sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones Connecting 1-BA (WE) Answering Set??

The fact that the clapper pulls over when connected means that you are getting very close. We now know that the ringer coil is good and it appears that the capacitor is either bad or not wired into the circuit. Check to see that the slate and slate/red wires from the ringer coil are connected to terminals A and K on the network respectively.

Without the capacitor to provide DC isolation, your ringer coil is basically placing a short across the line.

This is where I am right now:



It will ring once, and then nothing more, however my cell phone says the call is "connected" (which explains the stoppage of ringing I guess!).

So close... so close......

I have the yellow and green together already at the line, not inside the phone. By "bell lead", do you mean the red wire going to the ringer? I really apologize for not asking the right questions with the right terms.

WOO HOOOO!! It works now! I moved the slate/red wire over to "K" and it works. That's not what the schematic showed, so I would have never guessed it. Thank you for that tip.

Now, (panting), back to the answering machine!!

OK, I did the tests you suggested, and here are the results:
With the unit unplugged, the phone does all functions.
With the unit plugged in, the phone does all functions.
With the switch turned on, it kills the phone completely. No incoming or outgoing anything.

The machine will still let me record and playback a greeting through the phone, but nothing more.

Where is the next place I need to turn my attention?

Now that it have it operational you probably need a Users Guide?

Western Electric 1-BA Users Guide

I bet you had a BLAST!

Dean

I'm working on getting you the BSP for it. Stay tuned.

What is the complete model number of the 500-type set that's with it?

Dean:
Thank you, but I already found that link in my hair-pulling quest for answers. You had me pretty excited for a minute, though!

Arthur:
Thank you for searching for the BSP for me. What is a BSP??

On the back of the attached phone, it says L/M, 500, and 8-59. Those are the only markings anywhere on the phone.

The bible of the Bell System. Every piece of equipment and proceedure every used documented in the Bell System Pratices. Arthur is going to get the the instructions for installing the 1-AB.

"With the switch turned on, it kills the phone completely. No incoming or outgoing anything.
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But can another phone, connected directly to the line, still make and answer calls? If so, then it's quite possible that you are not supposed to be able to use the phone. That would prevent you from answering/interrupting the line when the macine is supposed to do it. Phone companies used to try to make stuff fool-proof to use and sometimes went the proverbial 'mile too far'. John C.