[comp.dcom.telecom] An Old Instrument Develops Bell-Tap

tep@ucsd.edu (Tom Perrine) (03/03/91)

In article <telecom11.167.1@eecs.nwu.edu> bruce@camb.com (Barton F.
Bruce) writes:
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 167, Message 1 of 11

> The traditional ringer IS sensitive to the polarity of pulses!  Aside
> from adjusting the bias spring, the 'proper' cure for BELL-TAP
> (tinkeling as a rotary extension or other party dials or even just
> goes on/off hook) is to have the phone's two wires connected properly
> to TIP and RING. 

> There may be a bias spring that can be hooked to a stiffer notch that
> will help.

I am asking this question because the original article meseems to be
talking about TT phones and their ringers.

My father-in-law has a real Bell rotary phone that was installed in
1960.  It has, of course never been serviced. In the last ten years or
so, it has developed what sounds like bell-tap; when you dial, the
ringer makes one "ding" for every pulse in the number.  When an
extension was added (by TPC), we discovered that dialing the extension
(a cordless, set to pulse-dial) also causes the original phone to
"ding".

Is this "bell-tap"? Is it a matter of reversing the polarity on the
pair, or is it due to wear in the electro-mechanical ringer? After
thirty years, I would assume that it could be a *little* out of
adjustment :-).

Inquiring minds want to know!


Tom Perrine (tep)        |Internet: tep@tots.Logicon.COM
Logicon - T&TSD          | UUCP: sun!suntan!tots!tep
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                         |  FAX: +1 619 552 0729

Barton.Bruce@camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) (03/04/91)

In article <telecom11.175.11@eecs.nwu.edu>, tots!tots.Logicon.COM!
tep@ucsd.edu (Tom Perrine) writes:

> so, it has developed what sounds like bell-tap; when you dial, the
> ringer makes one "ding" for every pulse in the number.  When an
> extension was added (by TPC), we discovered that dialing the extension
> (a cordless, set to pulse-dial) also causes the original phone to
> "ding".

> Is this "bell-tap"? 

Yes.

> Is it a matter of reversing the polarity on the pair, 

The biased ringers are most immune to tap when connected properly
across the line. (Keeping it simple...) the green cord wire should go
to the line wire that is + (on any el-cheapo vom) in relation to the
other wire.

> or is it due to wear in the electro-mechanical ringer? After
> thirty years, I would assume that it could be a *little* out of
> adjustment :-).

Not much wear likely, but the little spring hooks in different
notches.  If set way up high, the bell may not ring if the loop is
very long.  If set too weak, the bell will tap especially on short
loops (where there is plenty of power to ring with the spring set
stiff).

BTW, I assume that TT/DP extension has been tried in TT mode even if
you don't pay for the service.

dave@westmark.westmark.com (Dave Levenson) (03/09/91)

In article <telecom11.175.11@eecs.nwu.edu>, tots!tots.Logicon.COM!tep@
ucsd.edu (Tom Perrine) writes:

> Is this "bell-tap"? Is it a matter of reversing the polarity on the
> pair, or is it due to wear in the electro-mechanical ringer? After
> thirty years, I would assume that it could be a *little* out of
> adjustment :-).

The most likely culprit here is the blocking capacitor.  This is
probably a 1 or 2 mFd capacitor mounted inside the 'network' (the
potted module in the right rear corner of the instrument with a bunch
of screw-terminals on top) and connected between terminals A and K.
It is normally wired in series with the ringer, so that only the AC
component of the signal passes through the ringer.  It has probably
become shorted, allowing the DC to bias the ringer.  The dial pulses
look like 48 volt DC pulses, and will tap the bell if the capacitor is
shorted.

If AT&T still owns the telephone, they should replace it.


Dave Levenson		Internet: dave@westmark.com
Westmark, Inc.		UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Warren, NJ, USA		AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave
Voice: 908 647 0900     Fax: 908 647 6857