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Western Electric 553 Bells don't ring on incoming calls, everything else works

Started by Bob R, February 10, 2019, 07:11:52 PM

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Bob R

I removed this phone as a disconnect in 1965.  I had it working for years in my home.  Recently brought it out and cleaned and repainted it.  It still basically works but the bells don't rings on incoming calls.  I can't locate a good schematic.  Anyone have any ideas.

Butch Harlow

Here is a drawing for it. I checked mine and the ringer is wired to L1 and K. The tan wire, which may well have been red at some point, is on L1, and the black wire is on K with a lead from the 1mf side of the capacitor.
Butch Harlow

poplar1

"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Bob R

Thanks for the tip.  I gave it a try but bells didn't ring on an incoming call.

Doug Rose

Try L1 on the coil not the block. If L1 doesn't work....try L2....Doug
Kidphone

RB

Do you have a DMM? chk the coils for continuity, one could be open???

Bob R

RB:  I did isolate the problem to the ringer it self.  Cleaned all the contacts and still not working.  I'll take your advice and test the capacitors next.

poplar1

I'm not sure what model phone this is, but with a 101A induction coil, it is not a 553-A or 553-BA.
It may be a 653-BC, which was originally used on 2-party lines in order to bill the correct party.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12347.msg130231#msg130231

Modification for modern use
The 653-BC can be modified to work on modern lines with bridged ringing:
Move the black ringer wire from GND to L1.
Move the red ringer wire from YY to RR.
This modification puts the ringer and the 1 MF (1 µF) condenser in series and straight across the telephone line on L1 and L2 whether the set is on-hook or off-hook.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.