Wall Mount/DSL

[rlmeals]

Okay, so I'm totally new to this, so be gentle!  I'm sorry if this has been asked before...I did do a search and discovered in past threads that there is a DSL filter box you can mount on the wall, but the phone will float off the wall.  I really don't like that, but it's an option.

Here's my immediate problem.  I bought this phone off ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/290704580816?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649  You can see on the last picture that it has a wall mount modular jack connection.  I just got it in the mail yesterday, and I tried to hook it up to see if it worked.  I don't have a wall mount jack, I just have a regular one that's down lower on the wall.  It wouldn't connect.  Meaning, the modular plug in the back of the phone wouldn't snap into the jack.  It also wouldn't snap into the splitter I have in another room.  And then I tried to plug it into the DSL filter and it wouldn't go in that either.  Is there something different about a wall mount jack/plate that will make it connect?  Because it seems as if the actually plug in the back of the phone is recessed in the phone a little bit, and it's not going far enough into the jack to snap.

I realize I don't have the right wall mount jack, but that's something I was going to install, and I simply wanted to check that the phone worked upon arrival. 

Also, if I have to have a DSL filter and I don't want to do the floating wall mount kind, can I just add a phone wire so I can run the line to the phone jack?  That way I won't have to do the work of installing a wall mount jack in my wall, and then if I had a long cord, it could plug into the DSL filter and into the phone jack with no problems?  And I'm not concerned about the appearance of the cord, because the phone jack is behind the refrigerator (weird, I know...it was like that when we moved into this old house...it was added later, it's the kind that's a box, not a flush plate on the wall).  The phone is about a foot or two out from the fridge on the wall, so the cord wouldn't be THAT noticeable, and the kids couldn't grab it since it would run horizontally to behind the fridge where the jack is about eye level on the wall.

Thanks in advance for helping out a newbie!

[jsowers]

First, welcome to the Forum! You got a nice phone for your first one. You'll like the loud ring you can hear all over the house.

What I would recommend is to take the modular mounting plate off the back (just loosen two screws and disconnect the wires, noting where they were) and install a modular line cord in its place. It could plug into a DSL filter and then into your jack behind the fridge.

Can you mount the phone directly to the wall? Without the modular backplate? It just needs two screws where the modular mounting plate used to be. The screw heads need to be larger than the slot. You didn't say what kind of wall you had, so you might need screws with anchors and drill two holes. If you take a piece of paper and put it to the back of the phone, lining it up with the side, and make a small hole where the two mounting screws go, you can use that as a template.

Make the template holes at the narrow end of the slot on both holes. Then after the screws are in the wall, put the top of the phone to the wall first and then the bottom, sliding it horizontally until it's level. You do this with the housing removed (push in on the small release on the bottom middle). Be sure to tighten the screws. The mounting cord should exit out of either hole in the bottom. You could even attach the strain relief to the small slot provided, since you have a modular handset cord and not a hard-wire one.

Hope it works out for you. Get back to us if you have questions.

[jsowers]

Here's a picture of the cord I'm referring to. You may be able to find it cheaper elsewhere.

http://www.phonecoinc.com/topic.asp?map=1&horh=home&gorl=list&group=misc&category=Jack&topic=01016

[rlmeals]

@jsowers

Thank you SO much!  This is exactly what I needed!  I have that 1/4' wood paneling...the house was built in 1960.  I think that it would be easiest to change the cord, as you said.  I'm sure I can find one at best buy this week.  That will completely solve my problem with the DSL filter. 

So if I take off the wall mount modular plug, I'm removing the entire back silver wall plate?  Or just the little blue plug?  You know what, I can't picture this, but I bet when I start to take it apart it will make sense!  Just like I tell the ladies in the knitting forum I'm on, just dive in and try it and you'd be surprised what you can do ;-)

Thanks again, I'll play around with this when I get a chance and come back and let you know if I have any more questions!

-Rebecca

[twocvbloke]

You could do like what I did with my Cortelco 2554, and remove the sliding plug and just wire that cord into the phone, passing it through a gap in the casing, retaining the two hanging slots on the back of the phone for ease of mounting...

Much easier than buying and fitting a modular wall phone socket (especially for me being in the UK!!!)...

[jsowers]

So if I take off the wall mount modular plug, I'm removing the entire back silver wall plate?  Or just the little blue plug?

Rebecca, you take the entire silver metal plate off, from inside the phone. Push up on the square metal catch at the bottom, to release the housing. It swivels up and comes off at the top. Then you just loosen the screws at top and bottom and swivel the bottom until the screw goes through the hole. Then slide the top part down until the screw goes through the hole. You don't want to have to buy a modular mounting bracket/jack to mount the phone since you can't use it with a DSL filter anyway--just mount it the old-fashioned way like they did in the 1950s and 60s. You have the perfect wall for it.

The red wire of the new cord goes where the red wire of the backplate used to be, and the same for the green wire-where the green backplate wire used to be. Normally you don't need the yellow and black wires, so put some tape over the metal "spades" on the ends, so they don't make connection to anything.

One other note. Try to run the new line cord so it doesn't touch the brass bells. You don't want to muffle the bells. It's a tight squeeze in that part of the phone. If you slide it under the ringer and put the extra cord in the tiny space between the bell and the network (where all the screw terminals are) then you should be good to go. It may take you some searching to find that cord in a store. Good luck!

Let us know how it goes. I'm glad I could be of help. I have a 554 like this in my kitchen that rings loud enough so I can hear it outside, through the wall.

[jsowers]

I didn't find anything online at Best Buy, Lowe's, Ace Hardware or Radio Shack. You may be able to find something in person--who knows? Maybe if you have a mom and pop hardware store with some old stock, they'll have that cord? If you're handy with wire strippers, you can make your own from a regular modular phone cable.

I did find it online at this site:

http://www.pacificcable.com/More_Pages/Telephony-Products/Modular-Spade-Cord.html

It's part #304-325IV for $4.50, but I'm sure shipping charges will eat you alive, so to speak. If you can't find it locally, send me a PM (click on my username and click Send Personal Message) with your address and I'll see if I can send you one. I normally take them off phones, so I have extras.

[rlmeals]

Thanks, Jonathan!  I did figure out how to remove the housing and the mounting plate after just diving in and trying it, but thanks for confirming it!!! 

I am very impatient, so I really don't want to have to wait to order a spade tip modular line.  You mentioned I can make one with a regular line, but could you elaborate, or point me to a website that shows me how to do that?  I'm good with wire strippers, I've splice hundreds of wires.  I imagine how it should go in my head, and tell me if this is correct: can I clip the plug off one end of the cord, strip the red and green wires, bend them with needle nose pliers, and wrap them around the screw on the terminal and tighten the screw?  It seems to be similar to when I changed out all the electrical outlets in my house.  If that's all it takes, that would be the easiest solution to the problem!!!

I think I'll be able to handle the rest of what you said, but I'm not there yet, so I'll let you know!

[HarrySmith]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
Be warned, these old phones multiply quickly. Save yourself now and avoid "Phoneitis", it should still be early enough. Phoneitis is is incurable and results in old phones of every imaginable size, shape & color occupying every available space and every waking moment
As far as making a modular cord, it is that simple. Cut the plug off one end of any modular cord and strip the wires. The wires are very small and delicate so it may take a few trys. You can wrap them around the screws but be careful none touch another terminal.
You can find suitable spade lugs at Radio Shack. Part number 64-3070

[rlmeals]

Ha ha, Harry!!!  I've wanted one (or several) for quite some time now!  I found a gorgeous old coin op pay phone in an antique store last summer, and if I had had the money, I would have gone home with it!  I just love the nostalgia and character of these old phones. Same thing with lots of antiques for me.  I want an old singer treadle sewing machine, and I found a beautiful spinning wheel, and a Hoosier cabinet.  The thing for me, is I don't just want to buy an antique, I want to use it.  Takes me back to a simpler time, and reminds me of my childhood...and I'll only be 30 this year!  My grandma always said I was an old soul 

Thanks for the reply; I did that and it works!!!  Now I'm hooked for good!  The ringer sounds fantastic, and the sound on the receiver is good, although it could be a little louder, but oh well.  It cleaned up rather nicely, has no scratches or anything too noticeable, and I've got it hanging on the wall without the wall mount bracket. I had two large nails in the wall for that last phone that was there, and I had to move one of the nails to get it in the right place.  The phone is wobbly though, so I'll have to go dig around in the screws I've got in the garage and see if I can find a couple that will work so I can tighten the phone against the wall. The cord is long enough to reach all around my kitchen, except just barely in one corner, but it's close enough!

Anyway, thanks everyone for your help.  I was nervous about posting because I had gotten, "this question has been asked a million times, learn how to use the search feature you dumb *****" from other forums about other topics.  But y'all have proven to be much more civilized and very kind, and I thank y'all for that!

God bless!
-Rebecca

[HarrySmith]

You are welcome. I found this forum to be the best also, thats why I joined! I am a member of 2 other phone clubs but spend most of my time here. The ringer should be very loud. There should be an adjustment lever on the bottom of the phone, have you tried moving that? Also try moving the bias spring, discussed here:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=6057.0

[rlmeals]

Harry, it's not the ringer, I've got that as loud as it can go and it's great!  It's the person on the other end of the line in the handset.  I don't think that can change, but it's not that big of a deal :-)

[Owain]

Harry, it's not the ringer, I've got that as loud as it can go and it's great!  It's the person on the other end of the line in the handset.  I don't think that can change, but it's not that big of a deal :-)

You'll just have to tell people to "Speak up please, caller!" in your best Ernestine voice.

[rlmeals]

LOL!!!!  I actually to what you are referring to, ha ha!!!!  I just discovered this on YouTube a couple weeks ago!   

[twocvbloke]

The thing for me, is I don't just want to buy an antique, I want to use it.  Takes me back to a simpler time, and reminds me of my childhood...and I'll only be 30 this year!  My grandma always said I was an old soul 

I'm only 26 and I can see that there was a lot of top-quality stuff made back in the day, and it was easy to repair too for the home repair enthusiast, while I do have modern things about the house, I think that the older the device, the better it is, cos you can always rely on them, whereas with modern stuff, if it breaks, it's 99% likely that it's not repairable, which is just uneconomical...

And yeah, there's a lot of childhood memories influencing purchases, cos we can appreciate things more now we know better...