Magneto Phone System    
This private exchange phone systems uses  1930's magneto phones bought on the used market.
Today there are 11 phones on this system connecting every valhalla building
....and some buildings with one on each floor to serve as an intercom.
The systems is simple and requires little maintenance.
One phone is even at the main gate for visitors callers to use to gain access          


Main house phone



Here's a shot of the gate phone.
More... on the Gate System

Phone in the new house

 

 

 


The Leich Electric Company manufactured magneto and dial equipment for the telephone industry in the 1930s and 1940s. These phones function as an intercom between the five main buildings at Valhalla. They are wired in a "common battery" configuration where all of the phones are on the same party line and when you turn the magneto crank, they all ring. Its very helpful communicating "dinnertime" 
  History of Leich Electric



Magneto phone and touch tone phone in the woodshop.
The Leich 901 phone converts between desktop and wall mounting by virtue of the ingenious way the handset cradle is designed.
The system uses the classic Bell Telephone "66 Block" at the interconnect

Phone in upper barn. Note the 12 Volt "Talk Battery" note also the "old bones"  found under the pioneer house

 

 

Dave is currently writing a pamphlet on how to restore the Leich 901 Magneto Telephone.  Also included are specific instructions on how to connect these phones together to make a very interesting intercom system. 

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Hand Sketch of the 11 phone system currently in use. Three 12 V car batteries provide "talk pwer" and the magneto crank generates 75-100 Volts AC to ring all of the phones n the system simultaneously

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