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W.E. 102, 202 and subset easy wiring diagrams

Started by bingster, March 14, 2009, 02:53:23 AM

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bingster

You've just bought a telephone on eBay, and it looks like one of the phones below:





Now you want to take your first step to making the phone work.  But which telephone do you have? 

MODEL IDENTIFICATION
You can tell which model you have by the marking on the back of the "neck" of the phone, just below the ridge between the base and the cradle.  It will most likely say either "B1" or "D1."   These are the model numbers of the telephone base.   The small round base is the "B1", and the wider oval base is the "D1."  Often, these are referred to by the numbers "102" and "202," but these numbers actually pertain to the internal wiring schemes and not the overall telephones.  Each model can have either wiring scheme.

After determining which model you have, you can tell which wiring scheme you have by looking at the mounting cord, which is the cord that runs from the telephone to the subset.  If the phone's mounting cord has three internal conductors, the phone's wiring scheme is "102."  If the phone's mounting cord has four conductors, the wiring scheme is "202." 

For an explanation of the technical differences between a 102 and a 202, please see > this thread. <

TELEPHONE WIRING
Using one of the first two diagrams below, you can  check to make sure your phone is wired correctly.  Over the years tinkerers have their way with telephones, and many are found to be wired incorrectly.  Choose the diagram that matches your wiring scheme (102 or 202).  Once the phone is wired properly, it's ready to be connected to a subset and placed in service. 

A note about the telephone diagrams:  The M1E cords (dial cords) are shown in blue and purple for clarity.  In reality, both cords are black.  If your phone is missing these cords, you can use any similar size wires to replace them. Click on each image for a high-resolution image.

SUBSET CONNECTION
Diagrams 3 through 5 show the method of connecting a 102 or 202 to a 634, 684 or 685 subset.  When connecting a 102 (three-conductor mounting cord), the method of connection is the same as for a 202, except that there is no black conductor in the mounting cord of a 102.  Simply connect the other three as indicated.  Click on each for an enlarged version.

Since most condenser wires have faded from their original colors to varying shades of brown, making it difficult to tell if the condenser is wired properly, the last diagram shows the original colors and positions of the wires coming out of the 194A condenser, when viewed from the condenser's end.

IMPORTANT:  B- and D-mount telephones which are equipped with an E1 handset MUST be connected to a subset for proper operation.  Despite what unscrupulous ebay sellers may have told you, this is NOT an option, and extended use without a subset will cause permanent damage to the handset.  B- and D-mount telephones which are equipped with an F1 handset are not as susceptible to this damage, but the functioning of the telephone will be more satisfactory when it is connected to a subset.  In short:  Use a subset--it's the other half of your telephone.

SUBSTITUTING A 302 OR 500 BASE FOR A SUBSET
For those who don't have a subset, a 302 base may be substituted, in which case the diagram labeled "634/684 101A Induction Coil" is used. 

A 500 or 2500 base may also be used as a subset, in which case the diagram labeled "685 Subset" is used.  When using a 500 or 2500 base as a subset, all the switch hook wires which are soldered to the network should either be unsoldered or snipped off.  Because of this alteration to the network, only a base which has no value and which is unfit or truly not needed for regular telephone service should be used. If you don't wish to unsolder or snip the soldered wires (and that's understandable), they may be left in place, but the switch hook arm must then be tied in the down position, and the dial wiring removed from the network.  Using one of these bases as a subset also requires a jumper wire to be connected between network terminals "RR" and "L1".  Any short piece of thin wire will work for this.
= DARRIN =



FrankC

Hello Bingster, thank you for enlightment on the difference between a 102 and a 202. I always thought: 102-round base, 202-oval base.
Can you please tell me that if I am using a mini-network is it necessary for me to use a subset on either of the above models? I know the phone won't ring without a subset, but am I doing any damage to either the phone lines or my phone by not using the subset? Does a mini-network replace the need for a subset? Thank you for your help with this. Frank
Frank Conley

AE_Collector

Amazing Drawings Bingster! Beautiful work.

Terry

Doug Rose

Kidphone

bingster

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Frank, the mini network replaces the need for a subset.  Obviously, it can't ring, but it contains the critical part of the subset, in miniaturized form, which protects the handset elements from damage.  You're good to go with yours.
= DARRIN =



Phonesrfun

Great job Darrin, and great explanations too.  

To everyone else about the differences between the 102 and the 202:

For a long time, I assumed that the 102 was the older round base, and the 202 was the newer elliptical base.  I think it is a natural thing to expect a physical difference in the actual model appearance and assume that is the way it worked.

The B and D mount can be wired for either 102 or 202 wiring.  102 is the sidetone wiring, using a sidetone subset, and a 202 is the improved antisidetone circuit that used the antisidetone subsets.

The belief that the round "B" mount is a 102 and that the elliptical "D" mounts are 202 model phones is a belief that is also touted by many an e-Bay seller that writes as if they know what they are talking about.  The newcomer, of course will tend to believe someone that sounds authoritative.

All that being said, the D mount did come out at about the time that antisidetone telephones were being pushed by the phone company.  It is probably true that more "B" mounts were originally wired for 102 service than for 202, and that more "D" mounts were wired for 202 service than not.  This would also contribute to the confusion.
-Bill G

AE_Collector

#6
Good summary of the 102 and 202 Bill. Even I understood that and usually all I understand is why your AE 80E won't ring.

Terry

Phonesrfun

Yes, but if I remember correctly, you got it to ring for me too!

:)

-Bill G

AE_Collector

Quote from: Phonesrfun on August 08, 2010, 08:49:44 PM
Yes, but if I remember correctly, you got it to ring for me too!

:)



80E's have a ringer auto-disconnect feature. Drop the phone or even a sharp hit and the capacitor flies out of the push in connector and that's the end of it ringing. When on a "Bells don't ring" repair, having the customer point at their 80E set always brought a smile to the repairmans face.

Terry

Phonesrfun

The cord from the phone to the subset:

Red wire to R in the subset
Green wire to G in the subset
Yellow wire to L2/Y in the subset

The line cord from the subset to the wall:

Yellow - Not used
Red to L1 on the subset
Green to L2/Y on the subset

Red and green go to each of the two wires in the wall, and it does not matter which goes to which.
-Bill G

Doug Rose

Darrin...these are positively outstanding. Made so easy even I can do it. How about s schematic for the subsets? Everytime I find one not working, I have to take a working one off the wall and so a stare and compare. These are wonderful. Its like Old Telephones for Dummies. Great work....Doug
Kidphone

Phonesrfun

Penn:

Have you carefully checked the wiring inside the 102 base?  I would start there.  One thing to look for that I have seen a million times is the shaft of the spade tip on the end of the wires touching another one.  Sometimes they move a little bit when tightening the screws down and one winds up touching another one right next to it.  Check the ones on the dial especially.

Other than that, maybe a photo of the inside of your phone would help.

Also check this:

The receiver cord, if it is standard for WE should also have three wires Red, Black, and White.

Check inside the handset to see that they are connected to R,B, and W, respectively.  Inside the body of the phone, the white should be connected to W on the dial, the black should be connected to BK on the dial, and red should be connected to R on the dial.
-Bill G

HarrySmith

Very nice work, Bingster :)
You have some talent there, is that part of what you do professionally?
Thanks for taking the time to do it for us ;D
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

bingster

#13
Thanks, Harry.  I used to use Photoshop once upon a time, when I did graphics work, so I guess that helps a bit.  But honestly, stuff like this is so simple anybody could do it with just a little practice.

Quote from: Kidphone on August 24, 2010, 11:30:19 AM
Darrin...these are positively outstanding. Made so easy even I can do it. How about s schematic for the subsets? Everytime I find one not working, I have to take a working one off the wall and so a stare and compare. These are wonderful. Its like Old Telephones for Dummies. Great work....Doug

I've added a 634/684 subset diagram to the first post, that I hope will help.  I thought about going literal, and showing the realistic positions of each component, but the subsets went through several revisions throughout the 1930s, and the parts changed their look and position with each version.  So I colorized this one, removed extraneous information, and added a few things that I thought would help with clarity, and hopefully that will help the "diagram-phobic" among us.

To get back to Frank's question about wiring in a mini-network, the job isn't as simple as running a few wires from the network to the phone's terminals.  It requires wiring changes inside the phone, as well.  I've had a look at the diagram for doing this, and to be honest, I can't make heads or tails  of it.  It might be easier in the long run to keep your eyes out for a proper Western/Northern Electric 634 or 684 subset.
= DARRIN =



bingster

The connection of a 102 should be identical, except that the black conductor of the mounting cord is missing.  The mounting cord (the cord that connects the phone to the subset) of a 102 is made up of three conductors (red, green, and yellow), whereas a 202's mounting cord is four conductors (red, green, yellow, and black).  But remember that if you have a B-mount and a four-conductor mounting cord, then you have a 202, rather than a 102.

The method of connection is the same, whether the phone is manual or dial, and it makes no difference which dial the phone has installed in it.
= DARRIN =