adding a modular plug to the line cord of a Starlite

[Lee58]

Help please
I am adding a modular plug to the line cord.
I have a starlite with 4 wires yellow,green,black and red. It seams that the black and red give dial tone. What do I do with the other 2?
It is rotary and lights up with an electrical plug.New old stock. thank you

[jsowers]

Usually it's red and green, but whatever works for you. Those don't usually have a ringer. Just tape up the other two wires so they don't short anything out. You must have an early Starlite with the color matching AC cord and the thumbwheel on the front for dimming the dial. Those are my favorite. Just don't use it in the bathtub! One false move and ZZZZT!    That electroluminescent dial is really great. It glows like the dashboard on a Chrysler.

[Lee58]

Thank you I ended up with three a white,pink and aqua. All new old stock. They were still in plastic in the box.It was like Christmas.
I will definitely avoid water. Otherwise they are OK to plug in correct?
This was my first time on the forum. Thank you for your help and kindness. I think I am really going to like it here.

[jsowers]

Thank you I ended up with three a white,pink and aqua. All new old stock. They were still in plastic in the box.It was like Christmas.
I will definitely avoid water. Otherwise they are OK to plug in correct?
This was my first timer on the forum. Thank you for your help and kindness. I think I am really going to like it here.

Collectors have different views of NOS (new old stock) phones. To use something that has gone this long unused will devalue it to some collectors. It's only new once, as they say. Signs of use will make it worth less, so if you plan to sell them, it's best not to use them. However, you should do as you like. They were made to be used and if you use it and keep it clean, it should look new for years. Maybe you can keep two in the box and use one? Once you use it, you may notice it will never look that new again. It's lucky you have new Starlite phones because the electroluminescent glow did dim on some of them over the years being plugged in. Some of mine are quite dim.

Please post of picture of your phones. We'd like to see them. You don't often see NOS Starlites. I only have one--in white. It still has the plastic sleeve over the handset and it's still in the box and very, very white. I chose not to use it since i have many others I can use that already have wear on them.

I hope I don't come across as critical. I don't mean to be. It's a matter of opinion what you do with what you collect. I do know that once you start collecting phones, it's hard to stop and you may have more before long.

[Jim Stettler]

Play with your NOS phones. I give away 1993 Hotwheels  cars to kids I know. I tell them to play with them .
JMO,
Jim S.

BTW i you collect hot wheels cars I have a lot of cars from around 1993 .  I am willing to sell. PM me.
Jim S.

[AE_Collector]

You don't mention what type of modular plug you are putting on the end of the spade tipped cord. Don't cut off the spade to crimp a plug on.

Another thing common with phone collectors and spade tip cords is to mount a small surface mount box type jack on the end of the cord. Then plug a Tel cord into it that has plugs on each end so you  can plug it into a wall jack with no damage to the original cord and spades.

Terry

[Pourme]

Welcome to the forum, Lee58!

[Lee58]

Thank you all for the help. Phones are up and running.
I plan on playing with all of my collection. It is all about enjoying them.
I have over 40 phones set up through 3 modular switching systems.
On my! LOL A girl needs a hobby right.
Did not seem right that they should all sit silent.

[dsk]

Welcome to the forum, Lee58!

Regarding the safety of the Starlite telephones, if you have the ones with separate power cord, they are approx as safe as any other thing plugged in to the mains. 

If you have the ones with adapter plug, the adapter will let mains voltage pass to the telephone, but the current will be limited to such small value that it is absolutely safe to touch for a person with a healthy hart. That is not a reason to try! 

If they should have made such dial today, they would probably put in some converter supplying high frequency but lower voltage.

dsk

[Lee58]

Thank you. They are the ones with the original wall plug.
I did buy the separate current limiter adapter plugs but I was advised that I would be fine and do not cut my plugs. True?