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Modular Adapters and 4 Prong Plugs/Jacks for Spade Cords

Started by ntophones, November 23, 2009, 01:35:13 PM

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poplar1

Roughly 1931-1976.
They were originally used on 202s which required 4 wires to the anti-sidetone subset.
They were discontinued once modular jacks were standardized in 1976.

When modular phones were first used in certain areas, they were not intended to be moved from one outlet to another; rather, you were still supposed to pay extra for 4-prong jacks for that. However, once the modular jacks were standardized, I asked the service rep why last week the modular plugs were not to be moved from one room to another, but now it was OK, and she replied that the modular plugs were now made better. (Not).
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

G-Man

Simply check-out your local hardware store to see if they have 4-prong jacks in stock at a reasonable price. If so, find a line-cord with an RJ-11 plug on one end and spade terminals on the other. Connect it to the jack and you have an instant adapter for a price that is considerably less than what the eBay Pirates are attempting to extort from the general public!

Here are a couple of examples:

4 Prong Telephone Jack - $1.40
http://tinyurl.com/6o8m79l

Modular Cable – RJ11 Plug to Spade Lugs - $1.75
http://tinyurl.com/6ntoado

olderdude60

Just as a thought - if you have a local Habitat ReStore - ours has a bunch of various phone stuff - also check Salvation Army or Goodwill!

Jim

benkeys

Wow 1931 to 1976.. I'm guessing my '72 554 probably had one originally.  I will check out hardware stores but i highly doubt they will have any plugs for an old phone. You would be lucky to find the common every day items there (every hardware store in town) that people need. We do have a habitat for humanity, but they usually do not have any phone stuff. Even if they had what i needed they would have about 5-8.00 on a piece like that, only bc its not a common every day item and they like to put high prices on odd things.. however whenever i get there i will check for phone connectors.
Ben K...  1960 WE 500 and 1972 SC 554   Always enjoying the sound of a phone with a bell ringer ringing....

poplar1

There wouldn't have been a 4-prong plug on a 554 Wall Phone---those were hardwired and usually mounted on a plastic or wood backboard. The plugs are common as they are still attached to a lot of phones on ebay but the jacks are not as common because they were mostly replaced by modular jacks or in any case they would be in the houses and usually not removed with the phone. However, sometimes they are for sale with a phone. Phonecoinc.com also has them for $2.10 each.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

jsowers

I have a 554 from 8-58 with a matching 1958 light beige mounting cord and a 4-prong 283B plug on it. I thought it was very odd when I got it and still do, because 554s are not portable. But it was original to the phone. I think it may have been used in a pre-wired home when the jack wasn't at the right place. Normally this would not be the case.

Ben, you could also remove the 4-prong plug and install a modular wall jack (a female jack that surface mounts to the wall). They make jacks small enough so they're almost the size of a 4-prong plug. Attach red to the red screw, green to green and yellow to yellow. Then use a regular modular phone cord to hook it up. If you have a Princess that needs yellow and black for the lamp voltage, then be sure to use a 4-conductor modular cable and not a 2-conductor.
Jonathan

gands-antiques

Looking for 4 Prong Female to Male Modular Plug Adapters like the ones in the pictures.

Phonesrfun

Although not the exact model, you can get one here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370373885982?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

This is not my store, but I have purchased these and they work well.

-Bill G

gands-antiques

Bill,

Thanks for the information.

I have seen these with the short mod wire.

I don't remember where I got the one in the pictures but I would like to find some like in the pictures if I can.
I really them because they don't require the external wire.

===================
I did find these adapters.... a good way to go from hard wire to modular.

SUTTLE
Non-modular to Modular Retrofit Adapter
Part number N152MRL - 4      ($2.75 each)
Non-modular to modular adapter, four screw terminals to one 4-conductor plug

Contact Information
Customer Service   
Phone:
800-852-8662
320-848-6711
Fax:
320-848-6218
Email:
suttlesales@commsysinc.com   


AE_Collector

#39
Those hard wire to mod adapters could cause problems trying to plug into some surface mounted mod jacks. Some flush jacks as well if in a plate combined with a data or coax jack.

The 4 prong to mod adapters could be problematic on some multiple jacks as well. The ones that bill posted are much more universally going to fit into any jack. But they want $11.50 each for them! WoW!

Terry

Dennis Markham

That adapter that Bill posted is a little bit cheaper at Phone Co.  I don't know how the shipping compares.  Here's a link:

http://tinyurl.com/8mjyf9b

I have been lucky enough on a couple of occasions to purchase a phone (off eBay) that had one of these adapters attached.

paul

You could take a small bit of modular line cord and a 4-prong jack for some DIY converter crafting. Get good enough and sell to people on ebay at an obscene profit!  http://www.ebay.com/itm/120989315703 :D

twocvbloke

Quote from: paul on October 14, 2012, 04:56:27 PM
You could take a small bit of modular line cord and a 4-prong jack for some DIY converter crafting.

Almost how I did it this week, minus the socket... :D

benkeys

You can always remove the plug and hard wire it to the screws on a modular jack. Once wired you are good to go. If it is not going to be where the main jack is, just wire it as before then take a modular cord or hard wire and plug it in or wire it up to the main jack. If using the modular cord remember to get a splitter.  Either way will work well if you do not want to pay the high price for the adapter. 
Ben K...  1960 WE 500 and 1972 SC 554   Always enjoying the sound of a phone with a bell ringer ringing....

poplar1

Dennis, "thisundthat5hnq" is the ebay name for Phoneco.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.