Dialgizmo Hookup Problem

[black AE 50]

Hi, I am new to the forum so I hope I am posting this in the correct area. My wife and I like antiques and collectibles and have a turn of the century house that we have restored. We bought an Automatic Electric model 50 wall phone to go in the kitchen. When we initially installed the phone, we were able to make and receive calls. When our phone service provider (Verizon) switched to tone dialing, the phone still rang and we were still able to receive calls but we were no longer able to dial out. To correct this problem, I bought a Dialgizmo and attempted to install it. The four wire (red, green, black, yellow) phone line cord for the model 50 is hardwired directly to corresponding leads inside the phone. In order to install the Dialgizmo, I cut the phone line cord in the basement and attached the wires of each cut end to the appropriate leads inside surface-mount phone jacks (RCA Phone Surface Mount Jack [part TP265WHR]). Each jack has a six position, four contact female receptacle. When I plug a standard two male connector (also 6P4C) phone line cord into each of the jacks, I get dial tone. When I plug the Dialgizmo connector into the jack on the line side and then plug the phone line cord into the Dialgizmo female receptacle on the phone side, I lose dial tone. I noticed that the yellow and black wires inside the Dialgizmo have been cut but, as far as I understand it, this shouldn't have any effect on the unit's function. In order to test the Dialgizmo unit, I plugged it into my upstairs phone (Sony model IT-B3). This phone has a standard female receptacle for a standard male plug. It also has a pulse tone/switch. I switched the Sony to pulse and hooked up the Dialgizmo. It functioned perfectly. What am I doing wrong? I would appreciate any help you could give me.

Sincerely,
Black AE 50

[RB]

Welcome to the forum.
Not sure what is causing your problem, but would suspect a wiring issue.
Try and find both ends of the wire your working with, and see if it has been altered at some point.
Good luck

[Key2871]

It sounds like the line is being shorted some how.
Are the connections in the phone good?
No shorts, do you get a dial tone  if you bypass the dialgizmo?

And it doesn't work when it's connected to that phone,
Its gotta be a short.

[LarryInMichigan]

Only the red and green wires are used.  the Dialgizmo should be plugged into the phone line and the phone plugged into it.  It sounds like you have it correct.  I would double-check all the connections.  Also, make sure that the wires in the female jack in the Dialgizmo are evenly spaced and not bent the wrong way.

Larry

[black AE 50]

To RB, Key2871, and LarryInMichigan,

Thanks for your responses. l am sure that I have wired something incorrectly but I just can't figure out what. With the two jacks connected with a two male plug wire, I get dial tone and can receive calls but when the the Dialgizmo is interposed (connected to the phone side jack on one end and the line side male plug on the other), I lose dial tone. However, when the Dialgizmo is plugged into the upstairs phone and that phone is switched to pulse, everything works fine. It would appear that somehow the Dialgizmo isn't working with the jacks on the downstairs phone even though those jacks work fine when connected with a two male plug wire.

Sincerely,
black AE 50

[RB]

Is that 2 plug cord a straight through, or a cross cable?
maybe you got a polarity issue?
just a guess.
A pic or 3 may help also.

[black AE 50]

I just had a new thought. When I connect the Dialgizmo male plug to the phone side jack the connection doesn't "click" into place. The Dialgizmo is made in Australia. Could it be that their male plug size is slightly different and thus not making solid connection? On the other hand, the Dialgizmo works fine on our upstairs phone.

Sincerely,
black AE 50

[poplar1]

The Dialgizmo uses standard US RJ11 jack and corresponding plug. Did you try moving the Sony phone downstairs? Also, you said all 4 wires (red, green, yellow and black) were terminated inside the AE 50. Don't think that is the problem, but you need only red and green. The ends of other 2 wires can be taped up inside the phone.

[poplar1]

I just had a new thought. When I connect the Dialgizmo male plug to the phone side jack the connection doesn't "click" into place.

As Larry said, the phone connects to the jack in the Dialgizmo (output). The short cord with plug of the Dialgizmo connects to the line (dial tone input). Sounds like you are connecting it backwards, which might damage the Dialgizmo.

[TelePlay]

As Larry said, the phone connects to the jack in the Dialgizmo (output). The short cord with plug of the Dialgizmo connects to the line (dial tone input). Sounds like you are connecting it backwards, which might damage the Dialgizmo.

The Dialgizmo manual is attached in PDF form. The set up image is attached below. As poplar1 said, the Dialgizmo short cord goes into the wall, the phone's line cord goes into the Dialgizmo.

If it still doesn't work, you may have to switch L1 and L2 inside the phone to see if it is a polarity issue. There are other places (wall jack, line cord plugs, demarc box, splices along the way, etc) where the wires (polarity) could have been switched but inside the phone is the easiest way with this this type of problem to troubleshoot -doesn't work, switch wires, see if it works.

[black AE 50]

First, I thank the members here for their responses and second, I apologize for the tardiness of my response. I have just completed a series of experiments based on member's suggestions.
1) I checked the Dialgizmo's function to make sure that I hadn't (as poplar1 feared) inadvertently damaged the unit by hooking it up incorrectly. Being very careful to hook up the Dialgizmo's line and phone sides properly, I plugged in the the upstairs phone (Sony model IT-B3) and switched it to pulse dial. I checked for dial tone and dialed my cell phone. I could hear the pulses as I was dialing. My cell phone was in another room but I could hear it ring and when my wife answered, we held a brief conversation to fully prove that the Dialgizmo was still working.
2) I then took the Diagizmo out of circuit, reattached the Sony, and checked it for dial tone. I then went downstairs to AE 50, checked for dial tone, and had my wife call me on my cell phone. The AE 50 rang and we could converse. We repeated this with the upstairs phone unplugged and the result was the same.
3) I plugged the Sony back in, took the Dialgizmo into the basement, and (taking care to orient it correctly) plugged it into the AE 50 line. I lost dial tone on the AE 50 and it wouldn't ring when I dialed our home phone number with my cell phone but the upstairs Sony rang and I was able to speak to my wife when she answered it.
4) As poplar1 suggested, I took the Sony into the basement, unplugged the AE 50 from the basement jack , and plugged in the Sony. I fully expected to get dial tone but I got nothing. I even tried interposing the Dialgizmo (again making sure that the unit was correctly oriented). Still nothing.

The conclusion is inescapable. Although the line for the AE 50 functions to receive calls for the AE 50, there something fundamentally different with it that doesn't allow it to work with either the Sony phone or the Dialgizmo. I have repeatedly checked the wiring on the basement jacks and am sure that they are wired correctly.  I could understand it if the AE 50 line didn't work at all but to have it work fine with the AE 50 and not the Sony has got me totally stumped.

Sincerely,
black AE 50 

[paul-f]

I have repeatedly checked the wiring on the basement jacks and am sure that they are wired correctly.

Please describe your house wiring behind the basement jack. Are all four conductors connected? If so, what are the black and yellow wires used for?

If you have a single phone line wired to red and green, as suggested above, make sure only red and green are passed along to the phone (either AE50 or Sony).

You can use a two-wire line cord or disconnect black and yellow inside the jack.

[black AE 50]

Paul-f,

Thanks for your response. I forgot to post the schematics of the hookups.

Schematic 1 shows the AE 50 hook up. All 4 wires inside the 2 basement jacks are attached to their respective phone line wires. With this set up I get dial tone, ring tone, and I can receive calls on both phones.

Schematic 2 shows the Dialgizmo hooked up in the basement. With this set up, the AE 50 goes dead (no dial tone, no ring tone, and no voice is received) but the Sony is unaffected.

Schematic 3 shows the Sony connected in the basement (with the AE 50 disconnected). With this set up, the Sony goes dead (no dial tone, no ring tone, and no voice is received).

Schematic 4 shows both the Sony and Dialgizmo connected in the basement. The situation is unchanged from Schematic 3

[black AE 50]

I meant to remove schematic 3 but somehow removed schematic 2. I'll try again.

[black AE 50]

Lets see if I can correctly upload schematic 3