sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones How do you set up an old payphone for home use

I just purchased an old Gray Manufacturing payphone and I would like to adjust the wiring to use it as a home phone.

Is there anyone that knows how to do this?

I am not sure of the model number

If you have the keys you can just remove the coin box and let the coins fall into coin box chamber. Otherwise you'll need the model number to get the wiring diagram. Is this a single slot or 3 slot payphone? You can probably just hook up the tip and ring and make it work for you, but I'm not positive about that.

It is a 3 slot payphone.

I hooked up the red wire to L1, yellow to g and green to L2 however the phone is still dead.
There is a seperate black wire and when I played around with it I could get a dial tone but then the phone would not hang up.

There is a number tapped inside the phone L52697 and since it is written and posted throughout the inside I think it may be the model number but someone painted this phone and I think they painted over the modle number.

There are also 4 wires loose by the bell box
they are red, blu, black and one has a red cylinder filter on it with a white wire tip on it.

The old payphones were ground start and when you put the coins in they would put a ground on the tip and connect to the C.O. L1 and L2 are the correct locations for the tip L1 and ring L2 and really should be all you need to get dial tone, but of course that depends on how the network is wire and how it's wired through the totalizer (determines if the correct coins have been placed). I have never really wired a payphone for home use, but I'm sure someone here has. Stick around I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions to get this working.

Matt1964 over in the 1A2 forum just wired one up for home use. He might be able to help. If he doesn't pop in right away try sending him a PM.

Sam

this forum just went active today

(your our first poster )



as word gets out I expect where going to see a lot of expertise here
so if you don't get a answer today it should be along soon

If I remember correctly (L52697) is the list number. Another type number to look for is one that starts with KS. The KS stands for (Kearny Standard) for Bells Labs out of Kearny New Jersey. But I will also tell you that you will find several of these type of numbers because they relate to each part. I have not worked with these numbers in 20 years so I may not be 100% accurate. Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong.

Is there ANYTHING you guys don't know about POTS? :toast:

3 slot? 197/195 with a network subset. 235 without. Dial Tone goes to the subset, then to the set. Look for spring contacts on the backboard where the upper housing drops in.

Single slot (1A) uses the drop shoot with info sent electronically. All others were mechnical.

Larry, your KS is so right on.....

Is it a Bell System payphone or an Automatic Electric?