Electric door bell not working

[noddy997]

Hi All,

Got an older electric door bell with 12v transformer on first floor. The transformer shows 12v on the multimeter (without the fuse inserted, with it it doesn't show 12v).

The first floor chime has 12v going to it, and there is continuity of 003.

The downstairs chime does not show 12v, and there is continuity of 003.

The push button has no 0v and no continuity - does this mean the wire is cut somewhere?

Cheers

 

[Deryck Tintagel]

Does the fuse blow when inserted?

Can you draw a diagram of the setup and where you are measuring?

 

[noddy997]

Does the fuse blow when inserted?

Can you draw a diagram of the setup and where you are measuring?

No it doesn't blow.

I've found a cable that was cut, but when checking the continuity on that and voltage again nothing. Am guessing it is cut elsewhere too. By carpet fitters.

 

[ericmark]

I think the main question is if worth it. I must admit I like the hard wired door bell, but I now use wireless type, and simply not worth the effort wiring one up.

I also have a upstairs and downstairs chime, however it was by accident in a way, I use TP-link tapo and kasa hubs for lights and central heating and they have a built in chime so added a push button at the door, lucky door is sheltered so don't need a water proof push button.

It also records when the button is pressed.

I can't see how we can help you, as you seem to know what you are doing, oddly my move to wireless door bell was also due to carpet fitters they smashed the TRV head on the radiator which I replaced with kasa rather than energenie which resulted in the hub with chime built in.

 

[noddy997]

I think the main question is if worth it. I must admit I like the hard wired door bell, but I now use wireless type, and simply not worth the effort wiring one up.

I also have a upstairs and downstairs chime, however it was by accident in a way, I use TP-link tapo and kasa hubs for lights and central heating and they have a built in chime so added a push button at the door, lucky door is sheltered so don't need a water proof push button.

It also records when the button is pressed.

I can't see how we can help you, as you seem to know what you are doing, oddly my move to wireless door bell was also due to carpet fitters they smashed the TRV head on the radiator which I replaced with kasa rather than energenie which resulted in the hub with chime built in.

Is the tp link tapo and kaso hubs some smart stuff?

Honestly, must've had 2 or 3 wireless door bells in last 6/7 years and they pack up one way or another. Nothing but tat.

The Ringo stuff is absolutely rip off in my opinion and wouldn't be surprised it can be hacked.

Reason I had no voltage was the fuse was out, duh! Popped that back in and used some splices and it works.

Nothing beats the old wired doorbells, they're loud, unlike the wireless junk.

Thanks for mentioning the water proof push button, will try and find one. Preferably an illuminated one. Got a byron one for now and they aren't the best.

Decent Wired door bell chimes and push buttons are extremely hard to find thanks to the hyped dingo Ringo.

 

[ericmark]

I must admit last house the door was not protected as well as this one, and I did have problems with water in the push button, cross fingers no problem here, but the door bell push button is not water proof so there is a chance in the future it could fail, it is powered by a 3 volt button cell, the rest is mains powered.

The sounders are quite loud, so no complaints that way, but the old wireless system was too quiet, getting a system with multi sounders either wired or wireless seems hard, in the 80's I got one with a door bell at the door and an extra speaker and door push for back of house with a different sound, it was great, but they seem to be long gone.

What I do find is then some one says I rang the bell and there was no answer looking on phone and saying when did you ring it, well there is no report it was rung at that time see we had three sets of trick and treat visitors and two pressed the door bell twice, actually four sets I was still at the door when one set came down the drive.

But to use what I have as a door bell only would be silly, I only have it as the hubs also work lights and the central heating. I turned the outside light to green for halloween why I used a colour changing smart bulb for outside light I don't know, wife will not let me set it to red.

 

[noddy997]

I must admit last house the door was not protected as well as this one, and I did have problems with water in the push button, cross fingers no problem here, but the door bell push button is not water proof so there is a chance in the future it could fail, it is powered by a 3 volt button cell, the rest is mains powered.

The sounders are quite loud, so no complaints that way, but the old wireless system was too quiet, getting a system with multi sounders either wired or wireless seems hard, in the 80's I got one with a door bell at the door and an extra speaker and door push for back of house with a different sound, it was great, but they seem to be long gone.

What I do find is then some one says I rang the bell and there was no answer looking on phone and saying when did you ring it, well there is no report it was rung at that time see View attachment 319432we had three sets of trick and treat visitors and two pressed the door bell twice, actually four sets I was still at the door when one set came down the drive.

But to use what I have as a door bell only would be silly, I only have it as the hubs also work lights and the central heating. I turned the outside light to green for halloween why I used a colour changing smart bulb for outside light I don't know, wife will not let me set it to red.

Oh lord, too much technology and apps!

You can still get some chimes on amazon, the honeywell looks like a common one from yesteryear that never failed.

12v transformers may be available from independent aladin cave type hardware shops.

 

[morqthana]

Nothing beats the old wired doorbells, they're loud, unlike the wireless junk.

There's no causal link between wireless and a low-volume sounder.

Thanks for mentioning the water proof push button, will try and find one. Preferably an illuminated one. Got a byron one for now and they aren't the best.

If you want to spend £stupid like I've just done, you could get a Luxello. Spore is another make along the same lines.

Decent Wired door bell chimes and push buttons are extremely hard to find thanks to the hyped dingo Ringo.

As above, there's no reason whatsoever why a wireless system has to be any lower in quality than a wired one - buttons could be just as good, sounders could be just as good. The reason you can't find decent ones isn't because they're wireless, it's that not enough people want to pay for decent ones. As in so many areas too many people buy entirely on price, never thinking that 'cheap' in £ terms means 'cheap' in quality terms, this encourages enough makers/sellers to engage in a race to the bottom for all the mid-range products to disappear, and you're left with a choice between cheap utter carp and £stupid nice stuff.

I eventually gave up trying to find anything that wasn't utter carp and went with a £stupid Luxello.

I did consider DIY-ing. I have the wall space to use a normal single-gang switch, so I thought about getting a waterproof illuminated push button from RS/CPC/Rapid/et-al and mounting it on a stainless steel or powder coated alu face plate - either buying a toggle switch and removing the actual switch, or buying a blanking plate and cutting a hole in the centre, but decided in the end I didn't have the time.


Hopefully finding the bit which makes the noise won't be as painful.

 

[SUNRAY]

I turned the outside light to green for halloween why I used a colour changing smart bulb for outside light I don't know, wife will not let me set it to red.

errrrrrr y not?

Don't a red lite meen stop?