WE 500DM won't break dial tone

[TerryNJ]

I'm trying to get a WE 500DM to work and am having some trouble.  When dialing, it won't break the dial tone.  I looked at a couple of wiring diagrams but can't figure it out.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[HarrySmith]

Looks like you have a couple of spades touching terminals, see circles in attached picture.

[TerryNJ]

Thanks.  I fixed the connections but that did not help. 

Does the wiring look correct?

[poplar1]

The wiring looks correct. Can you temporarily remove the green dial wire from the  RR terminal, and see if the dial tone goes away?

[TerryNJ]

The wiring looks correct. Can you temporarily remove the green dial wire from the  RR terminal, and see if the dial tone goes away?

The dial tone goes away with the green dial wire removed.

[Kenton K]

I think the dial may not be pulsing. When you dial, do you hear any faint pulses?

KK

[TerryNJ]

I think the dial may not be pulsing. When you dial, do you hear any faint pulses?

KK

Yes, I do hear the pulsing when dialing.

[poplar1]

If you put the green wire back on RR, then remove either one of the white dial wires (from R or GN), you can then hear whether the dial is pulsing. The dial tone should stay on while you are winding up the dial, then you should hear loud pulses while it's returning.

You may want to loosen the two screws holding the dial so you can inspect the contacts on the back.

There are two sets of contacts: one set (two white wires) that short out the receiver for the entire time the dial is operated, and one set (green and blue wires) that should remain closed while you are winding up the dial, then they should open and close corresponding to the digit dialed--5 times for a 5, 10 times for 0, etc.

[TerryNJ]

If you put the green wire back on RR, then remove either one of the white dial wires (from R or GN), you can then hear whether the dial is pulsing. The dial tone should stay on while you are winding up the dial, then you should hear loud pulses while it's returning.

You may want to loosen the two screws holding the dial so you can inspect the contacts on the back.

There are two sets of contacts: one set (two white wires) that short out the receiver for the entire time the dial is operated, and one set (green and blue wires) that should remain closed while you are winding up the dial, then they should open and close corresponding to the digit dialed--5 times for a 5, 10 times for 0, etc.

I removed the white wire from R and hear the pulsing more prominently.  I removed the dial and it appears that the contact for the white wires closes when I dial and the green\blue contact open and closes correctly when dialing.

[poplar1]

What kind of line are your phones connected to? Is your other 500 is dialing out properly?

[TerryNJ]

What kind of line are your phones connected to? Is your other 500 is dialing out properly?

We just moved and I don't have another 500 to test right now.  It's Comcast\Xfinity phone system.

[poplar1]

It's quite possible that rotary phones won't work on Comcast, depending on which cable modem you have and how they programmed it.

I got nowhere trying to get Comcast to support rotary phones; they even sent a tech to the house! The gateway they provided here is an Arris model TG862G/CT.

Sorry we didn't think to ask first what type line you have. It's still possible that it's the dial, but it's more likely that rotary phones are not compatible.

[TerryNJ]

It's quite possible that rotary phones won't work on Comcast, depending on which cable modem you have and how they programmed it.

I got nowhere trying to get Comcast to support rotary phones; they even sent a tech to the house! The gateway they provided here is an Arris model TG862G/CT.

Sorry we didn't think to ask first what type line you have. It's still possible that it's the dial, but it's more likely that rotary phones are not compatible.

I have the same model modem.  Back in NJ I also had Comcast and didn't have any problems but was using a different modem.  Ugh.

Thanks everyone for the help otherwise.  I learned a few things.