Wpg.302

[flybynyte]

Well here I am again with a plea for your assistance with diagnosis and repair.
The subject is what I believe to be a Northern Electric 302. given to me many years ago by a relative.
The unit had been abandoned by a tenant and I received no history about it's working condition.
It  has been stored away until recently when I rediscovered it's existence along with an NT 2500 while rummaging through
a rather cluttered storage cubicle.  I became intrigued with the possibility of restoring them to service with help
recruited online.  The unit presents well, looks clean and has the appearance of perhaps been recently refurbished
before it's decommission.  The handset especially has the appearance of having been glossily refinished with an almost
excessive amount of coating material.  The finish is definitely not a DIY accomplishment, it is very smooth and hard.
Test sticker inside indicates  work performed Nov.3,1959, date stamp on microphone is 6/10/53.  All seems firmly attached inside, no discernible corrosion is evident.  Obviously the dial plate is gone and the handset cord is a replacement.
All I have done so far is connecting it ,( to the best of my ability) whereby I couldn't elicit a dial tone.
I eagerly look forward to receive any and all help, comments, suggestions you may grant.   Thank you for looking.

[flybynyte]

More photos,...thank you for looking

[Babybearjs]

what you have is the cousin to my wall phone... A Uniphone #1. the wall version of this phone is the Uniphone #2. these were made in the 30's and 40's according to Paul-F's website... Nice phone!

[poplar1]

The line should go to L1 and L2 terminals inside phone. You currently have the yellow line cord wire on L1 and the green line cord wire on L2.

So connect the yellow and green at the wall, if you prefer not to change the phone inside wires.

Normally, the RED line cord wire would be on L1, and the yellow wire on GND. Assuming the line cord is good, you might want to change the connections so that the red line cord wire is on L1..then connect red and green to the line.

In any case, if you do get dial tone to work, the next step would be to make the phone ring.
For that, you'll need to move the red ringer wire from GND to L1.

[flybynyte]

 T Babybearjs & poplar1- Thank you for your interesting and very informative replies.
Please patiently bear with me while I assimilate the information you've presented.
I'll attempt the recommended remedial actions tomorrow after my old brain
gets it's quota of overnight rest.
                                                Cheers,
                                                                 Bert

[flybynyte]

Listen! It's ringing.... It's alive. It's alive... It's alive, it's ringing,...it's alive, it's alive, it's alive, it's alive, IT'S ALIVE!
*with apologies to  Mary Shelly....

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/glee/images/3/30/Frankenstein-its-alive.gif/revision/latest?cb=20141210185337

I couldn't be happier!...I did as you suggested poplar1 regarding the wiring reconfiguration.
I haven't actually spoken on it yet, the dial tone seems rather subdued in volume as compared to my other landline
connected phones but the ringer is loud, also quite melodious,.... to my ears anyway.  I will ask my brother to call so
I can establish listening and speaking volumes.  I cannot express strongly enough the pleasure you've provided me
with as a result of your contribution to my post,  the results speak for themselves, wish I could share it's ring with
all on board.  That's it for now, time for me to open a cold one to celebrate,....Cheers
*I forgot to mention that it dialed-out okay when I called myself with it and got a busy signal as normal protocol.

[CanadianGuy]

Can I ask what the "Wpg" part of the topic mean? I'm from Winnipeg. Is there any other meaning?

[flybynyte]

Hi Canadian Guy, thank you for your peek into the thread.  The reference to Wpg. (Winnipeg) has no other connotation.
The telephone was given to me by a Wpg. resident who retrieved it, as well as other found-abandoned items in a vacated suite
several decades ago. I deemed it appropriate to title my topic with a reference to it's provenance, I humbly regret not knowing the difference between a 302 and a Uniphone 

[flybynyte]

An update, I had my brother call and I was very pleased with the quality of the signal.  I did not denote anything unusual
in the transmission except voice-volume seemed slightly inferior as compared to my other landline phones.
Maybe?.. could be?..only my imagination, he did  not perceive anything unusual or untoward relating to call quality or volume.
Any comments on how this could be correctly evaluated and/or improved upon? although I don't deem it as being problematic.
I will now concentrate on more in-depth research of the unit hoping to acquire more knowledge about it.
I would like to focus on areas of maintenance and embellishment as well as locating it's missing dial card.  Several
of it's interior components are date identified circa 1953, I am assuming that to be it's date of birth also.
If that is the case, I'm left to wonder if the coiled handset cord is an original accouterment?
Thank you for any comment or input you may wish to offer, I urge you to please keep in mind that my phone tech. vocabulary
and knowledge is minuscule.

[HarrySmith]

You might try rapping the element sharply on a flat surface to loosen up the carbon granules.

[flybynyte]

I probably didn't word my post succinctly enough, the condition I was alluding to was that my perception,
-- - i.e. (I, or any other caller making the call from this phone) of the dial-tone and received call volume isn't as loud as it should normally be.  Parties "receiving" the calls get a clear and exceptionally sharp transmission of normally expected volume from a landline connected phone. I regret not having the telephone techno-speak to fully and clearly describe this niggling problem.
Thank you for looking in....

[andre_janew]

Your phone is most likely working very well considering it is 63 years old and using pre-WW2 technology.  Don't expect it to have the volume of a modern 21st century high definition phone.

[poplar1]

You might want to obtain a replacement HA-1 receiver. Sometimes the old ones are weak (have low volume). If there are no Canadian members who could donate one, I could send you one, but the postage from US is $9.03 USD for 1 to 8 oz.

[flybynyte]

"Your phone is most likely working very well considering it is 63 years old and using pre-WW2 technology.  Don't expect it to have the volume of a modern 21st century high definition phone."

Andre- I'm not expecting performance equaling "a modern 21st century high-definition phone", whatever that is?
Phones I'm accustomed to using were installed in my premises several decades ago by an MTS employee.
My inquiry was to solicit some informative comments and/or relevant information concerning the comparative volumes between say a 500 or 2500 versus my recently resurrected Uniphone and possible remedies for the relatively low volume it seems to be generating (evident in dial-tone and speech)  Thank you for posting.

[flybynyte]

HI poplar1, that is a very considerate and generous offer!....I will see what develops and may contact you privately in future.
As I stated elsewhere, I do not consider the volume issue to be detrimental to my enjoyment and/or usage of the phone.
I only want it to perform to it's maximum potential, functionally matching it's beautiful appearance.   Again,.. thank you 

                                                                                                                                                             Bert