How to select a ringer for any payphone.

[jjacob]

Need some education from the knowledgeable on the forum.

What criteria or specifications, if any, do you need to consider if you are going to get an external ringer for an AE, NE, or WE payphone? There are lots of OEM variations plus aftermarket (e.g. Radio Shack, etc.)

I have attached an AE document on ordering ringers as an example.

Thanks,
John

[poplar1]

On the attached list, you would order a Straight Line Ringer and a 0.4 MF capacitor...However, these are piece parts with no enclosure.

Any straight line ringer with a properly rated capacitor will work, but you probably want to look for something like a WE 531A or WE 687A extension ringer (bell box). Or you can make your own bell box using a ringer and capacitor from a junk phone such as a WE 500.

[twocvbloke]

Or you can make your own bell box using a ringer and capacitor from a junk phone such as a WE 500.

Which is easy as pie to do:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=6244.30

I still haven't put that into proper service yet...

[HarrySmith]

Ringer boxes are very plentiful and can be picked up dirt cheap on eBay. My paayphone has a WE 687 connected to it. Picture of one below.

[jjacob]

Thanks to all for the information.
So the attached picture of an AE ringer would not be correct for an AE payphone because it is not Straight Line and is only 0.20 uf?
John

[G-Man]

The vast majority of telephone central offices use 20~ ringing however there are a small minority that provides 30~ ringing.

Even though you may be able to adjust this one on 20~, you would be better off buying a straight-line or 20~ ringer.

The capacitors are matched to the ringers so their values, if orignal to it, should not be a concern.

The .47uF value is for a standard Western Electric C-type ringer even though some others may also share it as well.