Repairing the cable

[seanenns]

Hey everyone,

Just got an AE40 (I think) from a thrift store auction. Coming out of the cord, there are three wires--red, yellow, and black, with little u-clips on them (sorry if that's not what they're called).

From the research I did earlier today, I understand that what I need is a modular adapter, I think? I just want to be sure, because there are definitely three wires coming out of the back of the cable, and most of these adapters seem to have four pins/slots.

Am I missing a wire?

[Babybearjs]

sounds like the green wire is missing..... you should have Red/Grn/Blk/Yel wires coming out from the cord. most of the time the cords get replaced. its not worth the time to fix the line cord.

[poplar1]

What color wires are on L1 and L2? Those are the terminals that you will be using for dial tone and ringing.

[seanenns]

Good question. Not sure about the innards of the receiver, but I opened up the handset and had a look (it seemed like a thing I could do without screwing too much up). The receiver only has three conductors too (same colours: black, yellow, red). There appears to be room for a fourth conductor in the receiver, thought it's not labeled like the others are (one is stamped OR, one says B R, one says R).

Not sure if that's significant.

[poplar1]

The L1 and L2 terminals are in the main part of the phone. I was wondering what colors of the line cord were connected there. Most phones use red and green for L1/L2, and yellow for ground (only needed on party lines). However, Automatic Electric may have used black, red and white for some line cords....some of the AE collectors can expand on this.

[unbeldi]

By the late 50s, AE diagrams show R,G,Y usually, not sure about always.
Previously, it could be black/white/red, or even brown,orange, and green for L1, L2, GND.

Handset cords had the same color, except early when they may have been brown-red, brown-orange, brown.

Hopefully this set  has a wiring diagram glued inside that shows the colors that were used at time of manufacture.

Please open it up !  In addition, a picture is worth a thousand words.

[AE_Collector]

I was assuming it might be a black/white/red cord where the white looks yellow with age, especially now that we know the handset also has a red/black/white yellow cord. But it could also be a green/red/black/yellow cord where the green has gone missing!

Here's everything you need to know about Modular Adapters and putting a surface mount type phone "Jack" (not plug) on the end of the phone cord in order to plug it in.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1804.0

If it is Black/white/red conductors the black and white leads need to go to green and red on a modern phone jack. These are the center two pins on a phone Plug/Jack. Polarity doesn't matter.

Terry

[andre_janew]

Whatever the case, it would be a good idea to know which two wires are on L1 and L2 as this would affect how you wire what you put on the other end of the cord.

[poplar1]

Here are the diagrams posted by unbeldi last year, showing 3 different color codes used by Automatic Electric during the life of the AE 40:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=13908.msg145393#msg145393


Terminal:         Oldest Method:        Interim:             Last:

L1                    BR (brown)            BLK (black)          Red

L2                    OR (orange)           WH (white)         GR (green)

G                     GR (green)               RED                     YEL (yellow)

So, if your phone has not been altered, and the "yellow" wire is in fact white, then the line probably connects to the Black and White wires.

[seanenns]

So, took the bottom plate off and snapped a few iPhone pics.

[AE_Collector]

The pictures confirm that it is actually white. You,will need to move that green/white ringer lead off of the screw with the red cord lead and onto the screw terminal next to it with the white cord lead. The cord leads do look pretty rough but they quite likely will still work and once you find a surface mount jack to attach them to They wont be getting moved around anymore so should continue to work. These jacks have 4 or 6 screw terminals inside them so you can also anchor the cord stay (ring with the hole in it) to one of the unused screw terminals.

Here is what you need to do to plug it in without resorting to replacing tge cord with a newer type cord or chopping the spade lugs off of the cord.

Terry

[seanenns]

Thanks AE_Collector. Off to the hardware store to buy a jack now!

[19and41]

Mighty nice looking phone!  I wish they had ones as nice at our thrift stores here.

[HarrySmith]

I think those  wires are pretty much shot. I have had them like that before and every time you try do something with them they just crumble more & more. A replacement line cord should be easy to source.

[unbeldi]

I think those  wires are pretty much shot. I have had them like that before and every time you try do something with them they just crumble more & more. A replacement line cord should be easy to source.

Well, I think I disagree, but they need to be measured to make a final judgement. Tinsel can be quite durable.  Most often is it just the insulation that is broken up.  I certainly have rescued cords like that, even worse.  The leads can be stabilized with shrink-tubing in many instances.  This may require 3 or 4:1 shrink ratio, so the tube fits past the spades.  If the rest of the cord is good, I find it preferable to spend the time.