Trimphone illuminated dial. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Millay_2010 · 2nd Mar 2010, 3:38 pm

Has anyone ever tried replacing the spent luminescent tube with a bit of rubber tubbing painted with luminescent paint? would it work?

If collective wisdom doesn't think it's a stupid idea, I might just give it a try.

richwk1 · 2nd Mar 2010, 4:04 pm

Never heard of it done that way but hey! Give it a bash, what's the worst that can happen, you will have wasted a bit of time. Sorry I can't give any better advice but I haven't worked on many trimphones (706 746 are my thing). Hopefully somebody on here will have more useful input. Good luck.

Rich

frglee21 · 2nd Mar 2010, 6:52 pm

I don't know that it's been tried before but as Rich says, give it a go! Provided you can get the tube out in one piece you can always put it back if it doesn't work.

Mine's still glowing - faintly - after 40 odd years!

Best Wishes, Lee.

Millay_2010 · 2nd Mar 2010, 6:56 pm

What is the glow colour Lee? is it a green hue?

I've been thinking, it's a rather lonely thought but its definitely there perhaps this could work?

http://www.glow.co.uk/acatalog/EL_Wire_Glow_Wire.html

frglee21 · 2nd Mar 2010, 8:33 pm

Yes, it's a luminous watch green if that makes sense.

I don't know if it's worth spending 15 pounds on making the dial glow - where would you fit the battery?

Millay_2010 · 2nd Mar 2010, 8:57 pm

You are correct it's not really worth £15 to do a conversion, but it could be fun!

Locking at the specificationsIi could take an AC feed direct off the line when it is off hook its current draw is only 120mA I think.

AlanBeckett · 2nd Mar 2010, 9:12 pm

Errrrrr.
I didn't understand that at all. Where would you get 120mA from? BT feed is normally limited to 40mA, and you couldn't get that much from ringing. Anyway, you want the glow when it's on hook so you can find it.
Alan

Millay_2010 · 2nd Mar 2010, 9:24 pm

Sorry Alan, I'm not that clever at these things and just thinking aloud really.

I do think that it's fine if it's not illuminated when on hook, power source though could be from a power supply.

AlanBeckett · 2nd Mar 2010, 10:33 pm

Millay,
I have one, although its 'light' has long since expired. I also had one about 40 years ago when they were new. That was the days when you had one phone, typically in a dark hall. The 'glow' was wonderful.
An external PSU is a possibility, although it really should be a legal one. I'd love to see one glowing properly again. Perhaps someone will crack the problem for us all

Alan

Millay_2010 · 2nd Mar 2010, 11:03 pm

I would like one that glows as it would look so great, having read about tritium (the old glow making forumla), it's pretty safe when you don't eat it or mix it with water.

I'm certainly going to try watch hand paint although I'm not sure this will work too well, theplus is it requires no changes to the case or external power.

The other option is to run it off a 6V DC transformer and use the EL wire. There would be enough space inside the case of the trimphone to put the inverter.

JWatler · 20th Nov 2011, 3:27 am

I have recently painted some white card with luminous green paint which I cut to fit inside the recess which houses the tritium tube behind the transluscent dial back on my 1974 Trimphone.

The overall effect of the luminous dial is very similar to the ones I remember from the 1970s. Exposure to ambient light during the day has so far proved sufficient to maintain the glow during the night. The use of luminous painted card means that the historical integrity of the components of the telephone have not been compromised in any way and it would be very simple to renew or remove the luminous card should it prove necessary in the future.

bobbyball · 20th Nov 2011, 3:58 pm

What a good idea, where did you get the paint from?

Robert

JWatler · 21st Nov 2011, 1:51 am

The paint I used was Starglow Glow-in-the-Dark (green) please see http://www.glowtec.co.uk

bobbyball · 21st Nov 2011, 11:25 pm

Cheers!

scotfergie · 25th Dec 2011, 12:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWatler

I have recently painted some white card with luminous green paint which I cut to fit inside the recess which houses the tritium tube behind the transluscent dial back on my 1974 Trimphone.

The overall effect of the luminous dial is very similar to the ones I remember from the 1970s. Exposure to ambient light during the day has so far proved sufficient to maintain the glow during the night. The use of luminous painted card means that the historical integrity of the components of the telephone have not been compromised in any way and it would be very simple to renew or remove the luminous card should it prove necessary in the future.

You Sir - are a lateral-thinking GENIUS.

Got 4 of these (3 work), and I'm now going to see all the dials glow in the dark.

Many thanks.

Chipmunk · 29th Dec 2011, 10:33 pm

I will add my voice to the 'paint a card with luminous paint' group. It keeps the originality of the (now barely functional) tritium capsule

2nd Mar 2010, 3:38 pm	#1
Millay_2010 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 315	Trimphone illuminated dial. Has anyone ever tried replacing the spent luminescent tube with a bit of rubber tubbing painted with luminescent paint? would it work? If collective wisdom doesn't think it's a stupid idea, I might just give it a try.

2nd Mar 2010, 4:04 pm	#2
richwk1 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 80	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial Never heard of it done that way but hey! Give it a bash, what's the worst that can happen, you will have wasted a bit of time. Sorry I can't give any better advice but I haven't worked on many trimphones (706 746 are my thing). Hopefully somebody on here will have more useful input. Good luck. Rich

2nd Mar 2010, 6:52 pm	#3
frglee21 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 160	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial I don't know that it's been tried before but as Rich says, give it a go! Provided you can get the tube out in one piece you can always put it back if it doesn't work. Mine's still glowing - faintly - after 40 odd years! Best Wishes, Lee.

2nd Mar 2010, 6:56 pm	#4
Millay_2010 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 315	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial What is the glow colour Lee? is it a green hue? I've been thinking, it's a rather lonely thought but its definitely there perhaps this could work? http://www.glow.co.uk/acatalog/EL_Wire_Glow_Wire.html

2nd Mar 2010, 8:33 pm	#5
frglee21 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 160	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial Yes, it's a luminous watch green if that makes sense. I don't know if it's worth spending 15 pounds on making the dial glow - where would you fit the battery?

2nd Mar 2010, 8:57 pm	#6
Millay_2010 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 315	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial You are correct it's not really worth £15 to do a conversion, but it could be fun! Locking at the specificationsIi could take an AC feed direct off the line when it is off hook its current draw is only 120mA I think.

2nd Mar 2010, 9:12 pm	#7
AlanBeckett Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Burton upon Trent, East Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 1,686	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial Errrrrr. I didn't understand that at all. Where would you get 120mA from? BT feed is normally limited to 40mA, and you couldn't get that much from ringing. Anyway, you want the glow when it's on hook so you can find it. Alan

2nd Mar 2010, 9:24 pm	#8
Millay_2010 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 315	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial Sorry Alan, I'm not that clever at these things and just thinking aloud really. I do think that it's fine if it's not illuminated when on hook, power source though could be from a power supply.

2nd Mar 2010, 10:33 pm	#9
AlanBeckett Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Burton upon Trent, East Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 1,686	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial Millay, I have one, although its 'light' has long since expired. I also had one about 40 years ago when they were new. That was the days when you had one phone, typically in a dark hall. The 'glow' was wonderful. An external PSU is a possibility, although it really should be a legal one. I'd love to see one glowing properly again. Perhaps someone will crack the problem for us all Alan

2nd Mar 2010, 11:03 pm	#10
Millay_2010 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 315	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial I would like one that glows as it would look so great, having read about tritium (the old glow making forumla), it's pretty safe when you don't eat it or mix it with water. I'm certainly going to try watch hand paint although I'm not sure this will work too well, theplus is it requires no changes to the case or external power. The other option is to run it off a 6V DC transformer and use the EL wire. There would be enough space inside the case of the trimphone to put the inverter.

20th Nov 2011, 3:27 am	#11
JWatler Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Deal, Kent, UK. Posts: 21	Re: trimphone Illuminated dial I have recently painted some white card with luminous green paint which I cut to fit inside the recess which houses the tritium tube behind the transluscent dial back on my 1974 Trimphone. The overall effect of the luminous dial is very similar to the ones I remember from the 1970s. Exposure to ambient light during the day has so far proved sufficient to maintain the glow during the night. The use of luminous painted card means that the historical integrity of the components of the telephone have not been compromised in any way and it would be very simple to renew or remove the luminous card should it prove necessary in the future. Attached Thumbnails

20th Nov 2011, 3:58 pm	#12
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,214	Re: Trimphone illuminated dial. What a good idea, where did you get the paint from? Robert

21st Nov 2011, 1:51 am	#13
JWatler Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Deal, Kent, UK. Posts: 21	Re: Trimphone illuminated dial. The paint I used was Starglow Glow-in-the-Dark (green) please see http://www.glowtec.co.uk

21st Nov 2011, 11:25 pm	#14
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,214	Re: Trimphone illuminated dial. Cheers!

29th Dec 2011, 10:33 pm	#16
Chipmunk Triode Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 30	Re: Trimphone illuminated dial. I will add my voice to the 'paint a card with luminous paint' group. It keeps the originality of the (now barely functional) tritium capsule