The #2 NE Uniphone

[Babybearjs]

I just won a NE #2 Uniphone and had some questions about them. After looking at the schematic for the #2 and a 302 I was surprised the wiring didn't match. then, just out of curiosity, I pulled up the schematic to the 211 and found the answer.... the uniphone was wired like the 211, not the 302. now, based on the history of this phone, which dial was used mostly on this phone? the #5, the AE #24 (now the #51) or any dial available to NE at the time?  The phone is coming as-is and I do have parts for it... but which dial to use? what do you all suggest?

[DavePEI]

I just won a NE #2 Uniphone and had some questions about them. After looking at the schematic for the #2 and a 302 I was surprised the wiring didn't match. then, just out of curiosity, I pulled up the schematic to the 211 and found the answer.... the uniphone was wired like the 211, not the 302. now, based on the history of this phone, which dial was used mostly on this phone? the #5, the AE #24 (now the #51) or any dial available to NE at the time?  The phone is coming as-is and I do have parts for it... but which dial to use? what do you all suggest?

Whatever dial the customer wanted. There are NE schematic available for these with NE dials, AE dials, and for Siemens dials.From NE T-7 Catalogue:

[NorthernElectric]

I just won a NE #2 Uniphone and had some questions about them. After looking at the schematic for the #2 and a 302 I was surprised the wiring didn't match. then, just out of curiosity, I pulled up the schematic to the 211 and found the answer.... the uniphone was wired like the 211, not the 302. now, based on the history of this phone, which dial was used mostly on this phone? the #5, the AE #24 (now the #51) or any dial available to NE at the time?  The phone is coming as-is and I do have parts for it... but which dial to use? what do you all suggest?

By 'wired like the 211' do you mean that yours has no network components, ringer, or dial?  I think that would make it a number 6.

[Babybearjs]

No, I mean that the wiring scheme is identical. If you look at the wiring schematic to a 211, its wired the same way, colors and all... the 302 switch hook has Yellow, Bwn/Yel, Green, and Bwn/Blu . where as, the uniphone has screw terminals like the 211/212. the wiring markings are the same. BK, Y, GN, and W.

[Jack Ryan]

No, I mean that the wiring scheme is identical [...] to a 211, its wired the same way, colors and all...

I haven't looked but I suppose NE wanted to follow a standard. What else should it have done?

Jack

[Babybearjs]

Nothing other then what they did.... it the BSP's they should have had a not on them.... but that's history for you... I just wanted everyone to know that the wiring scheme matched the 211 wiring and not the 302....even though the phone matches the 302 design... I was surprised that N.E. made a totally different version of the switch used in the uniphone... even the plungers are attached to the assembly with cotter pins.... I guess the bell system allowed their subsidiaries to have free range when it came to R&D of their products. the Unipohone truly is a unique design.... I'm surprised the design wasn't used in the US during its date range.

[Jack Ryan]

Nothing other then what they did.... it the BSP's they should have had a not on them.... but that's history for you... I just wanted everyone to know that the wiring scheme matched the 211 wiring and not the 302....even though the phone matches the 302 design... I was surprised that N.E. made a totally different version of the switch used in the uniphone... even the plungers are attached to the assembly with cotter pins.... I guess the bell system allowed their subsidiaries to have free range when it came to R&D of their products. the Unipohone truly is a unique design.... I'm surprised the design wasn't used in the US during its date range.

The Uniphone was released a couple of years before the 302 and probably before NE had an agreement to manufacture them. NE knew a lot about what was coming but the design of the Uniphone was otherwise independent. The Uniphone did not originally use an F type handset because they did not exist when the Uniphone was released.

Bell Canada may have been a part of the Bell System (a franchisee) but it was not, as far as I know, a subsidiary (and neither was NE). Bell (US) had an interest, but not a controlling interest.

Jack

[poplar1]

It's true that the hookswitch screw terminals resemble those in a 211 -- or 102/202.
However, in the #2 Uniphone with 5H dial, the R terminal on the 5H dial connects to L1, as on the 302.

In the 211, 102, and 202,, on the other hand,  R on dial connects to R on the induction coil. So electrically, the #2 Uniphone is equivalent to a 302, rather than a 211 wired to a 684-BX.

A 211 or 202 could be wired to be equivalent to a Uniphone #2 or 302: This would require one additional lead between the mounting and the subset.

[Babybearjs]

thanks for the insight. Once I get the phone I'll post Pictures... which dial should I use? WE or AE? seems NE used whatever was available, unless it was because of their CO equipment....and I understand that it was even fitted with a BPO Dial (BT).....

[DavePEI]

thanks for the insight. Once I get the phone I'll post Pictures... which dial should I use? WE or AE? seems NE used whatever was available, unless it was because of their CO equipment....and I understand that it was even fitted with a BPO Dial (BT).....

My opinion is leave the dial it has as is. As I mentioned, NE sold them to the customer ready for whatever type the customer company wanted. If the company as a lot did in the West and some eastern companies used GPO (Siemens) - a GPO dial would often be installed. If it was to a company who used AE exchanges, often they would install AE dial. If they sold to other customers, they would use an NE dial. All are correct. However, a WE dial wouldn't be correct, though, of course it would work using the same wiring as for an NE dial. So, if the phone was first put in use with a particular dial, and it still works, why change it? To do so would be rewriting the history of the phone. I have had a lot of Uniphone #1s, #2s, #5s, #6s, and wouldn't even consider changing the dial it came with as long as it worked. It is not as though it came with one specific dial type and someone had changed the dial afterwards making it a Frankenphone. To change it to another type dial after would indeed be making it a Frankenphone. I have never, ever gotten a Uniphone with a WE dial.

[Jack Ryan]

I understand that it was even fitted with a BPO Dial (BT).....

The BPO didn't make dials, it purchased them from Siemens Brothers and others. The British dial used in Canada was a Siemens Brothers No 8 or No 10 dial. The same dial was used by many Commonwealth and other British influenced countries.

There was quite a bit of British made equipment used in Canada especially after WW2. It was purchased then because it was available and local and US equipment was not because of the war.

Jack

[DavePEI]

There was quite a bit of British made equipment used in Canada especially after WW2. It was purchased then because it was available and local and US equipment was not because of the war.
Jack

It is not only that, Jack - Canada gave a lot of its business to Britain after the war to help them rebuild from the damage and largely destroyed economy caused by the War. It was considered a patriotic duty, a great help in their recovery. You are correct - a lot of British built exchanges were installed after the war - the Summerside exchange here on PEI, a number of UK exchanges in Newfoundland, many in the Western Provinces. For that reason, you will find large concentrations of Uniphones out West which are equipped with Siemens dials. In Nova Scotia, you would find fewer UK dials, and more AE and NE dials on them.

[Babybearjs]

WOW! what history! Thanks Guys! I just checked the tracking.... its already here and to be delivered on Monday. Tuesday at the latest. talk about fast! anyway... from what you say, the dial followed the exchange... so..... it looks like a #5 or #6 will work for me.... by the way, does anyone know what dial blank was used? I have a ton of #82A blanks.... did they use those?

[Jack Ryan]

There was quite a bit of British made equipment used in Canada especially after WW2. It was purchased then because it was available and local and US equipment was not because of the war.
Jack

It is not only that, Jack - Canada gave a lot of its business to Britain after the war to help them rebuild from the damage and largely destroyed economy caused by the War. It was considered a patriotic duty, a great help in their recovery. You are correct - a lot of British built exchanges were installed after the war - the Summerside exchange here on PEI, a number of UK exchanges in Newfoundland, many in the Western Provinces. For that reason, you will find large concentrations of Uniphones out West which are equipped with Siemens dials.

I'm sure that is true Dave. In fact the British people were told that they were doing without because manufactured goods were currently only for export to get much needed foreign funds.

Even so, they would have been hard pressed to find an alternative local or US source.

In Nova Scotia, you would find fewer UK dials, and more AE and NE dials on them.

When you say NE dials, do you mean N, NE #5 or both?

Thanks
Jack

[DavePEI]

Hi Jack:

What I have seen in them the most, other than Siemens and AE, are NE #5s.