Western Electric 500DM No Dial Tone on VoIP (SOLVED: dial cam position)

[x59628]

Hello all!

I have a Western Electric 500 that doesn't have a dial tone and can't be called when connected to a VoIP system, but does have a dial tone and can be called on a POTS line, so I suspect that I have a wiring issue!

This particular unit (sticker that says 500DM) was made in 1957 and then refurbished in 1973 according to the date stamps on the bottom of the phone. However, I believe the original network was re-used and most of the original wiring is still in place.

When I first got the phone, I was trying to get it to work using the phone jacks at the front desk of my apartment building (don't have any jacks in my unit) and never got anything more than some very soft "static" from the speaker that indicated that some electrical component was on. I later learned that what I had assumed was a landline was actually a VoIP jack. I then went to the antiques shop that I got the phone from hoping that they would have a POTS line. While the shop didn't have one, another company's office that was in the same building did have a POTS line. When plugged into that line, there was a dial tone, rang when called, and the speaker and microphone worked. Of course, I couldn't dial out, which is why I proceeded to order a Rotatone (which will arrive in a few days).

Today, I received the Obi200 VoIP adapter that I'll be using and I decided to see if I could set it up (which requires you to call a number to set up the device with your account). I proceeded to use an iPhone DTMF app to play the tones into the microphone. After a few minutes, I realized that what I was doing was futile as there was no dial tone! Now, this whole time, I had assumed that the Rotatone would enable the phone to work with a VoIP system in addition to converting the pulses to DTMF tones. But upon doing a little bit more research, I've come to realize that the phone should be able to ring and receive calls over VoIP regardless of whether a P2T converter is installed.

So far, I have tried moving the black wire from ground to L1. I've also made sure (I think) that the wiring matches the original 500DM wiring (besides the black wire):

https://beatriceco.com/bti/porticus/bell/images/500dm.gif -- Dead Link

I've attached a few photos of the network wiring.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!
-Sam

[jsowers]

It sounds to me like your VOIP system isn't working. Have you tried a more modern analog phone on it? You could get one from a thrift store for about five bucks. Or a new one from Wal-Mart for $7.98.

The wiring on your 500 looks OK to me and it looks like someone took a 1957 500 set and added the modular connectors in some misguided effort and they didn't even have the black ringer wire correct. If it works on a POTS line, then the phone wiring is correct. Your VOIP should at least provide dial tone, even if the ringing and dialing out may not work. So I would look at the VOIP setup and try another phone.

[Babybearjs]

I had that problem with C*Net... I had shut down my entire system for a few minutes and rebooted everything. later I noticed that my VOIP line was up, but down... I had internet, but no connection. it took a while for the modem to logon to the network... that might be your case... no dial tone... or a message.. "Unit Not Registered"... try rebooting your VOIP and see if that helps... unless you can plug another phone into the line and it works fine... then all you can do is troubleshoot...

[x59628]

I tried using the phone from my apartment front desk with the Obi200, but the phone didn't power on, nor was there a dial tone. A quick google search suggested that the phone may be a digital unit that the Obi200 isn't compatible with, so not ruling out the fault being the Obi200 malfunctioning quite yet.

However, I tried plugging the 500 into the phone jack at the front desk and didn't get a dial tone either. When I tried it with the POTS line at the office next to the antiques shop, I had also tried the antiques shop's VoIP system as well and didn't get a dial tone either. On all of them, I did hear a very faint static noise coming from the speaker that seems to suggest that the phone is at least getting power.

I think I might go back and try the POTS line again (it's been a few months since I tried initially since I was debating whether it was worth it to get the Obi200 and Rotatone).

If it gets a dial tone and can receives calls on the POTS, could there be an issue with the network itself?

Thanks!
-Sam

[rdelius]

Even though the telephone set appears dead, If called can people hear you talk?. This would be a good sign.Does it ring if called?.Modular cords can be easily switched with known good ones.

[x59628]

Haven't tested it again on the POTS line yet, but the last time I did, the phone had a dial tone, rang when called, could receive calls, and transmission was good both ways!

[x59628]

Still haven't tested it with a POTS line again yet, but I checked if the dial muting contacts were working and they are indeed open when the dial isn't moving and close when you begin to turn the dial. Another strange thing is that the OBi200 has a 3 lights, one to indicate power, one to indicate network connection, and one to indicate that the phone is being used.

When the phone is plugged in, the phone in use light isn't lit, which is to be expected. However, when I turn the dial, the light comes on and then turns back off when the dial comes back to resting position. While the dial is rotating back, I can hear a faint pulsing in the quiet hissing noise from the handset speaker.

I've also checked that the continuity of the handset by measuring between the two screw terminals and spring contacts of the speaker and microphone and the contacts of the jack plug that goes into the phone body (while the other end is plugged into the handset of course) and all seems to be good.

Is the wiring in the handset correct? The short red and black wires are connected to the microphone terminals and the long white wire and long white wire with green stripes are connected to the speaker terminals.

[x59628]

UPDATE:

Turns out that the plastic cam that opens and closes the pulse contacts was pretty much in the opposite position that it should have been in!

I adjusted the mechanism so that the cam was in the other direction (keeping the contact closed instead of open when dial was at rest) and I got my dial tone back. Connected to my OBi200, the phone rings and communication both ways is good. I can also use the DTMF app to dial out (which is how I set up the OBi200 without the Rotatone installed).

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!