1971 Northern Electric 554 not ringing

[Fairchild]

Hello all! Over the last couple of months i've become greatly interested in vintage rotary phones.  I recently found my first phone: 1969-71 Northern Electric 554 for $ 3, all original, non modular.  I plugged it in and am able to get a dial tone, dial, complete call etc, but the ringer refuses to work.  There is no indication that it is even trying to work! Upon further inspection i noticed that the Red and Black leads from the ringer had been disconnected and taped off to the side of the network, indicating that the owner had disconnected the ringer to avoid having to pay for an additional phone that would be noticed via the tested impedance of the line.  (you learn alot on here!).  So i went about reconnecting the ringer leads, Red lead to L2 and the Black lead to L1.  Still not a peep from those nice old bells.  The clapper and all other components that make up the bell ringing mechanism seem to be in order based on pictures and info i've gathered here.  I'm beginning to think that my problem is related to the original no modular phone cord that is attached to the network.  I've attached a photo to show how the phone line is connected to the network.  Could that be the problem? or the cord itself?

Thanks in advance for all your help, and i'm happy to be a member here.  I've got a few phones coming my way in the near future!

Mark

[paul-f]

Welcome!

It sounds like you're racing up the learning curve!

Check to make sure that you use the red and green line cord leads only and that they go to L1 and L2.  (It looks like the green wire is misplaced.)

Also check the wiring against a 554 or 500 wiring diagram.  Anything on the G terminal should also be questioned.

  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2767.0

The following complete diagram was created before wiring was simplified to 2 wires.  The ringer lead shown on the diagram should be moved to L2 for current standards.
  http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/weco/500cd.pdf

[Kenny C]

try moving the green line cord to L1

[Fairchild]

Thanks for your Reply! I tried the standard configuration you posted using only the red and green line wires and it still did not ring.  Also, when i moved the green line wire to L1, i didn't even get a dial tone.  What are the yellow and black line wires used for then?  Also, does it matter what post on L2 i connect the Red ringer and Red line wires? I noticed i've got a wire coming from the phone hook/saddle section to a post in the "G" section.  I'm beginning to wonder if this is a frequency based ringer.

Mark

[Kenny C]

i will get out my 500 and look how it is wired and reply back

[Kenny C]

put white from the switch were the green is and move green to L1 and then try it.

[Kenny C]

it should be wired as follows for a 4 wire ringer.

Ringer:
Red-L2
Black-L1
Slate-K
Slate Red- A

Line:
Red-L2
Yellow-G
Green-L1
Black can be disconnected and cut

Dial:
Blue-F
White-R
Green-L1
White-GN
(note: white wires are inter changeable)

Switch:
Black-R
Gray-L2
Yellow-L2
Brown-C
White-F
Red-GN

Handset cord:
White-R
Red-R
Black-B
White-GN
(NOTE:whites are interchangeable) 

[Fairchild]

I've got two network white leads connected at "GN" and "R" and i've got the green lead from the rotary dial connected at "RR".  Could you be more specific?  I've got the Red and Green line leads connected L2 and L1 correspondingly now.

[Fairchild]

it should be wired as follows for a 4 wire ringer.

Ringer:
Red-L2
Black-L1
Slate-K
Slate Red- A

Line:
Red-L2
Yellow-G
Green-L1
Black can be disconnected and cut

Dial:
Blue-F
White-R
Green-L1
White-GN
(note: white wires are inter changeable)

Switch:
Black-R
Gray-L2
Yellow-L2
Brown-C
White-F
Red-GN

Handset cord:
White-R
Red-R
Black-B
White-GN
(NOTE:whites are interchangeable) 

Thanks, i'll try this later when i get home from work.  Much appreciated!

Mark

[gpo706]

Or it could be the "tension wire" which runs between the bells is in the off position, I had this problem with my first 500.

Its a length of tensioned bare metal "pole" that feeds into a G shape (?) like slot at the end, snatch the end with thin needle pliers or a pair of tweezers and jiggle it to the free end of the G.

I hope this makes some sense!

[Dennis Markham]

Fairchild, welcome to the Forum.  I believe Kenny has it correct but take a look at this diagram that Dan/P put together.  The wires are color coded and easy to follow:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2767.msg37642#new

From your photo there are at least a couple of wires that are not wired properly.  As Kenny pointed out the green wire on the F terminal should be connected with the black ringer wire on L1.  You have what appears to be a gray and slate wire connected to the G terminal.  Although you could put the yellow mounting cord wire on G you can also leave the yellow wire disconnected.  

Then once you get the wiring corrected and still get no ring, try moving your bias tension spring between the gongs as gpo706 suggested.  I'll attach a photo of that wire.

[Fairchild]

I followed Kenny's wiring scheme to a "T", but i do not get a dialtone.  I found that when i connected the White Slate from the switch to "F" along with Blue from dial, this was the case, but if I connected White Slate from the switch to "RR" i get all functions except the ability to dial out successfully and have the call go through, but i do get a dialtone, can receive calls, and the bell rings etc.  .  I also tried Dan's diagram and had no success until i connected Green from dial to L1.  I've posted a couple of pics of my followed through wiring.  Thanks again to you all for the help thus far; I'm almost there!  Bells sound great btw!  I'll post a vid on youtube when i get it functioning properly.

Cheers,
Mark

Fairchild, welcome to the Forum.  I believe Kenny has it correct but take a look at this diagram that Dan/P put together.  The wires are color coded and easy to follow:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2767.msg37642#new

From your photo there are at least a couple of wires that are not wired properly.  As Kenny pointed out the green wire on the F terminal should be connected with the black ringer wire on L1.  You have what appears to be a gray and slate wire connected to the G terminal.  Although you could put the yellow mounting cord wire on G you can also leave the yellow wire disconnected. 

Then once you get the wiring corrected and still get no ring, try moving your bias tension spring between the gongs as gpo706 suggested.  I'll attach a photo of that wire.

[Kenny C]

i messed up
ok put green from the dial on RR and Green from the switch on L1

[Fairchild]

i messed up
ok put green from the dial on RR and Green from the switch on L1

YES! That's it!!! My slate/green from switch is soddered to L1, so all i had to do in the end after my last photos was move the Dial Green back to RR.  Upon further inspection of this thread i noticed that Paul-F had posted this exact config as well! (missed it in all the excitement!

Cheers to all those who chimed in with their help, i really do appreciate it.  I've learned alot in the process and am excited to get more phones, preferably semi working ones so i can familiarize myself with the dial and bell mechanism.  There really isn't much to these old phones, it seems to come down to wiring most of the time.

Regards
Mark

[Fairchild]

Thanks alot for your help as well.  Your second link was the ticket.  A valuable PDF no doubt.  Thanks again everyone! Nice pics Dennis!

Mark

PS.  1st phone related Youtube video on the way soon!

Welcome!

It sounds like you're racing up the learning curve!

Check to make sure that you use the red and green line cord leads only and that they go to L1 and L2.  (It looks like the green wire is misplaced.)

Also check the wiring against a 554 or 500 wiring diagram.  Anything on the G terminal should also be questioned.

  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2767.0

The following complete diagram was created before wiring was simplified to 2 wires.  The ringer lead shown on the diagram should be moved to L2 for current standards.
  http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/weco/500cd.pdf