Western Electric 500 rings at my home, but not at neighbors house

[Dingodaddy]

I have a Bell System Western Electric phone. It has the number 500 on the bottom metal plate. It works great at my house, but when I take it to my neighbors house it won't ring! Everything else works, but no ringer. We bought the phone as a gift for our neighbor.
When I put on a "new" cord (from the wall to the phone) it wouldn't ring at our home. So I put the old one back on and it works here again. Any ideas. Both homes are about 6 years old. The red wire is connected to L2. Yellow and black are both on G, Green is on L1.
I have done some reading and have discovered the "ringer wire tension" wire by the bells. It doesn't change anything

[bingster]

Welcome to the forum!

Do you and your neighbor have the same telephone service?  Often, old phones will ring on a standard phone company line, but not on a "modern" service like, cable, dsl, etc.

[Dingodaddy]

We are both on Bell South. We have another 500 series phone (Made by Northern Telecom) that works fine at both homes.

[Dennis Markham]

Ray, Welcome to the Forum!

Is your set hardwired or does it have a modular plug at the back of the phone.  If so, the wire you're using as the new cord, is that a 4-pin wire, Red, Yellow, Black & Green?  Really you don't need to connect the yellow and black leads at the phone.  They have no function.  I can't think of any reason as far as the phone is concerned why it would ring at one house and not the other...both on the same POTS line (Plain Old Telephone Service), EXCEPT a problem with the cord/jack.  The issue appears intermittent which leads me to suspect the wiring/jack.  Are there bent pins inside the jack on the phone?

A picture is worth a thousand words...if you can provide a photo of your network where the line cord/jack is connected it may help.

[Dingodaddy]

The hand set is handwired. The cord is a relatively new cord (4-pins... red, yellow, black, green). I guess the neighbor's house could have a plug that is acting goofey, but then why would phone #2 work at both homes, but phone #1 only works at my house?
When you ask for a "picture of network" do you mean a picture of the phone wiring, or of the home wiring behind the plastic cover plate???
Also, I have to figure out how to send a picture ( I mean in this forum system.... I have digital camera etc.....)

[Dingodaddy]

I just figured out how to send pictures....... I just need to have clarification to get proper picture.
thanks for your help.......

[Dennis Markham]

After you've written your post, on the left side and below the Message box you'll see Additional Options.  Click that.  You'll be able to browse your file manager for the folder and photo you'd like to upload.  

The wiring at the network of the phone...not the house wiring.

[Dingodaddy]

Ok,,,,  Here is a picture of the inside of the phone in question.
Red wire goes to.................... L2
Yellow and black wires go to... G
Green wire goes to.................  L1

I have a  model 500 made by ITT also. It is wired like this:


Yellow.......... G
Red..............L2
Green/black.. L1

Just thought I'd toss that into the mix.......  Also, picture is attached

[Dingodaddy]

Here's a clearer picture.. didn't mean to pull the trigger on the first one.

[Greg G.]

Here's a clearer picture.. didn't mean to pull the trigger on the first one.

Just another tip on photos.  To change the photo on a post, click on "modify", then "Additional Options".  You'll see a list of the photos with a check box by each one.  Un-check the old photo, then browse for the new one, then "Save".

[Jester]

Here's my theory.  Your house has had the yellow & green or the black & green  wires tied together at the service box & your neighbor's house hasn't.  The network picture shows the black ringer lead on g(round).  These days, that wire completes the circuit through L1.  Just move it one lug to thr right under the green lead & you should be in business @ both houses.

[Dingodaddy]

I've already re-wired the phone; now I'm just waiting for my neighbor to call me back so I can try the it..... I think you are on to something. I looked at another 500 series phone we have and it's wired the way you suggest also...... (But I haven't tried that phone at the neighbor's house...... but it does work at my house...... THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks.... I'll post here if it works......

[Dan/Panther]

Hook the black wire from the ringer to the green wire from the incoming line. just leave the yellow and black wire where they are, it's just a connection point.
D/P

[LarryInMichigan]

I think that every WE phone that I have ever seen in the past 25 years has had the ringer circuit connected to the red and yellow wires from the line cord.  In the old 4-prong connectors, the yellow wire was connected to the same terminal as the green.  The easiest thing to do is to move the wire from the ringer to the terminal on the network where the green wire is connected.  I am sure that Jester is correct about his theory on the house wiring.  I have seen phone jacks wired that way before.

Larry

[Dennis Markham]

I concur Dr.'s.  That black ringer wire is on G.  Move it to the terminal with the green line cord wire.  L1.  I agree Jester, the houses are more than likely wired differently.