Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Switching => Magneto & Manual (Cord Boards etc) => Topic started by: marty on April 12, 2011, 11:20:11 AM

Title: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 12, 2011, 11:20:11 AM
Hi All;
I have just acquired a 557 Switchboard.. I know what it is... I have attached basic voltage (27 volts) and used a 1050 Telephone Analyzer for ringing.. I have tried it on different cables lines, and I get NO blinking lights of on and off... Am I missing something ???? Here are some pictures...
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 12, 2011, 11:21:46 AM
Hi All;
more pictures..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Phonesrfun on April 12, 2011, 02:19:27 PM
Hi Marty:

I am not familiar with this board, and while some here may have answers, I am afraid I can't help at all.  It has all the earmarks of a learning project.  I see you have posted the same question on the TCI listserve and you have received some replies but not a lot.

Switchboards are funny things, since there were so many variations, and a LOT of customization went in to each installation.  Many, such as the 552 I have resided behind a great big room full of PBX switches, such as the 701 PBX.  In other words, mine was not a stand-alone unit and does nothing all by itself. 

I think the 555's and the 557's were more stand-alone units that can be made to function without a separate room full of switching equipment.

Good luck with it, and I think eventually one of the switchers from the TCI list server will eventually come up with an answer for you.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 12, 2011, 05:52:37 PM
Hi All;
Bill, yes, I have made some progress on the board. I can hook up a phone to a 'Stal' line and a light lights up and shows that a phone has gone off hook... I also have hooked up my phone line to the 'TRK' trunk lines and can patch the two together with the patch cord and it will work, I then can call out on the WE 500 phone attached to it... On the trunk line I doesn't show a light but maybe it only lights when it "rings"... I have NOT had any luck with the Secratrial lines , I can attach it to my phone line but nothing goes through as of yet...  THANKS for the encouragement...
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: AE_Collector on April 12, 2011, 07:46:05 PM
555 is a stand along PBX and the older versions of the 555 are 551A and 551B PBX's. Then as Bill says there are operators positions that fronted SxS and Crossbar PABX's AND there are ANswering Service boards. I get them all mixed up besides the 551/555 PBX's but I THINK the 557 is an ANswering service board. Thus instead of a few trunks and lots of inside stations, they have LOTS of trunks and few or possibly even NO inside stations. From the pictures I'm going with this (557) being an Answering service board.

So if you applied talk and ring voltage across any of the trunk circuits I would think you might get some sort of incoming indication but in all liklihood the board needs power connected to it to operate as well.

Terry
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: ESalter on April 12, 2011, 08:06:32 PM
We have a both a 555 and a 557.  the 557 is a stand alone PBX.  It has 50 or so extensions and 3 trunks.  All of which have lights by the jacks.  The 557 has the same number of extensions and probably 10 trunks.  Here's the big difference, the station jacks on the 557 have no lights, the trunks do.  The following was always my understanding.  On a PBX you can dial direct from station to station or dial 8 or 9 for an outside line.  However, how does an incoming call from an outside line get connected to the right station?  That's what I was told this board was for.  To be used as an answering board with a PBX. 

---Eric
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: AE_Collector on April 12, 2011, 08:17:22 PM
So a 557 is an operators position in front of an automatic PABX then?

PABX stations could dial each other and dial 9 for an outside line. Before DID service all incoming calls to the PABX would land at the operator position where they usually could be "plugged" through to the stations and/or dialed through to stations on relly big boards.

Terry

Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: ESalter on April 12, 2011, 08:47:53 PM
That's what I believe ours has is.  Marty's is quite different though.  All the cordboards I've seen have stations above and the trunks down below right above the cord ckts.  His is opposite from that and has TONS of trunks up above.  I've never seen that many trunks in a cordboard before.  I'll try to take a picture of our board tomorrow for comparative purposes.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: AE_Collector on April 12, 2011, 11:03:00 PM
I really thought that 557 was an Answering Service Board since all the lines that they were answering would need to appear as trunks on the board. Probably no need at all for stations but maybe they came with a relatively small number of station jacks as well to support the Answering Service offices. Just a guess.

Terry
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Phonesrfun on April 13, 2011, 12:02:58 AM
The answering service probably needed a way to extend a call to the business they were answering for in the event they were just screening calls and needed a way to put the call through from that "important" client.

Surely, there must be a BSP or something out there on the function of a 557.  I'll check with Colin Chambers.  He once worked on an answering service board if my memory serves me.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: AE_Collector on April 13, 2011, 12:15:27 AM
A quick Google search and the first hit was from the Seattle Communications Museum.

Quote:
In 1955, a specially designed "answering service" switchboard, called the 557, was developed.

http://www.telcomhistory.org/vm/exhibitsSeattle6.shtml

Terry
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 14, 2011, 12:45:16 PM
Hi All;
My board has 100 Secretrial lines at the top, that can answer , but not call out.. It has 10 trunks for calling out at the bottom left, and below that it has 10 lines for extension phones... there are 40 lines on the lower right , that as far as I can tell must go to another board, as they are just jacks and lights...  I have gotten the trunks and the extensions to work together. But , so far have not had the secertrial part working, I have the SD's for it and it looks like it should work, but no go so far... I will update everyone when I get more working or more information... I have attached the trunk line to my home phone land line and a WE 500 to an extension line, which lights up when the receiver is lifted, and can call out on the WE 500... I have not yet tried to see if I can hook two extensions together and ring one and connect them together, thru the patch cords...  This is next to try..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 14, 2011, 06:40:46 PM
Hi All;
I have tried to connect two phones together thru the patch panel that are on the STAL lines (I assume extension), I assume that I don't have 'talk' voltage, and so are dead to each other... Even though they work with the trunk line..
I have two thick wires on the "MISC" section and as of yet I don't know if they are "talk" or for "Ringing"..
I now have three phones connected thru the STAL lines and my Home land line to the Trunk line, I can Patch any of the three phone to my trunk line.. They will work with or without power applied.. It still will blow the fuses on the power supply, and I am not fully sure why.. I think that when I plug in to the trunk line depending on which plug I use it triggers a relay and that is too much of a current pull  for the fuse I have installed, since my amp meter only shows .034 when a lamp is lighted and nothing when no lamp is lighted...
Does anyone know if there is an operators manual for this beast ??
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 14, 2011, 07:10:50 PM
Hi All;
When looking under Google for 557 switchboard operators manual.. I didn't find a manual, but did find many articles on starting your own Telephone Answering Service, using this SwitchBoard.. I don't know how old the articles are, but I plan on going home and reading them just for Fun..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 15, 2011, 12:15:37 AM
WE had a 557 A and a 557B.   The base 557 was an answer service board, however the scarcer variation also worked as a switchboard. Marty has the scarcer board.

This is the way I understand it. I was the previous owner of the board. Fred Haynes has seen it. He said it was the scarcer model.

It is a relativly unmolested switchboard. I "adopted" it about a year ago. It was being considered for scrap. I bought it and held it. I had  $250.00 and 30 hours invested in this board. Marty was interested in it, close enough for delivery and skilled enough to resurrect it.

I sold it for $250 delivered, and am quite tickled about Marty's progress. My 30 hours of labor with this switchboard was volunteer
labor  to save a quality artifact.
It come under payback to the hobby.
Keep up the good work Marty,
Jim S.

BTW I did nominate  this switchboard on April find of the month.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 15, 2011, 12:19:03 AM
Quote from: marty on April 14, 2011, 07:10:50 PM
Hi All;
When looking under Google for 557 switchboard operators manual.. I didn't find a manual, but did find many articles on starting your own Telephone Answering Service, using this SwitchBoard.. I don't know how old the articles are, but I plan on going home and reading them just for Fun..
THANK YOU Marty

Marty,

Check with John Novak for some scans on 557 board manuals. I don't have his contact info handy, but the switchers will.
I don't think John met any documentation that he didn't save for future scanning.
He has lots of scans avliable on discs.
Just a thought,
Jim
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 15, 2011, 05:50:21 PM
Hi All;
Thank You , JIM for the Board and for Nominating me for 'Find of the Month'.. I am hoping to go thru all of the Singing Wires Back Issues and all the Switchers Quaterly back issues for any information about this Board and the 555.. And see what I come up with... I am Already using it to plug between my day phone, in the kitchen or my night phone in the Bedroom .. I hope to expand its usability even further... I just found some Bell System Practices for this board that I am going to go home and look thru, one is installing this board...
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 15, 2011, 09:32:04 PM
Try
http://sc.infc.info/index.php?searchword=557&ordering=&searchphrase=all&Itemid=2&option=com_search

Jim

This is for Remco's telephone document repository.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 16, 2011, 12:29:16 PM
Hi All;
Yes, that is exactly where I went to find what Documention there is for this board. I also have started to look in old switchers quarterly issues and will also look in singing wires, for more information on Manual Switchboard systems.. I have seen much that I would need to read thru..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: HarrySmith on April 16, 2011, 04:33:39 PM
Hi Marty,
I have the SD's, CD's, operators manual, etc all on CD that I got from a member when I picked up my 555. I have not had it out in a while so I do not recall everything that is on it and I do not remember if it is too large for email. If you are interested I will pull it out and see. I can also pick up some CD's and burn you a copy.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: HarrySmith on April 17, 2011, 11:38:49 AM
OK, for all that are interested I posted everything I have on the 555 board here:

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B6eDAxemj1VHZjk2NTgwNWItMGUzNy00YzhhLWI4NGQtNzc3MTU4OGE5MjRh&hl=en

It includes CD's, SD's, manuals, diagrams and a ton of other stuff.
I have not tried to access it outside my home PC which is linked to my Google account but it appears to be working.

Remco, if there is anything there not in the repository please feel free to add it.
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Wallphone on April 17, 2011, 12:48:51 PM
WOW Harry, Thanks a lot for going through the time & trouble to share all of this. I already have all 456MB downloaded. It took less than 10 minutes. Much appreciated.
Doug Pav
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: Ed D on April 17, 2011, 05:57:31 PM
HARRY!  HARRY!  HARRY!!!!!

Wow, thanks for uploading these documents!

I am thinking seriously about bringing my 555 to life, and this will be a great resource.  I downloaded every file.

And Harry, I had started a thread yesterday:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4705.0
asking for help/info with my project.  Maybe you could chime-in there regarding power supplies for the 555?

Thanks Harry!

Ed
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 18, 2011, 12:07:22 PM
Hi All;
WOW ! Harry, THANK YOU for all the Documentation, almost ALL of it will work with my 557, so THANK YOU Again, Just what I have been  looking for...
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 19, 2011, 02:54:40 PM
Hi All;
Because of Harry's Documentation, I found out how, (from His 555 Manual) to make a call from one extension to another, I need 24 Volts for talk, but it works.. Now I need a couple of We 500's for those extensions.. I have contacted Phil about His phones... I hope to be able to connect my roomate with a neighbor, by those two phones going thru the 557 Switchboard...
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 20, 2011, 07:37:39 PM
Hi All;
I think I have figured out how to make the Telephone Answering part work... If I connect one side of "Ring Voltage" to the 'R' wire (on the line I want), and then connect the other wire to Frame (Ground), I can then get the relay to trip, turning on the Light (momentarily).. And If I then connect that wire I had attached to Ground, and then remove it from ground and instead attact it to the 'T' line, I can get a tone to pass from the line leads to (If I have it Plugged in, with the cords) my extension phone...
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: 557 Switchboard
Post by: marty on April 21, 2011, 04:28:46 PM
Hi All;
I have some Bad News and some GOOD News.. The Bad news is that while trying to get "Ring on my 557 Switchboard, (By using what the manual said was the correct connections for Ring), I Toasted my 1050 Telephone Analyzer.. So I need a Repair Manual for it... If I would have done it the right way at first, even thoug h I didn't think of How to do it, till  after I burned it up.. (IT looks like a Transformer in the Analyzer has been cooked for a long , long time..)
Anyway , for the GOOD news, I found the right (Correct connections) for the ringing on my 557 Switchboard.. I used my meter and used Ohms- (with sound) and with one end connected to the tip of a cord,  I pressed the RING Key, and checked the connections in the "Misc" and then did the same for ring tip, and ohmed it out also... SO, I got Ringing on my 557 Switchboard, and it will work with or without 24 Volt power...
The pins or connections under "MISC" are the following -- pins 5 for one wire and 7 or 8 for the other wire. and then you get Ring... Do Not use pins 14 and 15 as the 557 Manual (I downloaded from TCI) shows they are Shorted together or mostly shorted together, they show .04 ohms on my meter.. I have included some pictures of my Connecting block on the 557, they are different than the 555..
This was taken before I wired for Ring..
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on March 29, 2013, 12:21:13 PM
Hi All;
I have moved my 557B to a different location, so that I could put in the writing shelf and the Dial, and plug in the Handset..
What I would like to know is CAN I dial out from the Dial and use the Dial and the Handset, just like a regular Dial phone for calling out ??
OR would some of it need to be rewired to do that ??
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: Jim Stettler on April 05, 2013, 02:25:59 PM
Quote from: marty on March 29, 2013, 12:21:13 PM
Hi All;
I have moved my 557B to a different location, so that I could put in the writing shelf and the Dial, and plug in the Handset..
What I would like to know is CAN I dial out from the Dial and use the Dial and the Handset, just like a regular Dial phone for calling out ??
OR would some of it need to be rewired to do that ??
THANK YOU Marty

Marty,
You should be able to use the switchboard as a large rotary phone.

The purpose of the dial on manual boards was to connect with the long distance network. The switchboard operator would call the long distance operator and set up the call. once the call connections were in place, then the operator connected (or rang back) the calling party.

I think most switchboard dials are 20 pps vs 10 pulses like a subscriber set. This was to help keep the equipment from getting tied up to long.

20 pps should work ok on the phone network.
Jim
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: AE_Collector on April 05, 2013, 07:57:01 PM
Quote from: Jim S. on April 05, 2013, 02:25:59 PM
The purpose of the dial on manual boards was to connect with the long distance network. The switchboard operator would call the long distance operator and set up the call.

Long distance could be involved but manual PBX boards would need to have dials to work into local dial exchanges as well.

Manual CO boards started to get dials on them as soon as there were CO exchanges in the local calling area that were Automatic (dial) as the manual CO operator had to dial calls into those exchanges for the subscribers.

Terry
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 06, 2013, 06:52:28 AM
Quote from: marty on March 29, 2013, 12:21:13 PM
Hi All;
I have moved my 557B to a different location, so that I could put in the writing shelf and the Dial, and plug in the Handset..
What I would like to know is CAN I dial out from the Dial and use the Dial and the Handset, just like a regular Dial phone for calling out ??
OR would some of it need to be rewired to do that ??
THANK YOU Marty

Marty-
You should not have a problem with using your switchboard as an oversized telephone set. However, you should be aware that if your board truly is a 557B instead of a 557A, then it cannot be used as a standard pbx since it only has three local extensions that were intended to be used within the offices of the answering service. The rest were outside Secretarial Lines.

And while most of the dials on pbx/answering service switchboards were 10pps, some were rated at 20pps if the central office switching equipment was capable of supporting it.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 06, 2013, 10:45:26 AM
Hi All;
G-man, Thank You for your response.. If you go back to the beginning of this posting, you will find some pictures of this board.. My question now is How do I make my Dial work, How do I set up the switches and possibly plugs for Duialing out ??
Also, my 557B has ten lines out and 10 extension lines, at present I am only using one of the ten out lines (trunk) to my phone line and 6 of the 10 extension lines for various phones around the trailer..
The Secretarial lines are not used at all at present, this set has 100 Secretarial lines.. and another 40 lines that are just, a jack and bulb..
Jim S. I hadn't noticed till today that you are back, So, a belated welcome back..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 06, 2013, 03:18:46 PM
Hi Marty-
Are you sure that your board is a 557B? What you are describing is a 557A instead.
Unless someone has hacked it they only came with the following capabilities:

100 Secretarial Lines
5      Central Office Lines
3     Administrative Station Lines (Local Office Extensions)
8     Intercept Transfer Jacks
1     Two Station Conference Jack

Depending on the circuit packs used in your board, you may also have to add a 5-volt power supply for the Secretarial lines.

In any event you should be able to use the attendant's telephone simply by connecting an outside line to one of the Central Office Lines and connecting to it.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 06, 2013, 05:48:41 PM
Hi G man;
Go back and re-read all of the postings for this board.. And you will see that as far as I can tell from the information that, it is a "B" board.. I think my board may have been connected to another "operator" board or was used in a multi board answering service..
You mention connecting to an outside line with a patch plug and then connecting to it.. But, you didn't tell me How to do that.. Do I pull out the switch below the patch plugs and do I leave it straight up or turn it right or left ??
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: poplar1 on April 06, 2013, 07:39:25 PM
Marty, the 557B has single cords on cord reels to answer only on the secretarial lines and to answer or dial out on the trunks. Yours has cord pairs with pushbutton ringing keys, and I assume weights for the cords. So it is not a 557B.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 06, 2013, 10:14:40 PM
Marty-
The difficulty in helping you is in part due to your insisting that your 557A is a 557B, with which there are a number of differences between the two. After reading the previous post I am at a loss as to why you continue to insist is a (B) model. Bell System documents definitely rule that out but point to it as an (A) model.

Rather than dwelling on your misnomer, let's attempt to help you with your project.

Since you already have it connected to power, all you will need to do is connect it to an outside (or other source of dial tone) trunk line. After plugging into that trunk, operate your attendant switch and dial and converse as you normally would.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 06, 2013, 11:34:28 PM
Hi All;
Ok, its not that I am trying to insist that it is a "B" Board, But, that was what I was told, by the previous owner and He was told that by some one who I thought knew what HE was talking about..
Right now I have it hooked up  as a night cordboard, and so the calls come in on trunk line 10 and depending on which phone I have it plugged into, I can then use that phone to either call out or receive calls..
You mention that I need to "operate my attendant switch" , but You don't tell me which way to operate it.. So, I'll ask again, do I pull it out and leave the handle pointing straight up, or do I point it to the right, or do I point it to the left, while I want to use the Dial ??
But, I have not been able to make the Dial work, When I have the handset with a Dial tone on it, and try to dial, the tone disappears (during dialing) but after dialing It still have just plain old dial tone, as though the dial is not hooked up or not hooked up correctly..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 07, 2013, 12:59:51 PM
Assuming that your telephone service supports rotary dialing and everything else is ok, have you yet determined whether the dial is 10pps or 20pps?
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 07, 2013, 03:06:23 PM
Hi G man;
I do have Dial service here.. Almost all of my phones are Dial.. The Dial on the Switchboard is the faster one.. 20pps..
I didn't know you needed that information..
Also, I am not using the Secretarial lines at all.. They are just there, collecting dust..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 08, 2013, 12:05:57 AM
Depending on whom your service provider is, 20pps may not work on some voip services. I also understand that some of their boxes are even intolerant of slightly out of spec 10pps dials.

I seem to recall that you recently offered a 10pps switchboard dial to others on another list. If that is correct you should try it out on your switchboard to see if it will make a difference.

Another thing you may want to try is to use your hand to slow the dial while dialing the numbers one or two. If dial tone does not return then that would indicated that your is dial is  normally too fast.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 08, 2013, 10:06:32 AM
Hi All;
G man, I never had a dial for sale, must have been someone else.. I have Century Link, for telephone service, and what I have is copper wire.. I can't say for sure, but, I don't think its voip.. I think its some version of ESS.. I can try to find out for sure, from a friend of mine, who works out of the Denver office.. He would know who to contact and find out what is serving my line..
I can try to slow the dial down, and see what difference it makes..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 08, 2013, 12:35:42 PM
Hi All;
I just checked with my friend, and we have 5ESS and not voip..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 08, 2013, 06:21:14 PM
I suspect that a 5ESS switch should easily hand 20pps signaling however, personally I have never had the occasion to try it. You may want to ask one of the 5ESS switchmen who are on the TCI list to make certain.

In the meantime you can try the simple test of slowing it down while dialing either digits one or two. If it then breaks dial tone it would most likely indicate that you will need to replace it with a 10pps dial.

Since the dial is easily removed from its mounting on the switchboard, another test would be to place its pulsing contacts in series with your buttset or a standard telephone and see if it will dial numbers accurately while connected to your telephone line. If it doesn't then the problem is in the switchboard.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 08, 2013, 06:30:09 PM
Hi All;
G man, I have tried to slow it down, doesn't make any difference.. Since, the other day, when I was using my 1011 butt set, and found that two of the wires had been transposed.. Once I switched them, then the Dial worked in the butt set, before it was very similiar to what the switchboard is doing at the present..
I just took it apart, as near as I can tell, it is fine.. It looks like the origional wiring..
One last question, Does the 557 need Power to call out, with the Dial ?? I know I don't need power to use it as a night station, but to Dial out, would that be different ??
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: G-Man on April 09, 2013, 03:33:27 AM
Another thought...

Hopefully you are using an operator's headset or a handset (equipped with a dual phone plug) plugged-in while the talk-dial key is operated? Also you should be using (IIRC) the left Trunk/Station cord plugged into an outside trunk. For now do not plug the right cord into a station jack and try to dial an outside number.

You can read the complete instructions in the documentation you said you have for the 557A switchboard.

Also, as has already been suggested, if the above does not work then test your dial by removing it and temporarily wiring the pulsing contacts in series with a buttset or regular telephone.

Then lift the handset and use it to dial a call on while connected directly to an outside line; not routed through the switchboard.

If the call goes through then the dial is ok.

If not the dial is too fast or has other issues it will need to take a trip to Sunny Arizona to visit Steve Hilsz.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 09, 2013, 09:39:11 AM
Hi All;
G Man, This is just the kind of information, I have been asking you for.. So, I know exactly where and what to do.. I have a 302 that I can put the Dial in to check and see if it will work in or on my telephone line..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 09, 2013, 12:07:55 PM
Hi All;
G man, I took the faster dial from the SwitchBoard, and wired it in my D1 which has a #6 Dial in it, and it works fine I called a friend..
The 302 phone had a #5H Dial, and I did not want to use it..
So, I took the one out of my Butt Set, it is a #6A and wired it to the SwitchBoard, and the SwitchBoard does the same thing.. So, it not in the Dial..
I am going to take the Dial out of the D1 and connect it to the SwitchBoard.. And connect the faster #6 Dial to the D1, for awhile..
I will need to look in all the Schematics that I have for the Dial section, and follow everything thru, and see IF there is a wiring problem or error..
G Man, Thank You, for the help, I had hoped it was something simple, like I had a switch in the wrong position, or something like that..
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 10, 2013, 04:12:43 PM
Hi All;
I have made some progress, After hooking up my Battery / power supply.. It will now Dial out on some of the cords.. But, I get one of two different possibilities, one I dial the Area code and then get a busy signal or it will let me dial all ten digits, and then it tells me that I have a wrong or unlisted number..
Any, idea of what is wrong ??
Also, I have two different operator hand sets, one  (I think) has one of two numbers, either a 396A on the plug or it says Brook Tel 52 on the mic tie in point..
The other one is 53 with also these numbers, on the Switch 225A and on the plug 289B..
Is one Handset better than the other one or one or the other made for this cord board and what does the Switch do ??
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: poplar1 on April 10, 2013, 04:15:52 PM
The 53 was handier when you didn't want to have a 52 headset strapped on all the time, for example on a 555 in a motel with light traffic.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 10, 2013, 04:50:32 PM
Hi All;
What is the Switch for ??
THANK YOU Marty
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: poplar1 on April 10, 2013, 04:58:37 PM
Do you have a picture? Some supervisor's headsets had a switch on the transmitter so that most of the time her transmitter was cut out, but she could intervene if necessary.
Title: Re: WECo 557 Answering Service Cordboard
Post by: marty on April 10, 2013, 06:05:05 PM
Hi All;
poplar1, that makes sense, since it made no difference in the sounds I was hearing.. That answers that question.. Thank You..
Now, Any ideas of why the Dial circuit is only Partially working.. Could it possibly be dirty relay contacts ?? Not sure where ??
I am currently making an attempt to charge the batteries, to see if that helps..
THANK YOU Marty