STILL misdialing!!!!!

DARK FATHER · October 15, 2010, 03:58:39 PM

On a different topic I mentioned that I had a dial attachment screw missing and that my WE 202 was sometimes misdialing, likely as a result of this. But now the mystery deepens. The screw (and element) arrived today and I attached the screw and secured the dial assembly. Now it appears that the phone misdials WORSE than before!!

Curiously when I tried to dial out on a different rotary phone today I got the annoying "cannot be completed as dialed" recording like I often do on the WE 202. Perhaps my rotary service is VERY picky!! Do these dials require lubrication?

Kenny C · October 15, 2010, 04:03:17 PM

If it will dial from 0 in "1 mississippi" its ok thats how i do mine, But our swich at the phone office was obsolete in 1975. What # of dial is it i read somewhere on here that #5 or 4 and under were hit and miss.

LarryInMichigan · October 15, 2010, 04:24:56 PM

DF,

There is probably something wrong with the operation of the contacts. The easiest solution for you would probably be to send to dial to Steve Hilsz to repair. He is a whiz at dial repair, and cheap. Ask him for his dial repair form.

Larry

DARK FATHER · October 15, 2010, 05:25:30 PM

My dial does 0 to 1 in "one Mississippi" so that appears ok. I may just send it to him or simply replace it with a better condition one. The one I have is a 1948 5H and some of the red numbers are faded. I have a feeling that this phone was declared unfixable or used as a parts phone years ago due to the missing dial screw, dial card, wire, and wall wiring. Perhaps this was the reason. Oh well, all is not lost!

Kenny C · October 15, 2010, 05:27:57 PM

if it is it still makes a lovely paper weight

LarryInMichigan · October 15, 2010, 05:32:55 PM

DF,

The face plate is easily replaced without replacing the whole dial. The phone companies routinely replaced the plates when they became worn. A 1948 5H is still young. It should last at least another 62 years.

Larry

bingster · October 15, 2010, 05:37:36 PM

There's no such thing as a phone that's unrepairable, or a dial that was ever "hit and miss." Even in the 1920s, dial speed and percent break were very tightly controlled, and all dials were capable of maintaining their accuracy for great lengths of time.

If your dial makes a complete return from zero in exactly one second, the problem may be with the leaf springs on the back of the dial. Are any of them bent? Do the pulse springs seem to open and close properly if you allow the dial to return very slowly?

DARK FATHER · October 15, 2010, 07:13:41 PM

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on October 15, 2010, 05:32:55 PM
DF,

The face plate is easily replaced without replacing the whole dial. The phone companies routinely replaced the plates when they became worn. A 1948 5H is still young. It should last at least another 62 years.

Larry

I just figured that it would be cheaper than sending the dial to a repairman, paying postage for both trips, AND buying a new face plate. I could be wrong!

DARK FATHER · October 15, 2010, 08:26:26 PM

Quote from: bingster on October 15, 2010, 05:37:36 PM
There's no such thing as a phone that's unrepairable, or a dial that was ever "hit and miss." Even in the 1920s, dial speed and percent break were very tightly controlled, and all dials were capable of maintaining their accuracy for great lengths of time.

If your dial makes a complete return from zero in exactly one second, the problem may be with the leaf springs on the back of the dial. Are any of them bent? Do the pulse springs seem to open and close properly if you allow the dial to return very slowly?

I will check that tonight.

DARK FATHER · October 15, 2010, 11:08:50 PM

Well, I opened up the phone to check the leaf springs and discovered that the two red wires that go to the dial had popped loose. It must have happened when I installed the dial screw that arrived in the mail today because that is when the phone began misdialing nearly every time. Well, since I re-tightened them the phone dials better than it has since I got it working! I have made 7 calls so far, 6 went through flawlessly (one stated that the person was unavailable) and this is a record so far. Fingers crossed!

bingster · October 16, 2010, 12:02:14 AM

I'm not sure an unavailable party counts as a mis-dial.

DARK FATHER · October 16, 2010, 01:23:56 AM

Yes, but when I called her right back it went through! Oh well, it is OK for now!

DARK FATHER · October 16, 2010, 05:01:04 PM

HMMMMM...? Two misdials today. Call cannot be completed as dialed.

Jim Stettler · October 17, 2010, 12:30:58 AM

Quote from: DARK FATHER on October 15, 2010, 07:13:41 PM
Quote from: LarryInMichigan on October 15, 2010, 05:32:55 PM
DF,

The face plate is easily replaced without replacing the whole dial. The phone companies routinely replaced the plates when they became worn. A 1948 5H is still young. It should last at least another 62 years.

Larry

I just figured that it would be cheaper than sending the dial to a repairman, paying postage for both trips, AND buying a new face plate. I could be wrong!

Postage and repair will probably be around 1/2 of replacement cost.
Plus the dial will be overhauled and ready for many more years of service.

Cheap for the money in my mind.
JMO,
Jim

DARK FATHER · October 17, 2010, 12:46:28 AM

Looks as if I will have to go that route. I had wanted the entire phone looked at by the repairman and the shipping weight would be more. I must decide...

I have noticed that if I dial numbers of certain of my acquaintances some numbers go through every time, and others particularly the long distance numbers, DO NOT work at all.

News:

STILL misdialing!!!!!