I thought I had this issue down pat. I have a Western Electric rotary phone that can receive calls without a problem. Making calls is another issue.
I had this problem before so I checked the pulsing contacts and they appear to be fine. I can hear the contacts under the dial tone but it won't break.
Please note, I did get the number 4 and 6 to stop the dial tone at one point during the repair. Now they don't even work.
I removed the RR wire and the dial tone did stop.
I think the dial may be slow. Could that be the cause?
If it is allowed, I can add a link to a youtube video of the contacts.
Thank you,
Tom
Do you have another rotary phone working on that line? (Just to be sure it not is something else than the phone)
If you disconnect the white wires from the dial the pulses should be loud clicks in the receiver. The dial should use slightly more than 1 second from releasing a 0 to stop. You may let your finger press a little on return to get the right speed for testing.
If you make a recording of 3 zeros save it as an mp3 file and I may try to analyze it for you. Just connect the phone line wire from the phone (not connected to anything else) directly to your microphone input, start the recording and dial zero 3 times, let the dial return in its own speed. Save the recording and post it here.
I will analyze the recording within 7 days from receiving it.
Your dial may indeed be the culprit.
I did my own tear down/clean on my 302, and now, it wont dial correctly.
Still goes through the motions, but wont dial a number.
I suppose, I got the timing off a bit when I re assembled it???
It does take more than a second to get from 0 to the stop.
DSK, thank you for the offer. I don't know if it's worth your time. I'll work on the speed of the dial and report back.
I agree about it probably being the dial speed. From my experience exchange equipment, whatever that may be, seems to tolerate dials that are slightly fast better than dials that are slightly slow. I good way to test for a dial fault is to tap the hook switch. Try to dial by putting the pulses in that way and see if that breaks the dial tone. There's a knack to doing it, but I've got to a stage where I can dial quite long numbers on the hookswitch. If it works then you know straight away it's the dial that's at fault.
Quote from: andy1702 on June 07, 2019, 03:41:50 PM
.....good way to test for a dial fault is to tap the hook switch. Try to dial by putting the pulses in that way and see if that breaks the dial tone....
Good idea, I had forgotten about that.
Worked on just about every phone I tried it on.
Drove my big sis bananas when the phone bill came in and only she had the key to the dial lock. Drove me bananas when a telephone number had a lot of 9's in it.
Never tried it on a W.E. though.
Hey andy1702, I want to try your method but I am not sure what a hookswitch is?
The hookswitch is the thing the handset rests on when not in use. Tapping it for the relevant number of pulses (10 times for a zero) and leaving a short gap between digits should dial out without actuallu using the dial.
For example: dialling 204 would be...
tap, tap, pause
tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, pause
tap, tap, tap, tap.
You have to do it at the right speed and it takes a bit of practice. Here in the UK we used to be able to make free calls on some Mercury payphones using this method! ;D
Quote from: andy1702 on June 08, 2019, 01:33:18 PM
....Here in the UK we used to be able to make free calls on some Mercury payphones using this method! ;D
Worked for many years on payphones in the old K6 (et al) phoneboxes too.
BT got wise to it, then no longer.
My first job was in a hotel The management installed dial locks on phones that were in the service areas to prevent employees fom making personal calls. . Fellow emoloyees used to come to me to dial a number with the hookswitch.
It's amazing how many people don't know about hookswitch dialling now, especially as it used to be so common. I still do it regularly when trying to diagnose fault with phones. It's a lot easier that swapping out a dial if I don't have to.
Well there is a bit of skill required, and it takes some finesse.
I tried it a few times, with so so results.
Quote from: andy1702 on June 08, 2019, 01:33:18 PM
For example: dialling 204 would be...
tap, tap, pause
tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, pause
tap, tap, tap, tap.
That's Manitoba, my area code! ;D
you know, I've had the same issue with some #5 dial.... and I know the guys are going to hate me for this, but..... WD-40 could help! I get very liberal with it when I'm fixing a phone and have had great results.... dousing the dial with it doesn't hurt it... frees up slow dials and does wear-off.... I even have fixed key wound clocks with it. even though the stuff is hated by collectors, it does work! after all.... it is a "multi-use" lubricant! (works great on Yellow Jackets too!) In all the years of fixing, and restoring old phones I've never had any problem using it on components! I've sprayed down entire circuit boards (636, 589, 588 key strips) and have never had any problems with them after that! try it, it may surprise you!
Quote from: Babybearjs on July 11, 2019, 10:42:46 PM
it is a "multi-use" lubricant!
It is not a lubricant. It is a water displacement product.
That is the issue.
Jim
Don't use WD-40, it turns gummy over time. If you feel compelled to use an aerosol lubricant, CRC 2-26 is not nearly as problematic. I admit to cheating and using CRC 2-26 to free up sticky dials. I've had pretty good luck with it. Home Depot sells it in 5 oz cans in the electrical tools section.
Tom, did you try hookswitch dialling? Wondering what your result was with that.
Quote from: Babybearjs on July 11, 2019, 10:42:46 PM
....WD-40 could help! I get very liberal with it when I'm fixing a phone and have had great results.... dousing the dial with it doesn't hurt it...
When I first started to attend to dial issues I was told on here not to use WD40. It is a quick fix but will in time help attact a new build up of dust/grime.
At the moment I use compressed air, a quick dry contact cleaner and an oil pen. I also recently invested in an Ultrasonic Cleaner.
With the help of a good tutor I'm currently learning how to strip a dial and clean it properly (when I am confident enough to take apart more dials I'll be interested to compare a thorough clean against one using my current method).
I have also good experience with Wd40 as a quickfix. This May delay the need for doing the real job with months, or Even a few years. The big risk is to get it into the centrifugal regulator. When you get it working, and have the time, you may do the job as described in this thread, or try for the next 5 rears time. rinse/wash the dial in warm water with dish soap, dry quickly, rinse well in alcohol. At last; oil carefully with watch oil or other suitable silicon free oil.
dsk
Quote from: andy1702 on June 08, 2019, 01:33:18 PM
The hookswitch is the thing the handset rests on when not in use. Tapping it for the relevant number of pulses (10 times for a zero) and leaving a short gap between digits should dial out without actuallu using the dial.
For example: dialling 204 would be...
tap, tap, pause
tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, pause
tap, tap, tap, tap.
You have to do it at the right speed and it takes a bit of practice. Here in the UK we used to be able to make free calls on some Mercury payphones using this method! ;D
. I have problems with timing. I guess you need excersize, or natural skills. ;D
dsk
Quote from: dsk on July 12, 2019, 04:47:58 AM
. I have problems with timing. I guess you need excersize, or natural skills. ;D
dsk
Or a misspent youth ;). Funny what 'skills' we pick up as kids.
I haven't a clue where I learnt to do this., but it's all in the timing.
My oil pen is sold to lubricate clock works with. They last "forever".
I learned the hookswitch dialling by listening to the clicks in the handset of rotary phones and just duplicating what I heard. That's how I figured out the timing.
I just ran onto this thread and gave the hookswitch dialing a try. Dialed my cell phone and boom, it rang the first time.
I've been fooling with old phones for 25 yrs or more and never tried this. I do recall seeing someone doing it in a movie about someone in prison.
I have a phone with a dial problem right now that I'm working on, and this helps. Very cool! Thanks.
One way of measuring:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17033.msg175673#msg175673
tommycam
The Western Electric Spec as I recall is 10 PPS +/- 10% so it should take ever so slightly more than one second from dial stop to dial zero
I often just compare speed to a known good dial , dialing zero on both and releasing at the same time.