can you tell if you have a straight line ringer just by looking?

[ntophones]

Can you tell what type of ringer you have on an AE40 phone just by looking at condenser?

[Phonesrfun]

I don't know of any difinitive way to tell by looking at the condenser, unless you are looking for some odd-ball value, but even then, that would not be difinitive.  The best way is to look at the mechanical pivot (or lack thereof) of the arm that strikes the gongs.  If it is a pivot and pivots freely and loosely and the clapper is relatively small, then it is a straight-line ringer.  If the clapper arm is ridgidly held to the ringer frame by what resembles a piece of hacksaw blade, and the only way for it to move back and forth is to set up vibrations in that metal blade, and if the clapper is relatively massive, then it is likely a frequency ringer.

Also, if the ringer has something printed on it such as 33.3 ~ the symbol ~ stands for cycles or Hertz and the 33.3 indicates it is a 33.3 cycle frequency ringer.

Chances are, if you take a photo, a number of us would be able to tell right off the bat.  Some ringers, however, can be a little elusive.

-Bill

[Phonesrfun]

PS the one in the phone you just posted a picture of in the other subject, to me, looks like a frequency ringer, but the pivotal part is hard to see by the angle of the photo.

-Bill

[Dennis Markham]

Looking back on that post:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1324.msg16845#msg16845

the ~ is visible on the ringer but the numeric value is hidden by the wires.   Ntophones, you should be able to move that wire a bit and see what the Hertz rating of the ringer is for that ringer.  It looks like a frequency ringer to me too.

[ntophones]

Thank you guys so much!!!!!
Here are a couple of pics. Looks to me like it says 50~, but, I'm not sure if I'm looking at the right thing.
Could you tell me what you see, and what it means.
Thanks,
scooter34

[ntophones]

If this is a frequency ringer, I think I can get a new one from Oldphoneworks, unless you guys have a better idea. If I need a new one, do I have to replace the gray box condenser, also, or are those condensers the same for all the ae40 phones?
Thanks

[Phonesrfun]

Replacing the condenser depends on the value of the current one.  A straight ringer will probably use a .5 Micro Farad to a 1.0 Micro Farad.  I don't have an AE 40 schematic handy and I am at work right now, but the correct value for a straight ringer is easily obtainable.  Can you make out the value on the current one?

-Bill

[ntophones]

It says use .08 micro condenser, so I'm guessing it definitely is a frequency ringer.
Would you get a new one at oldphoneworks.com?
Thanks for all your help.

[Dan/Panther]

I have a few of these if you can post photos and the freqs.
D/P

[ntophones]

Here are some more photos... I hope they are what you need to know.....I'm assuming the freq. is 50~, and, I guess that means it is a frequency ringer, which I want to convert to straightline, if I want it to work. There is no paper with the frequency listed in the phone, which I have seen in other phones.

[Phonesrfun]

The condenser in the grey can looks bigger than .08 MF, but electrically .08 MF is definitely too small.

The schematic calls for a 1.0 MF for a straight line ringer per this:

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/aeco/AE4050.pdf

Anyone who has a straight line ringer for an AE 40 will also have the proper condenser (also known as a capacitor in more modern terminology, but most collectors still call them condensers).  The ringer you have is definitely a frequency ringer, and if you hooked it up, you would probablly only be able to slightly feel it vibrate if you put your finger on it while it was "ringing".

-Bill

[ntophones]

Thank you for that information!
Now, all I need is to locate a SL ringer and 1.MF condenser for this phone to work!
Dan/Panther, did you say you had some? Could you let me know, and how much you are willing to sell one, if you are willing? Thanks for the help, everybody. I am totally new to this, but am so excited about this phone!