"Impulse Buy" 302 arrived today (Dead on Arrival)

[Dan]

Thanks-the clapper is slightly bent down from a previous owner so I bet this is reducing my loudness

[BDM]

The farther away the gong is from the clapper, the harder it's hit. Also, the clapper shouldn't rest on the gong. I usually leave around a .025" - .030" between them. I agree with Dennis. The bias spring should be in the center when all is operating properly. BTW, this brings up another subject about the gongs themselves. There are several different numbered gongs, along with a letter designation. Example, the ones in this phone are 41B and 41A. B is the lower note.

[Dennis Markham]

Another thing I failed to mention is to always make sure some wires, especially under the gong are NOT touching the gong.  That will obviously dampen the ring tone.  Make sure the wires from the area of the dial do not touch when the housing is replaced.  It happens all the time.  Sounds great while it's opened up but then not so loud when closed...something touching a gong.

[metdial]

You were right Dennis.  Some of the wires from the dial were hanging down and resting on the ringer.  The muffling effect they had on the gongs was severe (you could just hear a whirring, vibrating sound when they tried to ring).  Whoever attached the #6 dial to this 302 had no idea what they were doing.  When I changed the wires back to the way they were supposed to be, it didn't occur to me that the way I had done it was still too sloppy.  I disconnected most of the wires again and ran them through the metal tab up by the hook switch (which is there to help hang the wires out of the way). 

I figured this all out quite accidently.  When receiving a call, I pullled the housing off to see what was going on with the ringer.  Lo and behold, they began to ring loud & clear when the wires were lifted up and away.  It was a very happy & exciting moment to finally hear those gongs ring out with such authority.

Prior to that discovery, I had been experimenting with the gong on the left (40B) to see what position in relation to the clapper sounded best.  I rotated it just slightly clockwise and that seem to optimize the tone and sound considerably.  If it is the slightest bit off from this sweet spot, it sounds dead (almost as though something is touching it & muting the sound). 

It's amazing and rewarding to have learned so much from tinkering with this one phone.  I owe you guys on the forum a debt of gratitude for all of the help you've given me.  Without it, I too would have given up & sold it, like the previous owner that tried & failed to make it work.

I just finished putting a modular cord on it.  That was also a learning experience.  I assume there is a specific tool for stripping the insulation off a modular cord (took me a couple of tries with a utility knife & pliers).  I also had a lot of fun trying to attach the spade hooks to those little green & red wires ( I assume there is a crimping tool for that purpose).  I did have success in the end, but I would appreciate any suggestions you might have for making this task a lot easier.

Thanks again everyone! 

Tom

[Dennis Markham]

Tom, I'm glad you got it working properly.  I just reread my posting, just previous to yours and I had omitted a very important word (NOT).  The way I wrote it sounded like the wires should touch.  I've made the correction.

I don't have a crimping tool to put spade tips on the wires.  I should have but just use a pair of needle nosed pliers.  I buy my spade tips from Radio Shack.  They have two sizes that I've seen.  I buy the smaller of the two.  There are three tabs that are designed to hold the wire.  This is not the self puncturing type of spade tips so one must bare the wires.  I have a tool for stripping the various size of wires.  I don't have a lot of need for the spade tips as I try and keep the original line cords when possible and just add a modular plug to the wall jack side of the line.

[McHeath]

Great work Tom on rescuing this phone.  It certainly is satisfying to fix up these old phones and find they work and work well, with just a little help they can be patched up and refurbed.

[southernphoneman]

although DEFINITLY not dead, my 302 is being refurbed and when I did its final test the only thing that did not work was transmission, when I get back to work on it I will refer to this topic.