: cihensley@aol.com on July 10, 2016, 11:33:43 AM
Congratulations Dave.

Chuck
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on July 10, 2016, 12:57:36 PM
Quote from: cihensley@aol.com on July 10, 2016, 11:33:43 AM
Congratulations Dave.

Chuck


Well, congratulations maybe a bit premature.... Today when I checked out the switch, I discovered a problem which I will have to fix. Whether it was caused by the winter, or by the move I don't know - I should have checked it out before the move to make sure all was 100% after the winter months...

The line-finder operates and the call passes along to the next selector. It steps up, and then the call is dropped. So I will have to figure out what has happened between last fall and now...

No doubt it will be something simple that I have overlooked so far....

Other than that, it sure is nice to have my work-space back to normal. I have been working on the switch for the past three years. Mind you, it was no problem with smaller projects, I could work at them on the other bench, but sure missed that bench. One thing about it, is having so little space got me used to cleaning up after every project, which I had to do because people also visit the office area, so except when I am actually working on something, it is always clean....

It has been a busy spring, and I have gotten a lot completed. I am pleased also with the Code Call unit, and having the BN7500AX booth and phone in place in front of the Museum in addition to the NE MD-9021 Superman booth.... It, too was another long overdue project.

Nice, too to have the office dialable from the 1D2 in that booth. Another fun thing for visitors to play with...

Will tackle the switch again some time tomorrow.

Dave
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: AE_Collector on July 10, 2016, 06:10:14 PM
As calls proceed through the switches the latest switch added passes the ground (that holds everything up) back down the line all the way to the line finder. So the selector isn't doing that likely because of a bad contact in a relay or possibly even no ground available at that selector. Have fun!

Terry
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on July 11, 2016, 06:27:28 AM
Quote from: AE_Collector on July 10, 2016, 06:10:14 PM
As calls proceed through the switches the latest switch added passes the ground (that holds everything up) back down the line all the way to the line finder. So the selector isn't doing that likely because of a bad contact in a relay or possibly even no ground available at that selector. Have fun!

Terry

Hi Terry:

I am going to do a bit more troubleshooting today - hopefully i will find the problem. If I don't, Earl Pauley is going to drop by later this week, and we will go over it together. I don't know if you remember, but he is the Island Tel Switch-man who gave me the switches - he worked with the Summerside exchange for many years, and is quite familiar with the switches. It isn't likely to be anything too serious as it didn't get any jolts being moved. I did have the three lower switches off to lighten the load, but I think if it more likely that the problem is related to its sitting idle all winter. I wish I had thought to put it through its paces before moving it...

Anyway, we will get it sorted out, and sure enjoying having my work bench back!
Title: Re: Report on the TelPEI British Strowger switch Progress!
Post by: DavePEI on July 11, 2016, 11:20:10 AM
Here is the Blurb I wrote up to go with the UK Switch Demo. It is laminated in plastic and will go beside the display: