Need to get Northern Electric Galion phone to ring

[DARK FATHER]

Now I need to get my father's Northern Electric Galion (?) phone to ring.  I assume it is a Galion since that picture I saw online of one looked the same.  The last step-by-step instructions I got worked perfectly, so I hope to repeat that!  I believe that this one is wired to party line like my 1946 WE 302 was.

[LarryInMichigan]

DF,

Most of the Galion phones I have seen have frequency ringers.  Do you know that your father's has a stright line ringer?

Larry

[DARK FATHER]

I am not sure.  What does it look like?

[Dennis Markham]

It is difficult to diagnose your problem without further information.  Even more difficult when we're not sure what make telephone you have there.  Is it possible for you to post photos of the phone?

[bingster]

For informational purposes, I'll add to what Dennis said about ascertaining the make.  There tends to be a lot of confusion about these phones because they look so similar.  The "Galion" is made by North Electric of Galion, Ohio.  There's a very similar phone made by a company with a very similar name, and it's the Uniphone #1 made by Northern Electric of Canada.  North is an independent manufacturer, while Northern was a part of the Bell System. Here's a photo to help differentiate between the two:


(NE set from Paul Fassbender)

[DARK FATHER]

Here it is.  My mistake, it is a NORTH Electric Galion.  It has either "6H ?80" or "080? 9H" printed on the bottom with "50 cycle ringer" and "North Electric Galion Ohio".  I do not know what the numbers/letters sequence is for and the question mark is a number/digit that I cannot read.

[LarryInMichigan]

DF,

The "50 cycle ringer" printed on the bottom most probably means that there is a 50Hz ringer in the phone (unless someone changed it).  If that is the case, you will not be able to make it ring without replacing the ringer.

My Galion has "SL ringer" printed on the bottom, but it actually had a frequency ringer in it.  I installed a spare AE or WE which I had in the parts pile.  There is a fairly large amount of space inside these phones for installing a ringer.

Larry

[DARK FATHER]

There definitely is a lot of room in this behemoth!  I will look for another ringer next, and thanks!

[DARK FATHER]

I found a WE 302 ringer on Ebay.  I guess I will bid on it, and I hope I can find a way to mount it.
I suppose the wiring will not change with the new ringer...?

[LarryInMichigan]

A 302 ringer is quite large.  I am not sure that it will fit.  There are much more compact ringers from Princess and Trimline phones and small AE ringers are usually easy to find.  Ask Steve Hilsz.  He probably has something for cheap. 

Larry

[JorgeAmely]

I have used a Trimline ringer in these Galions before. They work nice.

[DARK FATHER]

I will double check the ringer in my 302 with the Galion size.  It sure LOOKED like it would fit, but I will check again to be sure.  Failing in that I would gladly contact Steve again!

[DARK FATHER]

Ok, I just measured my (dark) father's Galion ringer and compared it to my WE 302's ringer.  If there is a difference in their size it is too small to measure.  They are QUITE similar. I will likely have to find holes to mount the new ringer when it arrives, but I believe that it will work.  Those WE 302 ringers sound GREAT!  Ever since I got the ringer on my WE 302 working my (dark) father has borrowed it until I get his Galion one ringing.  If all goes right it will have a nearly identical ring!  Thanks for the input from everyone.

[JorgeAmely]

I have seen an adapter plate that allows 302 ringers to go into Galion phones.

[DARK FATHER]

Where are these adaptors sold Jorge?