Fixing my 332L

[Mick Parry]

Chaps

I have an ivory 332L which works perfectly with the exception that I cannot hear what the other person is saying and evidently although they can hear me, I sound like I am speaking from Australia. My wife suggested binning the thing, I opted to repair it.

I have, on the advice of this forum, managed to buy a 21A transmitter for the mouthpiece and a DAE4 earpiece.

All I now have to do it fit the things.

Can someone please guide me through it step by step.

I have no electrical knowledge but my son who served an apprenticeship as a TV repair engineer is handy with a screwdriver and soldering iron etc.

Many thanks

Mick

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

Chaps

'I have an ivory 332L which works perfectly with the exception that I cannot hear what the other person is saying...'

Can you hear anything at all, even faintly, or absolutely nothing? You need to ascertain whether the receiver itself is faulty, or the fault is in the telephone. Can you remove the base of the instrument and momentarily dab a 1,5V cell to terminals 5 and 6 and listen for clicks? You'll need to report back on what you hear!

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

I have, on the advice of this forum, managed to buy a 21A transmitter for the mouthpiece and a DAE4 earpiece.

I would try to obtain an original receiver 2P if possible, from another bakelite handset, if your existing receiver is definitely faulty. To fit a balanced armature receiver insert can be done, but your original receiver needs to be a type 'Inset, No:11', where the magnet bobbins are visible upon sliding the diaphragm off. This aluminium 'cup' has to have all the gizzards removed to accommodate the receiver No: 4.

Fitting the mic can be done relatively easily, by discarding the centre pin-contact and the curved springset contact (terminal screwdriver and 4BA socket? - pair of radio pliers if you've nothing better). Replace the pin-contact with a screw (I think it's 4BA) and connect both microphone connections to your capsule terminals. Remember that this pin terminal carries the receiver contact as well! Crimps might do, but soldered tags are better. It's better if you keep the red casing (the insert can be removed from it quite easily after removing the terminal screws) and cut a slot down it to accommodate the bakelite protrusion that supports the curved springset contacts.

Another method would be to remove the square insert and just pack the microphone enclosure with foam. There is a danger that the holes in the new mic capsule would become obscured with this method, however.

[Mick Parry]

Russel

Thanks for the reply. To be honest I have only given half of the story.

I gave the 332 to a friend who had a friend who was an ex BT telephone engineer and he pronounced that the "granualar microphone" was gone.

I was then advised to buy a 21A transmitter (red with grey centre) which I also did. I bought it off ebay and it came complete with a receiver to go in the ear piece.

I am therefore presuming that I have the right parts, the question being, how do I fit them without causing an explosion or whatever.

Regards

Mick

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

Russel

Thanks for the reply. To be honest I have only given half of the story.

Ah-HA!

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

I gave the 332 to a friend who had a friend who was an ex BT telephone engineer and he pronounced that the "granualar microphone" was gone.

Whaddaya mean 'gone'? Removed? Gone as in 'irreparably damaged'? Have you some sort of microphone in the telephone at the moment? It won't work otherwise, as you need the current through the microphone to open the line and receive dialling tone as you lift the handset off the cradle.

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

I am therefore presuming that I have the right parts, the question being, how do I fit them without causing an explosion or whatever.

You're unlikely to do anything drastic, and if you can understand the information regarding the microphone in my last post, and use the picture as a guide, then you should be OK. If you wish to fit your new receiver, you'll need to have an existing receiver consisting of an aluminium 'cup' containing two bobbins covered by a thin circular stalloy diaphragm. Would it be possible to post a photo of your set-up?

[Mick Parry]

Russel

My 332L still has the original mic and ear piece but according to my friends, engineer friend, it is the grannual mic that needs replacing.

This is what I bought.

As far as I know, all I need to do is to fit the thing and my knowledge and experience is nil. Hence my request for a detailed list of how I go about it.

Once again, thanks for your help.

Regards

Mick

[Station X]

Russell has clearly explained in post 2 how to fit the new microphone and even provided a couple of pictures for guidance.

[russell_w_b]

Mick,

I should have explained that I need a photo of the receiver of your bakelite handset, not the replacement for it! Can you unscrew the bakelite ear-cup, slide off the metal diaphragm beneath, and let me see what sort of receiver you have currently?

I may have a suitable part if it is of the type that will not accommodate your new receiver insert, but I need to see it first.

[Mick Parry]

Hi Chaps

I think I am out of my depth here.

I have the correct microphone if nothing else and I will try and get someone to fit it. I do not want to risk messing the phone up and do some permanent damage to it. I was just hoping in was a case of a straight forward replacement but it looks a bit more complex than that.

Thanks for you help.

Regards

Mick

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

Hi Chaps

I think I am out of my depth here.

Thanks for you help.

Regards

Mick

Mick,

If you change your mind and decide to 'have a go', then it's easier if your telephone has a receiver suitable for modification. Have a look here, and - if your set-up is like the receiver on the right - it shouldn't be too difficult.

With care, you should be a ble to remove the armature and bobbins from the cup and set them aside intact, for use again if needs be.

[Mick Parry]

Russell

Many thanks for the email.

As it so happens I handed the 332L over to my friend yesterday who will be passing it on to the retired BT engineer later this week.

At least I have the correct replacement mic so that is one worry out of the way.

One point to remember is that what is just plain common sense to you guys is a bit of a mystery to others. I am a retired purchasing consultant and I cannot understand why anyone dosent understand the complexities EU procurement law, but then i spent 30 years on it.

Many thanks for you help, I shall let you know how it goes.

Regards

Mick

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

'...and I cannot understand why anyone dosent understand the complexities EU procurement law, but then i spent 30 years on it.'

What - even the subsection of article 156A, paragraph 2.1.1: 'Replacement of bakelite telephone receivers within the constraints of EU cross-member marketing'? You must've glossed over that bit, I guess...

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

Many thanks for you help, I shall let you know how it goes.

Thanks. it will be good to see some pics!

[Mick Parry]

Chaps

I thought it at least courteous to say thank you for the information given to me to fix my 332L.

I am semi retired and have a place 2nd home in Spain and the Engineer who fixed the phone with the 21A etc also lives abroad some of the time, hence the 2 month delay between me handing over the phone for repair and getting it back. We were never in the UK at the same time until this week.

I collected the 332L today and it now has been fixed and sounds crystal clear, in fact the person on the other end said it sounded clearer than my normal portable phone, so it is problem solved.

So once again many thanks for moving me in the right direction.

Regards

Mick

[Mick Parry]

Chaps

My 332L sounds crystal clear and it is so good that I am looking out for another GPO phone.

The only problem with my current phone is if I dial a series of numbers, it just doesn't connect. The mechanism is smooth but it just wont connect.

Is this something I shall have to learn to live with or can it be fixed.

My tele phone cable provider is NTL/VirginMedia.

Regards

Mick

[Station X]

Could you be more specific please. Can you "break" dial tone? ie does it disappear after you dial the first DIGIT? If it does do you get wrong numbers, a tone or an announcement?

Have you tried connecting a meter on ohms range across the line pair of your phone (with it disconnected from the line) then looking for low resistance followed by infinite resistance as the dial is allowed to return SLOWLY? An analogue meter is best for this and will give you an idea of the make to break ratio.

Apparently some networks are very fussy about dial speed and ratio. Perhpas you could try your phone on a BT line.

[Darren-UK]

As a guide and if it's of any help, I have both a BT line and a Virgin line. All my pre 700's work fine on either line. My area was formerly Telewest though; I understand less problems exist with this than with the former NTL areas.

[Mick Parry]

Chaps

I am totally clueless about electronics so there is more chance of me running the London Marathon than there is of me even thinking about doing a repair.

I gather from your replies that I should be able to dial out, so I will get someone to fix it.

If I tried to fix it, I would muck it up completely.

Thanks for the info.

Regards

Mick

[Darren-UK]

You could have a go at it as the problem could well be on the terminal block. Same thing happened to me with a 312 not too long ago. When I tried to dial out, as soon as I dialled the first digit I got that "beep beep beep........the number you have called has not been recognised" (or however it goes). I don't recall the exact cause but it was either wrong linecord termination or wrong strapping, one or the other. It was just a silly error on my part anyway, very simple to correct.

The same type of error can also cause the dial tone to reappear after each digit dialled.

Have a look at Graham's post (14) again and tell us what happens when you dial. Graham's more or less asking you if what I've described happens to you.

As the telephone was fixed in Spain, I'm wondering if the chap out there used a non standard (for the UK) linecord. 'Non standard' meaning different colour codes. In saying that, I don't know if wiring colours are now standard right across the EU or not.

If you don't feel you can tackle it, as you've indicated, then fair enough but these are rugged instruments and it'd do you or the 'phone no harm to have a go. There are other possible causes of the fault but we'll hang up on those while we look at the terminals and strapping.

[Mick Parry]

Hi Darren

I am away for the day so I may have a go at it tomorrow. My problem is that I am just basically useless at electrical things.

The telephone was fixed in Marlborough, I was away in Spain when it was being fixed.

Regards

Mick

[Darren-UK]

Ah sorry about that, I got the impression from post #12 that you'd taken the 'phone to Spain to be looked at

Perhaps you can do a picture of the terminal block and wiring for us?

[frglee21]

Originally Posted by Mick Parry

Chaps

I am totally clueless about electronics so there is more chance of me running the London Marathon than there is of me even thinking about doing a repair.

I gather from your replies that I should be able to dial out, so I will get someone to fix it.

If I tried to fix it, I would muck it up completely.

Thanks for the info.

Regards

Mick

Hi Mick,

I'm clueless about telephones too but following the excellent advice given in this forum I've managed to solve a few problems. While attempting repairs I've had the 'phones ringing by themselves and all sorts of squeals and noises coming out of the receiver but I haven't damaged anything yet!

Best Wishes. Lee in Manchester.