Northern Electric 302 - won't dial out

[canuckphoneguy]

Hello everyone! This is my first post to this forum. I'm new to the phone collecting hobby and can tell that this is going to be a lifelong hobby for me.

I recently purchased a 1948 Northern Electric 302. Unfortunately, someone took out the ringer.

I am able to answer the phone and talk on it. It sounds great. The problem I'm having is I can't dial a number on it. The ringer is a bit sticky - could that be the reason?  When I dial a number, the dial tone continues.

I've looked over the wiring diagrams on this forum and to me, they look ok. But, I'm not an expert at all. I'll upload photos of the inside of my new old phone here. Maybe someone has other ideas that I could try.

The other thing that I thought might be the reason why it won't dial out is because of the splicing someone did of the original line wire to a newer grey wire to plug in to the jack.

Thanks for all of your help!

[Dennis Markham]

Hi Canuckphoneguy, welcome to the Forum.  I see a couple of things that COULD be a problem.

First, looking at the switch hook contacts.  They look awfully dirty.  There appears to be dust or something clinging to one of the contact points.  Try using some compressed air or some alcohol on a Q-tip to clean those contacts.

Secondly the red ringer wire (connected to terminal L1 almost looks like the spade tip is touching the spade tip on the yellow wire on terminal L2.  Speaking of that wire......

The yellow wire going (I think) from the condenser to terminal L2 looks like it's nearly broken where it attaches to terminal L2.  Check that.  If it's hanging by a thread, it may not be making a connection from the condenser.

The mounting cord wires (at least green and yellow) look pretty crumbly.  Even though I don't think it's a problem, try and isolate the yellow lead by taping it up, so it doesn't make contact with anything else that is metal----or you could attach it to the G terminal (ground).

Too bad someone ruined that ringer by cutting off the clapper.  The two screws that are in place where the gongs should go look like the original screws.  Often people removed the gongs to silence a phone.  Looks like the case here.

The rest of the wiring looks correct.

[canuckphoneguy]

Thanks for your help Dennis! I taped up all of the crumbling wires, and cleaned the contacts you mentioned with some alcohol.

I tried to dial out and still no luck. The dialer moves a lot faster since I cleaned it out, though.

Any other suggestions?

Also, what is a good thing to use to clean the phone (outside) with?

I'll upload an updated picture of the inside in case I didn't get all the dirt out.

[Dennis Markham]

I use Novus2 to polish the plastic or painted surfaces.

Your original post reads that the "ringer is a bit sticky".  Do you mean the dial?  It's moving slow?  If you have VoIP service, sometimes if the pulses do not pulse at a precise rate the number won't go through......I've been told.  The issue you're having could be with the dial.  It's difficult to determine if in fact your problem.  But it sounds like the dial contacts may be out of whack.  If you can take a photo of the dial contacts from head on so I can see all of the contacts while the dial is at rest and then another just "off normal"....or when the dial is just slightly turned maybe I can see something there.

[canuckphoneguy]

I meant the dial is a bit sticky. It's much faster now - I lubricated it and it seems to spin and return almost normal. I do have other rotary phones on my phone land (a regular phone line, not VoIP) and they work fine.

Here are the two pictures. The first one is when it's resting and the second one is when I have the dial slightly turned.

Thanks again!

[Dennis Markham]

I studied your photos and compared them to one of my 5H dials.  I don't see anything glaringly wrong.  That doesn't mean your dial isn't functioning improperly.  It's just difficult to tell from looking at the photos.  If it's not breaking dial tone I'm wondering if the pulse pawl is moving....that's the little black tipped thing that is supposed to interrupt the dial tone as it pulses.

Anyone else have an idea?

[bingster]

Try sitting the 302 next to one of your other dial phones (one that's dialing properly).  Simultaneously dial "0" on each, removing each finger at the exact same instant, and see how long the 302 dial takes to come to a stop compared to the functioning dial.  Both should take one second to return from "0", but if the 302 dial takes longer (or less time) to return, there's the problem.

[Dennis Markham]

Bingster, he indicated it's not breaking dial tone.  So to me it's more than just a matter of it not pulsing at the correct speed (perhaps for VoIP).  I think there's an issue with the contacts, perhaps something is slightly bent.  The dial tone is not being interrupted during dialing.

[canuckphoneguy]

I studied your photos and compared them to one of my 5H dials.  I don't see anything glaringly wrong.  That doesn't mean your dial isn't functioning improperly.  It's just difficult to tell from looking at the photos.  If it's not breaking dial tone I'm wondering if the pulse pawl is moving....that's the little black tipped thing that is supposed to interrupt the dial tone as it pulses.

Anyone else have an idea?

Is the pulse pawl that black thing at the bottom right (near the end of the bottom of the dialing thing?) It does not move when I dial the phone.

[HarrySmith]

If the pawl is not working that is more than likely the problem. I do not have a dial handy to check as to the required action but someone here probably can. Also the first two contact arms seem to be bent.

[canuckphoneguy]

If the pawl is not working that is more than likely the problem. I do not have a dial handy to check as to the required action but someone here probably can. Also the first two contact arms seem to be bent.

Is there a way to fix the contact arms? Which way should they be bent back (the ones near the pawl or the other end)? Thanks!

[Dennis Markham]

If the small plastic/rubber piece that I have the red arrow pointing to, from your photo isn't moving as the dial returns, that is your problem.  Often they are rusty, corroded or gummed up.  Yours doesn't look rusty on this side of the dial.

[canuckphoneguy]

I'll take a look at that more closely. Hopefully I can do something to fix it. Thanks again for all of your help!