"Farm Phone" subset - can it be made to work?

[Greg G.]

Can this subset be made to work?  I tried hooking it up, and I think I got a very faint dial tone, but wasn't sure.  It would not go off-hook when I picked up the handset.

[LarryInMichigan]

This is a local battery magneto subset, so it cannot work on a POTS line without some modification.  It should work with a 3V battery and another LB subset to talk between phones.

Larry

[Greg G.]

This is a local battery magneto subset, so it cannot work on a POTS line without some modification.  It should work with a 3V battery and another LB subset to talk between phones.

Larry

How much modification would it need?  If it's too complicated and invasive, maybe it's better to leave it, given it's pristine condition, and set it up to work as an intercom.  In fact, I think that's what I'd rather do, now that I think about it.  It's not like I don't have any other vintage phones that work on the POTS line!  I have another magneto wood subset I could possibly use, or one of the two magneto Leichs is still rigged as magneto (I modified the other to work on the POTS line).

[LarryInMichigan]

I know little about LB connections conversions.  There was a circuit diagram for using LB phones on CB lines posted and discussed here not so long ago.  There are some forum members who are quite knowledgeable about these things.

Larry

[dsk]

Does it sound political if I say "Yes it can"  

Actually it is a lot of different ways to do this. This thread may be the latest: http://is.gd/AQ88It

Putting a Magneto-set like yours directly in service like they did in the 20ies may after long time use ruin the magnets in the receiver.

If you are only using it now and then, and are careful about the polarity a capacitor in series with the ringer is all you need.  (It may even be there all ready, I see a terminal marked Cond.

dsk

[dsk]

I should definitely have read this thread better.  
Not going off hook may be a nice sign. Does it ring, or will the line be kept busy in on hook position?

On the first picture the L1 terminal has 2 wires who may be removed, where do they go? And the same on the L2 terminal??

dsk

[Greg G.]

I should definitely have read this thread better.  
Not going off hook may be a nice sign. Does it ring, or will the line be kept busy in on hook position?

On the first picture the L1 terminal has 2 wires who may be removed, where do they go? And the same on the L2 terminal??

dsk

Didn't ring, didn't go off-hook, nothing.  No matter, instead I think I would like to set it up as it an intercom with another magneto phone.

[HowardPgh]

I really like the little subset with the 3 bar magneto.
For lack of a better way to say it, It's kinda cute.

It would be sad to tear up a good magneto set to modify it.
If you don't use it to ring another phone, you can shock worms out of the ground with it!!