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C4A Ringer spring thing...

Started by twocvbloke, January 02, 2012, 01:34:39 PM

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twocvbloke

As the average GPO phone is sans-springs on their ringers, I'd thought I'd ask what these little things on the ringers are for...

I have noticed with these G-shaped thing, that they make the difference between a phone ringing and not ringing though, so I'm guessing they're meant for a different ringer frequency or ringer voltage perhaps?  ???

The reason I ask is cos with both my WE500s, I've had to nudge the spring over to where it is positioned in the picture (red WE500's innards) to get the phones to ring (the black one cos I was fiddling with it's wiring and innards and forgot to put the spring back like it is in the picture, big "duuuuh" moment!!), and I'm just inquisitive about such things... ;D

Dennis Markham

That is a "bias tension spring".  It is designed to do just you did with it.  Movement of the spring will change the tension of the clapper.  I've found in most cases, the best ring comes when it is positioned how you have it in the photo.  On some ringers, on various systems, they perform better in the other position.  That is my non-technical reply.  Perhaps someone else has a more technical response regarding the bias tension.

GG



The high-bias position also has the effect of making the ringer less likely to produce bell-tap in certain instances, depending on the polarity of the line. 


Phonesrfun

See C31.207 here:  http://telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=3799&Itemid=2. This describes setting the biasing spring when the ringer is used on multiple party lines.

Also, I once read an article in one of the Bell System Technical Journals about how the mechanical biasing spring on a ringer was used in conjunction with electrically biased ringing using either cold cathode tubes or diodes.  I don't remember a reference to that material.
-Bill G

McHeath

My different 500s require that spring to be in different places.  One will bell tap endlessly when other extensions are used if the spring is in the right hand position, but is fine with it in the left hand spot.  I installed one of my phones at my moms and it bell taps, but she likes it and does not want me to fix it by moving the spring!