554-C Subset

[rp2813]

I'm starting this thread separately from another one I have going in the troubleshooting forum re: my E1 handset's 557 receiver element.

I mentioned in that thread about the subset being a 554-C.  I can't find anything on this site that refers to that type of subset.

Can anyone provide information about it and advise if there are other models of subsets that work better with a 202 from 1931?  The 554-C is also dated 1931 so I presume it was designed to work with the 202, but I'm wondering if reception quality would improve if I used a different model of subset.  I have a 634-A in my stash if anyone thinks it would be worth trying.  Presuming the 554-C may be a sidetone set, the 634-A should work better with the F1 transmitter, right?

Comments and advice welcome.

[Dennis Markham]

Ralph, are you using a 4 conductor desk stand cord to connect your phone to the subset?  I don't have any personal experience with the  554-C but think if you connected your phone to the 634A using a 4 conductor cord the quality of your E1 will be improved.

Your posting about this has prompted me to dust off my B1/E1, wired as a 202 (4 conductors).  I connected it to a 302 chassis using the 101A Induction coil.  With the Ray Kotke cover on it it makes a nice unit that sits on leather footpads on the desk.  The sound quality of my E1 sound very good wired to the 302 chassis.

If you have a 634A, give it a try and see how it sounds.

[bingster]

What I have lists the 554-C as being a:

"Machine switching [dial] desk stand bell box with ringer.  For use at two-party selective message rate stations. Has double condenser (1 MF-1 MF)"

It'll take someone more familiar with message rate (and with the odd condenser) to say whether it's appropriate for a standard individual line.  The 634-A you have is a standard subset, though, and will be much easier to use. Just follow the 634/684 diagram over here for connection instructions:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=784.0

[Phonesrfun]

........the 634-A should work better with the F1 transmitter, right?

Comments and advice welcome.

Actually, the F1 transmitter will function the same with either subset.  The transmitter is in the primary side of the circuit, and will have all the same voltages present on the 634 as the 554.  The biggest difference between the 5XX subset and the 6XX subset is that the 6XX is antisidetone.  There, the difference is how loud your own voice sounds in the receiver when you are talking on the phone.

Hope this helps.

[Phonesrfun]

Interesting subset discussion here:

http://www.telephonecollectors.org/singwire/abc.htm

[bingster]

Bill, do you think his problem might be the party line/msg rate subset? 

[rp2813]

Thanks for all of the great information thus far.

After taking a look at the diagrams and wiring schemes inside the D1 stand, I went back to confirm if I'm working with a 102 or a 202.  I have four conductors, so got my answer when I saw that.  However, the other thing I noticed is that not one of those conductors is connected at the proper letter-ID'd terminal inside the stand.

I'm going to have to check connections inside the subset, with hopes that they'll be identified the same as on subsets in the diagram.

I will take pictures to post here over the next day or two.

[Phonesrfun]

Connections can be a problem, so.... standing by for some photos.  Try changing the wiring to where it should be and check it out.  You cannot hurt anything,

[bingster]

By any chance, does the inside of your phone look something like the one in the first photo?

For reference, I've included the schematic for the 554-C subset (which you probably shouldn't follow)

[Phonesrfun]

Interesting.... I did not know of the 554C subset.  It should still be able to be used as a "normal" subset. 

[rp2813]

Well, the phone didn't come to me already connected to the subset, but I honestly don't remember how I figured out things with the wiring to get it to work properly, or what I thought was properly.  Somebody else may have even done it.

I've attached some pictures and the wiring seems way out of whack, but perhaps it's peculiar to use with the 554 subset.  It's configured as follows, since the pix may not provide resolution good enough to figure it out:

Connections inside stand:

From Handset:

Red wire terminates on BK screw
Black wire terminates on BK screw on dial
White wire terminates on W screw on dial

From Subset:

Red wire terminates on GN screw
White wire terminates on W screw on dial
Green wire terminates on Y screw
Black wire terminates on R screw

Jumpers:

From W screw to Y dial screw
From W dial screw to B dial screw

Subset wiring:

From stand:

Red wire terminates on R screw (on coil)
Yellow wire terminates on L2 screw
Green wire terminates on GN screw (on coil)
Black wire terminates on B screw

From mounting cord (line in):

Red wire terminates on L2 screw
Green wire terminates on L1 screw
Yellow wire terminates on GND screw

So how bad is it?  I look forward to further input.

[Dennis Markham]

Ralph,

Look here:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=784.105

at Bingster's diagrams.  The first entry of the post.  There is one there for wiring for 202 dial service.  If you put your wiring at the phone like this it will be wired properly.  Then wire the subset also as instructed there.

Those are great diagrams.  They've been buried now by the replies to Bingster's Original Post.  I'm going to see if I can move his diagrams to stand alone with the other wiring diagrams.

[rp2813]

Hey Dennis,

That's exactly what I'm doing.  My mounting cord from stand to subset doesn't have the same color scheme as the one for dial service in the diagram, but I can still work with what I have and translate the diagram for my wire colors, I think.

At this point, I have nothing to lose by undoing the current wiring scheme and following that of the diagram.  I'm going to dust off the 634 subset and switch it out with the 554.  The 554 is in pristine shape, but for this D1's application, it's hidden out of sight and the ringer is disabled, so the less attractive 634 will be fine, and I'm afraid the 554 could be a contributing factor to the wiring weirdness inside the D1 anyway.

I shouldn't be laying blame on the 557 receiver element until after the wiring has been properly configured on/between the stand and the subset.

[Dennis Markham]

Ralph, that right hand switch shouldn't be used at all.  So I could see that there were some problems.

As far as colors of the wires, as long as you know what's what, those wires don't know what color they are. 

[rp2813]

OK, the stand is wired up according to the diagram.  No problems there.

However, the subset isn't a 634A but rather a 634BC with 101A coil, and is missing one of the terminals shown in the diagram, specifically the K terminal shared by the black lead to the ringer and the (gray in the diagram but appears to be red & brown on my subset) lead from what I presume is the 1MF condenser.  See attached photo.

It appears that none of my condenser connections are terminating in the same places as on the diagram.  I'm noting where they were originally.

I haven't tested out this 634BC so have no idea if it would work with the wiring as found when I opened it up.  Hopefully it's not a can of worms masquerading as a subset.