Ringer problems

[Sargeguy]

I thought I was having a problem with the ringer on my 302 but then I noticed that my 500 doesn't ring correctly either.  It will give a single anemic ring after the 202 starts.  The only phone that rings is the 202 attached to the 634A subset.  This problem started when I installed the subset.  I have "hybrid" wiring in my house, with most phones spliced in to a single line, but the direct line from the NID doesn't ring either.   I have a 202, 302 and 500 as well as a modern 2.5Mhz job and the DSL internet hooked up.  Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot

[Dan/Panther]

I would start by disconnecting the 643A, and extra phones, then one at a time make sure all the phones can be made to ring. Then add them one at a time to your system, when the problem re-occurs, obviously your problem is a conflict with the last item you connected. It may be wired incorrectly, or I think Dennis posted about  a limit to the number of phones in a circuit, draws power away from the others. Maybe that is what you are experiencing.
I apologize if it wasn't Dennis, I looked for the post and couldn't find it.

D/P

[HobieSport]

I suggest testing one phone at a time.

[Sargeguy]

I had a brainstorm and plugged the 302 and the 500 into the NID, and the ringer on the 302 is no longer working (it's been tempermental, I have it rigged to a modular jack right now).  The 500 works fine.  I suspect that I am not getting enough juice to the ringer.   With the 302 unplugged, the 500's ring improves slightly, but still sounds weak.

Hmmm...maybe its the wiring in my NID:

[benhutcherson]

Have you decreased the bias spring tension on either of these telephones? If you haven't, I would guess that doing so would make all the difference in the world.

On both ringers, there should be a thin spring between the two gongs. The spring can be in one of two notches. Try moving it to the other one.

[mienaichizu]

usually, having too much phone plugged in one line makes the ringer weak, I limit my plugged phones in one line from 3 or 4

[Sargeguy]

I have two.   

[mienaichizu]

I have two.   

two units would ring normally, maybe there is something wrong with your phones, test it on by one

[Sargeguy]

Thanks.  I did that when I plugged them into the NID (Network Interface Device).  Here in the USA it is a box in the basement or on the side of your house where your home wiring meets the phone company's.  You can plug into a jack to bypass your home wiring to see if the problem is yours or the phone company's.

Problem solved.  The 500 had a bad wire in the mounting cord.  It was not getting enough juice to ring robustly.  It would ring normally when it was the only phone, but when it was hooked up with other phones, it was really weak.  I had wired the 302 according to an obsolete scheme.  Once I connected the red ringer wire to L1 it worked fine.