Next challenge: Turning a table lamp back into a WE 50AL

[oyang]

Great; this phone should be working in no time....

[oyang]

Update and check/questions:

Here's the phone in its natural setting with some friends of similar age....

I'm done wiring, I think. Questions about the wiring (picture attached):

1. Does it matter what wires go from the transmitter to which of the two terminals?
2. Ditto, does the order of the wires from the receiver to the two terminals matter?
3. The "Y" terminal on the hookswitch was missing; I connected the yellow wire from the cord that goes to the subset directly to the "Y" terminal on the dial (instead of attaching it to "Y" on the hookswitch and another wire from "Y" on the hookswitch to "Y" on the dial.  I assume that is OK because the "Y" terminal on the hookswitch is just a connector.
4. This is a 2AB dial; do I need to "jump" anything?
5. Have I made any mistakes in the wiring as shown?
6. Can I test the correctness of my wiring using an ohm meter across the outputs that go to the subset? I think something is wrong, because right now I get closed circuits between R and G, R and Y, G and Y, whether the phone is on or off the hook.  That can't be right....

Thanks everyone!

Otto

[NorthernElectric]

5. Have I made any mistakes in the wiring as shown?

I think the wiring looks OK, but I'll leave the final say on that to those with more expertise than I.  I don't have any #2 dials so I am not familiar with the terminal positions on those.

Your labels for transmitter and receiver are incorrect though.  You have transposed them.

[oyang]

Your labels for transmitter and receiver are incorrect though.  You have transposed them.

OK I fixed those labels; I always get them mixed up.  Thanks!

[oyang]

OK, so I tried wiring to 295A subset according to the diagram in the box, and wired the box to my landline that has worked for other rotary phones (red to L1, green to L2/Y).... and now there is a diagnostic troubleshooting challenge.

When I connect to the landline, the phone is immediately live (even though the hook is hung up), and I can't hang up.  There is a click when take the phone off the hook.  When I dial, it does pulse, but the bells ring as it pulses.

Any idea what's wrong? 

Otto

[Phonesrfun]

Hard to tell exactly how it is wired from a photo, but I can tell you straight out that the red ringer wire should be connected to terminal C not 4/GN.  The green wire from the deskset should go to GN, the yellow to L2/Y (along with the green line cord wire), and the red deskset wire should go to the terminal between C and 4/GN.  The red line cord wire should go to L1.

[NorthernElectric]

When I dial, it does pulse, but the bells ring as it pulses.

This is a separate issue usually associated with an unbiased ringer.  Your ringer is biased, so you probably just need to adjust the spring tensioner by turning the post which winds the string to pull on the spring.  Be careful and just go a little at a time until the tinkling stops.  You may notice as you do this that the clapper moves toward one of the gongs.

[oyang]

Hard to tell exactly how it is wired from a photo, but I can tell you straight out that the red ringer wire should be connected to terminal C not 4/GN.  The green wire from the deskset should go to GN, the yellow to L2/Y (along with the green line cord wire), and the red deskset wire should go to the terminal between C and 4/GN.  The red line cord wire should go to L1.

Sorry; that photo was BEFORE I did any rewiring.  I'm attaching a diagram that shows exactly what I did....

[oyang]

When I dial, it does pulse, but the bells ring as it pulses.

This is a separate issue usually associated with an unbiased ringer.

Thanks; will try this.

Otto

[oyang]

I'm now thinking, could everything be wired correctly, but this be a malfunction of the hookswitch?  Is this how the phone would behave if it is not hanging up properly, i.e. opening the circuit when hung up?  As I posted earlier, my ohm testing showed a closed circuit all the time.  Maybe this is the simplest explanation.  I'll have to check when I get home.....

[Phonesrfun]

Sounds like you are onto the problem then.  The hookswitch does need to open the circuit when the phone is hung up.  A physical examination of the hookswitch is easy and will tell you what is going on.  Also look for wire ends that may be touching.  The ends of the wires that terminate in spade ends can sometimes be tightened down with a screw driver and rotate to the point that the spade shaft will touch something it ought not to.

[oyang]

Thanks Bill and all, and on to the next issue!

I did indeed find that the hookswitch was slightly bent out of shape and not disengaging when hung up.  Some gentle tweaking fixed it. After this, I can now hang up, and dial out.

There is a new issue now.  The phone will not receive calls.  When an incoming call is placed, it does not ring, but seems to give some type of busy signal instead, without my doing anything.

Perhaps unrelated, when on a call dialed out, the receiver puts out sound loud and clear, but the transmitter seems to work poorly and barely send sound. I don't have another transmitter of this type; can I troubleshoot it by swapping in a later model transmitter from my 151AL?

Thanks!

Otto

[poplar1]

6. Can I test the correctness of my wiring using an ohm meter across the outputs that go to the subset? I think something is wrong, because right now I get closed circuits between R and G, R and Y, G and Y, whether the phone is on or off the hook.  That can't be right....

I know that you adjusted (some of?) the hookswitch contact springs. However, do you still measure continuity between any of the 3 combinations  (R and GN, R and Y, GN and Y)with the phone hung up? The R lead should be completely isolated from both the receiver (GN) and transmitter (Y) circuits when the phone is hung up, and all 3 hookswitch leaves are separated from each other. (This test should be done with the cord from the phone not connected to the subset.)>

Also, you can substitute the 635A transmitter from the 151AL.

[oyang]

I adjusted the three prongs so they are all separated when the phone is on the hook, and all touching when off.  Now when I test the leads with an ohm meter (disconnected from the subset), I get these readings:

On hook:
R-Y closed
R-G open
Y-G open

Off hook:
R-Y closed
R-G closed
Y-G closed

So, something is still crossed.  I can't seem to find it.  Any hint where it might be, given this pattern?

Otto

[poplar1]

Disconnect the wires going to the hookswitch (BB,  R and YY right side--the one that has the diagonal strap to the hookswitch ) and measure just these hookswitch contacts for continuity  with phone hung up. Should be showing open  (BB to R, R to YY, and BB to YY).

As Bill pointed out, make sure the spade tips are not touching adjacent terminals. That may be the reason they originally wrapped the shanks of the spade tips with colored thread on this model. Also, the 4-conductor dial cord was connected to the opposite side of the rack -- note the BB, BK, Y and W terminals on the other side.