New to candlesticks... What do I have Here? (WE 151AL?)

[mentalstampede]

A friend of mine who haunts flea markets and junk sales brought me a little gift yesterday, most of a candlestick telephone.. the base plate is missing, the receiver cap is chipped, and there's no subset, but all the rest appears to be there... Until now my collection has consisted of primarily desksets from 1930s onward, so I don't really know what to look for here.

From what I can tell the model number stamped on the perch looks to be a 151AL, which is a western electric phone? The transmitter parts are definitely Western Electric with dates from 1940. From my experience with newer Western Electrics, It looks to me like it probably isn't a frankenphone, but it's not really in my wheelhouse.

So what do I have and where is a good source for the missing and damaged components?

[poplar1]

Please show the inside of the base and of the rack (hookswitch contacts).

Definitely Western Electric. It was originally a sidetone 51AL made between 1927 and 1930. (If '29 or '30, there should be a date inside the base).

Converted to anti-sidetone, probably in 1940. So it can be used with either a sidetone or anti-sidetone subset. However, anti-sidetone will work better.
It can also be connected to a 302 base, using a 4-conductor cord.

An original receiver cap for the WE 143 or 144 receiver will probably cost as much as a complete 706A receiver. The 706A  contains an HA1 receiver unit. With the 635A "bulldog" transmitter (shown) and a 706A receiver, the 151AL is electrically equivalent to a 302, when used with an anti-sidetone subset such as a 634BA or 684BA or 302 base. With a 634A or 684A subset, the only difference is that these have an older style ringer.

[mentalstampede]

Please show the inside of the base and of the rack (hookswitch contacts)

Shoot, I could've sworn I'd uploaded a pic of inside the base. Here's that, and the hookswitch contacts.

For the baseplate and receiver, I wouldn't be opposed to a good repro for this, but if I ever decide to use this maybe a complete 706A is the better option.

[mentalstampede]

Update: I've got a 706A receiver headed my way, and I think I've got a line on a 634A Subset. All the 151AL wiring diagrams I see include dials. Does anyone have a diagram for a 151AL wired antisidetone with a dial blank installed?

[poplar1]

Go to the TCI library (telephone collectors.info). Search for 151AL. Then choose the file "151 T1" -- not 151al T1. Solid lines show connections for manual. (Dotted lines are for connections with dial.)
Y-BK and W-BB are the screw terminals on the dial blank.

[mentalstampede]

Thanks for the tips. I've got all the replacement parts necessary, cords, and a very nice 634A to go with it. Wired it up and it works. Now my quandary...

It is very cool in its current dial-blank configuration, but would be way more fun to add a dial to it.

[mentalstampede]

Okay, I'm definitely Gonna put a dial in this. I've got a 4H on hand that but there's an extra terminal. If my understanding is correct, I can run a jumper from BB to R on the dial, and hook up everything else as if it was a 2AB and It will work properly.

Is that correct, or is there a better way to install a 4H dial on a candlestick?

[TelePlay]

Have you seen this in the wiring diagrams board?



https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=8465.0

If you are using a different WE dial (2H, 4H, 5H or 6A), just strap the BB and R dial terminals together.

[mentalstampede]

Have you seen this in the wiring diagrams board?

I have seen that diagram, but I had not seen the note about strapping the terminals. I'm glad that lines up with what I'd surmised. Thanks!

[poplar1]

Have you seen this in the wiring diagrams board?



https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=8465.0

Please note the error in this diagram: The "Y-BK" terminal, showing a black wire from the subset and a black jumper to BK on the dial, is not correct when a dial is used. It is a terminal on the apparatus blank, when no dial is used. Rather, the black conductor from the subset goes directly to BK on the dial.

[mentalstampede]

Got it all completed with a nice 4H dial, 634A, new cords, and a 706A receiver. Works and looks great!

Thanks for all the advice!