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Phone is quiet, won't dial, does not close the connection

Started by Schuyler, June 10, 2010, 02:42:30 PM

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Schuyler

Hopefully someone will be able to help me fix my phone! It has worked fine in the past, but recently after digging it out of the basement, it is extremely hard to hear the dial tone, it won't dial, and when you set the the handset it does not close the connection. It is a Western Electric 500.
Here is my current wiring. HD images, so I'll just post links.
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/6240/dsc02954i.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7536/dsc02955m.jpg

Thanks!
Schuyler

paul-f

Unless you have gremlins in the basement rewiring your phones, chances are some of the contacts oxidized and need to be cleaned.  Try burnishing the line switch, dial and handset transmitter contacts and see if that helps.  A good contact cleaning solution would help.

Of course, while you're there, check for loose screws.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

Phonesrfun

Schuyler, welcome to the forum

Sounds like the line cord is somehow shorted between the red and green, either at the network or somewhere else.  

Has anything about your house wiring or your telephone service changed between the time you put the phone in the basement, and have now dug it out?  The reason I am asking is that in your photo, the yellow and black wires are tied together on the G terminal of the network.  This is normally fine, unless you have a second line in the house.  Also, I cannot tell by the photos, but are the yellow/black wires that are on G touching the green on L1?  Again, this would normally not cause a problem, but depending on how your house is wired, it could.

I see that while I was writing this, Paul-F made some suggestions too.  Check his suggestions out as well.
-Bill G

Phonesrfun

Quote from: paul-f on June 10, 2010, 03:42:12 PM
Of course, while you're there, check for loose screws.

Paul:

My head is full of them.
-Bill G

Dan/Panther


The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

HarrySmith


Of course, while you're there, check for loose screws.

Paul you forgot to specify, "on the phone".
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

Schuyler

D/P:
When you say the yellow is no longer required, are you saying i need to disconnect it? Also, Not sure if this makes a difference, but my house is on a 2wire setup.

I checked for loose screws, don't see any, and I checked that each screw was snuggly secured.

HarrySmith

I only mention that becuase Toyota has finally found the root cause of the gas pedal issue.

We have found the cause to be a loose nut behind the wheel
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

Dan/Panther

Schuyler;
Correct, you only need Red an Green, and wire according to the diagram.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Schuyler


Schuyler


Dennis Markham

Schuyler, welcome to the forum.  I'd remove the black wire too.  Tape them off to insulate them.  Glad you have it working now.

Schuyler

Alrighty I'll remove the black too. As far as insulation, used heat shrink tubing :P

AE_Collector

Quote from: Schuyler on June 10, 2010, 06:36:44 PM
Alrighty I'll remove the black too. As far as insulation, used heat shrink tubing :P

As Northern Electric used to write in some of their practices "Insulate and Store unused leads". Particularly with key sets that had 16, 25, 50 or even 100 PAIR set cords!

Terry