# Ringing an old phone **URL:** \ **Category:** General Electronics\ **Created:** [February 19, 2023, 11:13am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147 "2023-02-19T11:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tfmeier](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/tfmeier/32/517274_2.png) [@tfmeier](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/tfmeier)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 11:13am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/1 "2023-02-19T11:13:03Z")
A friend of mine bought an old rotary phone and over a beer we developed the idea that rather than it collecting dust it could be made to use for a door bell. Told him that as a long as there's a way to activate the ringer with some smarts (speak Arduino board, ESP etc.) giving the Arduino a signal from a door bell switch would be the least of our problems. I saw the discussion [here](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-telephone/427558/13) but the post is closed so I wonder how @xxmamakinxx managed to get this going. Is there a circuit diagram and component list I could reference to build this? Any help is much appreciated ---
**Author:** ![DrDiettrich](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/drdiettrich/32/219048_2.png) [@DrDiettrich](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/DrDiettrich)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:20pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/2 "2023-02-19T12:20:12Z")
AFAIR a 40 V signal was required to drive the bell. ---
**Author:** ![PerryBebbington](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/perrybebbington/32/238766_2.png) [@PerryBebbington](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/PerryBebbington)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:48pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/3 "2023-02-19T12:48:18Z")
This seems to be a popular topic at the moment... See [Capacitor help please (vintage phone)](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/capacitor-help-please-vintage-phone/1090822) ---
**Author:** ![PerryBebbington](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/perrybebbington/32/238766_2.png) [@PerryBebbington](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/PerryBebbington)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:50pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/4 "2023-02-19T12:50:07Z")
> [@DrDiettrich](#): > > AFAIR a 40 V signal was required to drive the bell. More like 75VAC, although I think 40VAC would probably be OK. ---
**Author:** ![paulpaulson](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/paulpaulson/32/363643_2.png) [@paulpaulson](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/paulpaulson)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/5 "2023-02-19T13:16:42Z")
Hello Take a view here to gain the knowledge. > **[BORSCHT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BORSCHT)** > > BORSCHT is an acronym for the set of functions performed by a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) in the line card of a telecommunication system providing plain old telephone service. The letters represent the following functions: > battery feed (B), overvoltage protection (O), ringing (R), signaling (S), coding (C), hybrid (H), and test (T). > An earlier or alternate version of the acronym is BORSHT, lacking the letter C for the coding function. BTW. I like [Borscht](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borscht) to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Ron\_Blain](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ron_blain/32/1126393_2.png) [@Ron\_Blain](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Ron_Blain)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/6 "2023-02-19T14:19:50Z")
See Post #3. Perry Bebbington gives a great link to a very recent discussion. I believe just about every approach was covered. The main issue with using an old phone ringer as a doorbell is the needed supply to drive it. This varied from country to country but they were all similar methods for a ring signal. Most old fashion doorbells worked on about 8 to 16 VAC 60 Hz (US). If you read through the thread Perry linked to you will see there are drivers actually made to use with old telephone ringer bells but they carry a price tag. Anyway the thread has plenty of suggestions. 🙂 Ron ---
**Author:** ![anon94801460](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@anon94801460](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/anon94801460)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/7 "2023-02-19T14:58:44Z")
Sparkfun converted a dial phone to cell around a decade ago. The project and ringer circuit is [here](https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/51). ---
**Author:** ![alto777](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/alto777/32/317385_2.png) [@alto777](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/alto777)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/8 "2023-02-19T15:25:03Z")
> [@PerryBebbington](#): > > More like 75VAC Haha, more like 90 VAC at 20 Hz. Known as _jingle_ _juice_, it can light up your eyes if you catch hold of it… ask me how I know. 😑 a7 ---
**Author:** ![camsysca](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/camsysca/32/1015228_2.png) [@camsysca](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/camsysca)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/9 "2023-02-19T15:41:46Z")
That would make you a real ding-a-ling, for sure! 🤪 Almost as bad as an old colour monitor tube, back in the day. Remember the first one of those I got zapped by. WOW! ---
**Author:** ![PerryBebbington](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/perrybebbington/32/238766_2.png) [@PerryBebbington](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/PerryBebbington)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/10 "2023-02-19T15:47:23Z")
> [@alto777](#): > > ask me how I know. I don't need to ask! I worked in telecoms too! ---
**Author:** ![tfmeier](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/tfmeier/32/517274_2.png) [@tfmeier](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/tfmeier)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 9:56pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/11 "2023-02-19T21:56:38Z")
Wow, thanks guys for all the input and suggestions. Started to take a glance at this and one thing is sure: This won't be an easy project Guess I have my work cut out for a while 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![6v6gt](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/6v6gt/32/225488_2.png) [@6v6gt](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/6v6gt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/12 "2023-02-20T02:25:52Z")
There is also this project which I published a few years ago: > [@Ringer circuit for vintage telephone bells.](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringer-circuit-for-vintage-telephone-bells/597603): > > A number of these vintage telephone bells have been turning up in online auctions here. These have been refurbished and look quite nice, and the electrical and mechanical parts are original even with cotton insulated copper wire coils. [Bells.jpg] So I bought two of these and designed and made a ringer circuit which generates the "traditional" ring pattern, so I could power them from either a USB charger or a 6 volt battery pack. It produces a 36 volt 20 Hz "square" AC which is ample for maxim… ---
**Author:** ![Grumpy\_Mike](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/grumpy_mike/32/213521_2.png) [@Grumpy\_Mike](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Grumpy_Mike)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 7:55am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/13 "2023-02-20T07:55:02Z")
Back in the late 1960s I built a telephone ringer for a stage prop for use in amateur dramatics. It was very similar to the one that @PerryBebbington showed in that link. It consisted of a multivibrator driving a small mains transformer in reverse. In order for my group to do both English ring tones "berrp berrp ...........berrp berrp" and American ring tones " berrp ........... berrp ...........", I just had a push button so that I could imitate either. But you could make the chosen ringing envelope from an Arduino to match your country. In order to help with the effect of the phone stopping ringing when lifted up I also included a cutout on the handset cradle. One night, one of the actors didn't put the phone down correctly, so on the next cue the phone wouldn't ring. So I had to modify the design so that I had a cradle override switch as well. Dangerous things amateur dramatics, that's where I met my wife. ---
**Author:** ![alto777](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/alto777/32/317385_2.png) [@alto777](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/alto777)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/14 "2023-02-20T13:13:44Z")
> [@Grumpy\_Mike](#): > > ~~Dangerous~~ Wonderful things amateur dramatics, that's where I met my wife. Fixed that for ya'. a7 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ringing-an-old-phone/1092147/15 "2023-08-19T13:14:33Z")
Closed on August 19, 2023, 1:14pm UTC This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.