Bought a Green three slot Western Electric pay phone about a month ago. Came with keys and according to the seller has not been modified since it was removed from service. I assume I need a network to make it work? Also it came with an instruction card but what sort of screw driver would I use to unscrew the instruction card cover? Also would this pay phone controller work? http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11987.0
Nice phone - I like the green. Yes, you will need a network. Standard would have been a 685A subset which includes a 500 type network and ringer. The top cover for the instruction card has a screw in each corner, some are standard and some are hex. There is a seller on Ebay who offers a controller, nicely made, but $200. Lots of good WE payphone info here on the forum to look thru also.
Looks nice.
If you dont have a subset, it is many ways around to get it working.
The payphone controler are not working at all phones, so be sure before you buy.
I'm really far from an expert! But this one looks like one of those who needs reversed polarity, but I'm not sure.
dsk
197G is a prepay model. WE didn't use double coil coin relays for their postpay sets (193G).
This phone has a 1970 refurbish date. It appears to have been converted to a 223G. Originally, it had a painted cradle and F-type handset, and the 101A (or 101B) induction coil and talking condenser were mounted inside the phone, where the T TR L terminal strip is presently located. An external ringer such as a 531A was used when it was wired as a 197.
Stan (Gray-Western) has a newer coin controller check it out...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Coin-Controller-For-Your-Antique-3-Slot-Payphone-/301451041227?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item462fe1d9cb
Don't be scared by the price it's worth the money and made very professionally.
JohnnyJT 8)
Stan has previously stated that his controllers don't work well with double coil relays like this one. Has he changed the design?