atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones WE TRIMLINE WILL NOT RING

Hello again,
I just bought a 1972 WE Trimline. It will not ring. From what I can see, there are 5 wires coming from under the ringer, red, black, slate, red/slate, and blue. The red goes to L2, black, was on G, I moved it to L1, the slate and slate/red, were insulated, looks like from factory/repairman, blue is on F terminal, for dial? I put slate on K, and slate/red on A. Still will not ring oh, and there is a yellow wire from the line cord that is not connected, I think this would go on G, but left it hanging for now, cause I get dial tone, and can call out, recieve calls in and talk. So, what am I doing wrong?...Bob

Check these schematics, see if they match your phone. Otherwise, look here https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/browse/wiring-diagrams and see what you can find.

https://www.telephonecollectors.inf...load/2235-trimline-telephones-ad1base-tl

https://www.telephonecollectors.inf...ad/2233-trimline-telephones-ac1-2base-tl

https://www.telephonecollectors.inf...d/2234-trimline-telephones-ac1-2pbase-tl

Keep in mind that those five-wire coils didn't wire like the ones you'd see in a typical 2500 set, where there are two coils in one with four leads. The five-wire ones were just tapped at different points to allow them to work on party line circuits. In your case, the red and black leads are the only ones that are used; the slate, slate/red and blue leads should be insulated and stored.

The capacitor needs to be wired in series with the red or black lead when connected to the incoming tip/ring. It is strapped across the set's terminal block near the top, so it should be easy to locate. You should be able to get away with strapping terminals A and L2 together with the black ringer lead on L1 to make it work.

Thanks Ed and TT Tommy!
I wired the phone like Ed suggested, and it worked!!! Diddnt realize that the TL ringers were so much different from the 500 and 2500 sets. I figured the slate and red/slate were disconnected, per customers request, not to have the phone ring.

Thanks again for all your help guys!

Bob

There would never be a time when an installer would need to open a TL set to silence a ringer. That's why they put the line-cord ringer lead (yellow) at a place that's convenient to disconnect it(at the terminal block).