1955 WE500 Won’t Ring

[debater88]

I'm in the middle of cleaning, lubricating, and otherwise restoring an October 1955 Mediterranean Blue 500 I found a couple months ago. Despite the mold, dirt, and general filth on the phone, it worked when I plugged it in: I got dial tone, the transmitter and receiver work, and the rotary works, too (if a bit stiff).

Just one thing mechanically wrong with it: it won't ring. I've included a few pictures of the network and wiring setup. Can anyone tell me if I need to move anything around to get it ringing?

If it matters, it has a 425B network and a 7C-57 dial.

Thanks very much for your help!

[HarrySmith]

I do not see the black ringer wire. It must be down between the network and the ringer. It should be on L2.

[TelePlay]

Move the black ringer wire now on the G terminal (yellow circle) to the L1 terminal (red circle).

[debater88]

Thanks! Now the clapper quivers a bit, but still no ring. Any ideas?

EDIT: I have the rotary contacts separated from the dial mechanism. I've been separating the two contacts connected with white wires using a screwdriver and holding the hook switch down before test calling the line. When I do this, the phones ring once, then the call disconnects. Should I totally reassemble everything before trying?

[TelePlay]

Move the ringer bias spring to the position shown in the red circle, to the right, to the weakest position.

[debater88]

Move the ringer bias spring to the position shown in the red circle, to the right, to the weakest position.

That did it! Thanks!

Hoping the "ring once, then call drops" thing will disappear once I've got everything back together.

[TelePlay]

EDIT: I have the rotary contacts separated from the dial mechanism. I've been separating the two contacts connected with white wires using a screwdriver and holding the hook switch down before test calling the line.

I'm not sure I understand the purpose in doing this. The dial white wires are the mute circuit (prevents loud pops when dialing from getting into the handset receiver) and the green and blue wires create the pulses needed by the central office to know what number is being dialed. Neither has anything to do with the ringer.

With the ringer connected with black and red to L1 and L2 respectively and the slate and slate/red ringer wires connected to terminals A and K, the phone should ring with the handset on the phone, the on-hook position. The dial has nothing to do with the ring circuit.

This is the complete wiring diagram from the TCI Library:

TCI Library WE 500 Wiring Diagram


NOTE: The diagram below shows the ringer black wire on the G terminal for grounded ringing which is now obsolete. The correct wiring is to have ringer black on the L1 terminal for modern day bridged ringing.

[debater88]

I'm not sure I understand the purpose in doing this. The dial white wires are the mute circuit (prevents loud pops when dialing from getting into the handset receiver) and the green and blue wires create the pulses needed by the central office to know what number is being dialed. Neither has anything to do with the ringer.

With the ringer connected with black and red to L1 and L2 respectively and the slate and slate/red ringer wires connected to terminals A and K, the phone should ring with the handset on the phone, the on-hook position. The dial has nothing to do with the ring circuit.

I was trying to get dial tone before hitting the hook switch so I knew there was a connection to the line.

Just tried it again without fussing with the rotary dial contacts. Again, it rang once, then acted like it picked up and then disconnected.

[TelePlay]

Just tried it again without fussing with the rotary dial contacts. Again, it rang once, then acted like it picked up and then disconnected.

By "try it again," are you dialing out? If so, your dial may be too slow causing the central office to think there is something wrong with the line and hangs up the connection.

Or are you calling your phone from another phone? If this is what you are doing, I have no idea what's going on.

If you are trying to dial out, have you determined your dial's speed and break/make ratio? Nominal speed is 8 to 11 pulses per second and the B/M ratio range is 60/40 +/- 5.

This is one of many topics on the forum discussing dial testing, cleaning, lubrication and adjustment.

https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17011.msg259593#msg259593

[debater88]

By "try it again," are you dialing out? If so, your dial may be too slow causing the central office to think there is something wrong with the line and hangs up the connection.

Or are you calling your phone from another phone? If this is what you are doing, I have no idea what's going on.

It was the latter. I'd call my landline and the phone would ring once, then the line would disconnect.

I figured it out. Turns out that between this phone, a 202, and an AE880, I was trying to push too much REN through the DialGizmo I have installed between my Ooma Telo and my house's home phone wiring. The DialGizmo is apparently only rated for 2 REN.

I unplugged one of the other phones and then this 500 rang just fine.

[5415551212]

It was the latter. I'd call my landline and the phone would ring once, then the line would disconnect.

I figured it out. Turns out that between this phone, a 202, and an AE880, I was trying to push too much REN through the DialGizmo I have installed between my Ooma Telo and my house's home phone wiring. The DialGizmo is apparently only rated for 2 REN.

I unplugged one of the other phones and then this 500 rang just fine.

If your locked to your VOIP providers ATA one thing you might be able to do is connect another ATA that supports pulse dial to it over your LAN like you would a IP 'soft phone',
 So call comes in to your first ATA (your providers) then is forwarded via the SIP across your LAN to a superior ATA of your choice,
that way your not stuck with your providers cheap ATA.

For example I recently have been messing around with a Cisco VG310 basically a 24 FXS port 'digital phone switch' that generates ~3-5 REN on each port, and accepts pulse dial. I can have several phones one each port and they still ring.
 

[debater88]

If your locked to your VOIP providers ATA one thing you might be able to do is connect another ATA that supports pulse dial to it over your LAN like you would a IP 'soft phone',
 So call comes in to your first ATA (your providers) then is forwarded via the SIP across your LAN to a superior ATA of your choice,
that way your not stuck with your providers cheap ATA.

For example I recently have been messing around with a Cisco VG310 basically a 24 FXS port 'digital phone switch' that generates ~3-5 REN on each port, and accepts pulse dial. I can have several phones one each port and they still ring.

I actually prefer working with a pulse-to-tone converter. Allows me to use my phones to navigate automated menus including # and *, plus the DialGizmo lets me save several numbers for speed dial. I also picked up a REN booster to allow me to use my Ooma Telo with more than two phones (I just have to use multiple DialGizmos).

[5415551212]

I actually prefer working with a pulse-to-tone converter. Allows me to use my phones to navigate automated menus including # and *, plus the DialGizmo lets me save several numbers for speed dial. I also picked up a REN booster to allow me to use my Ooma Telo with more than two phones (I just have to use multiple DialGizmos).

I can see that, makes sense keep it simple, I actually have never tried a DialGizmo.