Stromberg-Carlson inop ringer

BDM · January 31, 2009, 11:15:34 PM

Ok, I've double checked the schematic against my phone, and still no ringy-dingy. The capacitor checks close to 2/mfd. Gotta be close to W.E. specs. Just for kickers, I was jumping L2 directly to the ringer coil, and it would shunt to one side, causing the bell to ring (one side only, and once only). So I believe the coil assembly is good. But, I'm also not sure what resistance it should read without a known good one. Any ideas here? There are several schematics to look at, maybe I'm missing something??

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1543s.pdf

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1543.pdf

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1543w.pdf

TIPandRING · February 01, 2009, 12:31:57 PM

Quote from: BDM on January 31, 2009, 11:15:34 PM
Ok, I've double checked the schematic against my phone, and still no ringy-dingy. The capacitor checks close to 2/mfd. Gotta be close to W.E. specs. Just for kickers, I was jumping L2 directly to the ringer coil, and it would shunt to one side, causing the bell to ring (one side only, and once only). So I believe the coil assembly is good. But, I'm also not sure what resistance it should read without a known good one. Any ideas here? There are several schematics to look at, maybe I'm missing something??

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1543s.pdf

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1543.pdf

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/sberg/1543w.pdf

Can you post some pictures???

2 mfd? A normal ringer capacitor is .4 to .5 mfd. Do you think you may have a party line ringer? These will not ring properly unless they see a certain frequency.

BDM · February 01, 2009, 12:43:05 PM

Just it, I'm really not sure what it should be. Here are a few pics. You can see L1 L2 & G, the cap side of the ringer is on C2. The other side is connected to terminal 3.

TIPandRING · February 01, 2009, 12:51:36 PM

A bumble bee cap!!!!!!!?

??

Get rid of that thing on behalf of the Antique radio world! Those are worthless. Is that even original? That solder on one end looks suspicious.

Do you have a .47 uF @ at least 250 working volts you can sub in for that thing?

BDM · February 01, 2009, 01:26:04 PM

Quote from: TIPandRING on February 01, 2009, 12:51:36 PM
A bumble bee cap!!!!!!!???

Get rid of that thing on behalf of the Antique radio world! Those are worthless. Is that even original? That solder on one end looks suspicious.

Do you have a .47 uF @ at least 250 working volts you can sub in for that thing?

Whoooops, I added my reply as an edit to your post

I know all to well about those caps and the issues with them. Do I think it's original? Heck I don't know? The soldering job looks like any factory job I've seen. BTW, I've forgotten to add my decimal point. It's close to .2/mfd, not 2/mfd. It measures .19 to be exact. I could sub .5 out.

Dennis Markham · February 01, 2009, 03:01:25 PM

Brian, Can you show a photo of the ringer? Also, on some of these Stromberg's I have used a jumper between the yellow terminal and the red. Of course, this is the same thing that T & R told us by doing it at the plug end. When I get a minute I can compare your wiring with one of my Strombergs. Just make sure that is not a frequency ringer.

BDM · February 01, 2009, 03:35:49 PM

Quote from: Dennis Markham on February 01, 2009, 03:01:25 PM
Brian, Can you show a photo of the ringer? Also, on some of these Stromberg's I have used a jumper between the yellow terminal and the red. Of course, this is the same thing that T & R told us by doing it at the plug end. When I get a minute I can compare your wiring with one of my Strombergs. Just make sure that is not a frequency ringer.

Geeeeez, I did it again and posted my reply as an edit to your post. Maybe I need to go back to bed

Anyhow, I've tried a jumper between the the yellow & red, and yellow & green. I've also tried changing the ringer connection between #3 and #2, and the other end between C1 & C2. BTW, educate me on a frequency ringer?

bingster · February 01, 2009, 04:55:44 PM

Frequency ringers were used on party lines. Each phone on the party line was set up to ring at a specific frequency coming through the line, thereby fixing the old annoyance of having ALL the phones on the line ring on every call.

BDM · February 01, 2009, 11:02:02 PM

Well, I believe Dennis & TR hit it. Notice the "40" on the ringer? Apparently, that indicates the ringer frequency. So, guess I need a 20/hz ringer.....Learn something new everyday. Thanks guys.

EDIT: Guys on the TCI list server confirmed this. I need a new ringer $:-\$

Dennis Markham · February 02, 2009, 12:12:20 PM

Brian, I'm going to post a couple photos of my 1543A here. The bottom reads 1543A Special. You can see a spot where there should be a ringer volume switch, apparently. I thought you could compare your ringer to this one. I hooked it up this morning for the first time and it rings. I will show the numbers. I don't know what they mean. There is a 400 series number there. Sorry one is a bit blurry. I cannot see the clapper in your photo but if it is one of those heavy ones that has the Allen key to adjusting the clapper on the shaft, it is probably a frequency ringer. Note how this one is not as heavy and is not adjustable. One other note, unrelated to the ringer. The dial bezel looks similar to the early Western Electric dial bezels with an overlay rather than deep molded plastic. I'm not sure about that but it has that yellowed appearance.

BDM · February 02, 2009, 01:48:10 PM

Dennis, are you on the TCI Yahoo Groups list server? If so, they're talking about my phone now, and the different models. Many replies, quite knowledgable. In fact, one of the gents there has the proper ringer for me

Dennis Markham · February 02, 2009, 01:58:13 PM

Brian, I am on that list serve. I'll go check out the conversation, thanks.

BDM · February 02, 2009, 09:51:06 PM

Dennis, you've got the fixed clapper, mine is adjustable. Apparently for changing the bell pitch with the 40/hz freq.

Tip/Ring, I swapped out the cap for a .5/mfd, the phone now rings. It's weak at best after adjusting for maximum "clapping", but it works none the less. You were right about that, thank you.

TIPandRING · February 02, 2009, 11:45:12 PM

Quote from: BDM on February 02, 2009, 09:51:06 PM
Dennis, you've got the fixed clapper, mine is adjustable. Apparently for changing the bell pitch with the 40/hz freq.

Tip/Ring, I swapped out the cap for a .5/mfd, the phone now rings. It's weak at best after adjusting for maximum "clapping", but it works none the less. You were right about that, thank you.

Good to know. Yeah, that's the problem with party line ringers. The cap is only half the equation. The value of the cap was picked purposely to help pass the resonant frequency thru with the least amount of resistance. BUT, then the ringer assembly itself was "tuned" to vibrate at said frequency. So that's why you don't have a rich, full ring at the standard 20-30 Hz signal.

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Stromberg-Carlson inop ringer