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Western Electric 500D2M makes a clicking noise instead of ringing!

Started by Gene, July 14, 2015, 06:41:09 AM

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Gene

This phone works great, except I need it to ring LOUD!  Thanks in advance for any help.

jsowers

You're missing the brass bells. All you have are the resonators that sit inside the bells. Two bells and two screws are what you need, and if you rob another phone, be sure to put the left bell on the left and the right bell on the right if you can. They have slightly different tones.
Jonathan

jsowers

Replacement bells could cost as much as what you paid for the phone. Thrift stores and yard sales might be a good place to start, if you can still find decent phones where you live. Just be sure the phone has a 2-bell mechanical ringer. The same bells were used in 554 wall phones and 2500 desk phones and you don't have to buy Western Electric. An ITT or SC will do. I looked on eBay and the shipping makes everything expensive. Here's one of the cheaper options...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/301685055456

Other people may have cheaper sources they can suggest.

To align the bells in your phone, adjust the left gong so the clapper almost touches the bell with the setting all the way loud. It's eccentric, meaning it's off-center and rotating it makes it closer or farther away from the clapper. The right gong, I'm told, is not eccentric and you adjust that with the loudness control on the bottom. So it is important to get the gongs on the correct side.

Oh, and welcome to the Forum! This may not be the last phone you get.
Jonathan

NorthernElectric

Quote from: jsowers on July 14, 2015, 08:49:41 AMOther people may have cheaper sources they can suggest.

You could try posting something like 'wanted: bells for C4A ringer' along with your approximate location in the wanted forum.  Maybe somebody near you has spares?
Cliff

HarrySmith

There may be a member near you with a junker phone or extra ringer to help you out. That is an interesting setup. I wonder if someone did that to quiet it down. Must sound tinny. I will have to try that!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

andre_janew

I noticed that the resonators are aluminum instead of plastic.  It must be an older model.

Phonesrfun

Older ringers did have aluminum resonators.  The phone pictured is likely an older base that was refurbed to be modular.
-Bill G