Western Electric 228W transmitter

[Fordman 1966]

Hello all. I got another box of candlestick parts the transmitter is a 228W marked.my question is it only has 1 wire connection does it require 2 wires all the diagrams show a 2 wire connection.The hooks witch has 4 contacts I can use 3 the phone is a model 20 ?? It's dated 1904,cup latest is 1892 and perch does not have any marks looks like someone sanded the marking off.      Where does it pick up 2 nd wire or is it using the case body as a conductor.   Thanks Scott

[Fordman 1966]

Forgot to add pictures

[HarrySmith]

Looks pretty rough. Might be tough to get the screw for the wire connection loose. It does need 2 wires. I do not have one in front of me but I marked what I think are the 2 connection points. If it is wrong someone will let me know.

[Fordman 1966]

Hello Harry I thought the center screw was for adjusting the diaphragm sensitivity. Thanks Harry oh got the 151 up and running your cord worked perfectly

[TelePlay]

It has the rubber washer (in typical pieces) of the 200 series transmitters (with the two metal fingers that hold the washer in place missing) and the bridge with a screw for the second electrical connection.

There are multiple topics about candlestick transmitters on the forum by members who are experts in candlestick phones.

[HarrySmith]

Yes, that is correct, I knew it did not look right. As TelePlay sated there are lots of topics here and lots of more knowledgeable people. Also as TelePlay pointed out you will need to replace the insulators. There is a kit on eBay for that.

[TelePlay]

It looks like the two metal spring fingers that hold the rubber diaphragm in place have been broken off (yellow circles).

Here is one of many topics addressing these transmitters

https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10927.0

[TelePlay]

Here a drawing of a 200 series transmitter connections.

The insulated terminal block is one side of the carbon capsule and the whole bridge and faceplate are electrically the other side of the carbon capsule. As such, the second lead from the transmitter is attached to the screw.

I hope others with good knowledge of these transmitters will post here.

[Fordman 1966]

Ok my transmitter does not have the tear drop shaped connection lug. The 2 spring clips are in the junk box just got to dig them out thanks Scott

[Fordman 1966]

Thanks TelePlay im gonna clean it up put some new gaskets hopefully it is still functioning. I found a weird phone part in my junk box. Transmitter might work it's in my new post

[TelePlay]

Looking at your transmitter, I lead you astray. You said it was a 228 confirmed by the rubber washer and the (missing) spring fingers.

There is no center post on a 228. The diaphragm is physically attached to the carbon capsule by way of a nut as seen through the mouthpiece hole on the front (yellow circle).

Being physically attached, the diaphragm is held steady in place using the spring fingers and the rubber washer keeps the metal diaphragm off of the metal faceplate and metal spring fingers.

As such, the side screw is the second electrical connection.

There is no adjustment, tension setting, on this transmitter. That was a feature of the 300 series transmitters.

If you take the bridge off (by removing the 4 screws), you may find that the front of the rubber washer has "glued" the diaphragm to the faceplate. Don't pull on it!

You will have to apply a solvent (a penetrating oil for example) through the mouthpiece hole around the edge of the diaphragm, let it sit for awhile and then use a sturdy but firm small plastic blade to work around the diaphragm through the mouthpiece hole to free, by gentle prying, the diaphragm away from the faceplate (being careful not to bend the diaphragm). This will take awhile and requires being careful.

Do not remove the nut. And don't rotate the diaphragm or bridge which will break the thin wire connecting the insulator block to the front of the carbon capsule.

After you get it off, clean off the rubber residue on both sides of the diaphragm and install new rubber washers during reassembly.

[TelePlay]

My replies in this topic have been modified to remove all reference to 300 series transmitters. This is a 200 series transmitter as stated in my post right above this one. Sorry, the missing 2 spring fingers threw me off.

[Fordman 1966]

Thanks TelePlay   That info cleared all the questions I was looking for. 1 wire to terminal with tiny to module and any clean spot on the face plate. I found the spring clips with yellowed rubbery ends.Now to disassemble it to install new gaskets without breaking or bending the thing Thanks again Scott

[loblolly986]

I think there is still some confusion here as to how these are constructed and wired. The 228 is apparently the same as the common 229 except it was furnished without a mounting lug, and per the 1908 W.E. catalog was used on certain specialized phones, the cat. nos. 1302-A and 1314-A for railroads and 1251-E for use in mines. Dennis Halworth identifies the center side screw here as the set screw for adjusting the carbon module relative to the bridge, and I don't see how he is wrong from consulting Sargeguy's post immediately below, with cross-sections of the 229 and (insulated) 329 transmitters as well as the original White design they were based on. As they illustrate, the diaphragm is secured to the front of the carbon module by the center nut, and the White illustration shows the set screw securing the module to the bridge.

As an "uninsulated" transmitter, the 228/229 accepts only one wire connection, to the insulated block on one side of the bridge. The metal bridge, faceplate, and in turn, the cup and either the transmitter mount (on a wall phone) or entire metal body (desk stand/candlestick) carried the other side of the circuit back to a connection inside the phone.

Here is a post with a photo of a 329 transmitter's internals for comparison, which has the adjustment set screw *and* an adjacent screw terminal for connecting that side of the circuit, insulated from the bridge and faceplate, the other side of the circuit still being connected to the block on the bridge. Note this example has a wire strap going from the center terminal to one of the screws holding the bridge to the faceplate; this converts it to an uninsulated transmitter for use in earlier phones.

[TelePlay]

I think there is still some confusion here as to how these are constructed and wired.

Yes, thank you for your post and the link to a 329.

The WE 329 is the insulated version of the WE 229 and as such the WE 329 is the only 300 series transmitter that uses rubber washers on the diaphragm. All other 300 series transmitters have a loose, or floating, diaphragm which uses only a cloth washer between the faceplate and the diaphragm.

And thanks for clarifying the "insulated" vs "un-insulated" transmitters, the uninsulated transmitter does have only one connection on the transmitter and the rest of or any other metal part of the phone is used as the other side of the transmitter 2 wire circuit.

I'm still confused over the need for a center post carbon capsule adjustment in that the 329 has the diaphragm physically attached to the carbon capsule and the diaphragm held tightly against the faceplate with 2 metal spotting clips.