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Coiled Line Cords

Started by trainman, June 22, 2017, 06:27:20 PM

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trainman

I have a few phones that have a coiled line cord. Why would there be a coiled line cord installed in place of a straight line cord?

unbeldi

Quote from: trainman on June 22, 2017, 06:27:20 PM
I have a few phones that have a coiled line cord. Why would there be a coiled line cord installed in place of a straight line cord?

Well, for the exact same reason that they are used for handset cords: To avoid clutter when not in use, and permit extended operating range when in use.

Victor Laszlo

What type of phone?

Does it appear to be a real coiled line cord, or a handset cord that has been installed as one?

Does it have the correct colors and lengths of conductors?

Does it have the metal part number and date tags installed?

Alex G. Bell

Quote from: trainman on June 22, 2017, 06:27:20 PM
I have a few phones that have a coiled line cord. Why would there be a coiled line cord installed in place of a straight line cord?
What length are your coiled line cords?

I don't recall seeing short or med. length coiled line cords, only 25'ers.  Someone who wants to be able to move a phone around over a great distance and orders a 25' straight cord (which many did) might well benefit from the lower effort involved in not having to tend to 25' of straight cord when the phone is moved back near its connection point.

unbeldi

D4BH spring cords were available in 9', 13', and 25' lengths.

Here are pictured:
* 9-feet D4BH-53  (red)
*13-feet D4BC-3 (black)



Alex G. Bell

Quote from: unbeldi on June 22, 2017, 09:49:49 PM
D4BH spring cords were available in 9', 13', and 25' lengths.

Here are pictured:
* 9-feet D4BH-53  (red)
*13-feet D4BC-3 (black)
But all of those are extra length cords.  5'6" is standard.

Have you tried correcting the coil in those?  I had pretty good results putting a coiled handset cord into a large aluminum skillet filled with boiling water.

unbeldi

Quote from: Alex G. Bell on June 22, 2017, 09:53:07 PM
But all of those are extra length cords.  5'6" is standard.

I don't get the objection !?  I only stated the lengths available for two types of cords of the 1960s.

The D4BC-29 was shorted to 6 and 12 feet. There was also a D5AN-29 with those lengths.


Previously, BSP C36.101 i13 5505 lists other earlier retractile cords:

D4AT-3   5 1/2'   (202, 303, 410)
D3BC-3   5 1/2'   (300-type sets)
D3BD-3   5 1/2'   (500 type sets)
D4AU-3   5 1/2'   (500 type sets)

Alex G. Bell

Quote from: unbeldi on June 22, 2017, 10:34:48 PM
I don't get the objection !?  I only stated the lengths available for two types of cords of the 1960s.

The D4BC-29 was shorted to 6 and 12 feet. There was also a D5AN-29 with those lengths.


Previously, BSP C36.101 i13 5505 lists other earlier retractile cords:

D4AT-3   5 1/2'   (202, 303, 410)
D3BC-3   5 1/2'   (300-type sets)
D3BD-3   5 1/2'   (500 type sets)
D4AU-3   5 1/2'   (500 type sets)
No objection.  I didn't think there were standard length ones, never saw one, never researched it and the examples you cited seemed to confirm that. 

It seems like standard length ones would not work very well with a jack mounted at the baseboard, better where the jack is at table height near the phone. 

This house has a phone nook built into the wall that's part of the original structure.  It's just deep enough for the 305 that's on it.  A 500 set would hang off the front edge.  The 42A connecting block is at the back of the nook.  A short coiled mounting cord would work well there, better than the straight cord, which drapes down along the wall.