I can repair a CNC machine, but not a doorbell !

D

D. Thomas

Guest

• Aug 18, 2003

• #1

Warning- Extremely boring thread to follow-

She who must be obeyed finally demanded I get our doorbell working ! Now, I always thought a knock would be good enough, but nope, gotta have that ding dong. Anyway, after some poking around, I figure out that the upstairs one will work by itself and the downstairs one will "sort of" work by itself, but only dongs without a ding, but together they don't work at all. Seems like they never did work quite right, but use to do something. I get a voltage reading of 10....seems low....~nowhere~ on either unit does it say what voltage they are supposed to be...finally find the transformer hidden away....10 volt label on it. Find the upstairs unit, the one that works, a Nutone model, on the web, sez 10 volts.

So all I can figure is the larger (no name) downstairs unit that only sort of works is actually supposed to be operated at a higher voltage than 10 volts and that even if it was 10 volts a larger output transformer is needed to operate two units. Seems like the solution would be a 16 volt transfomer of larger output...a few extra volts wouldn't hurt the Nutone 10 volt unit, would it ?

 

WILLEO6709

Diamond

Joined

Nov 6, 2001

Location

WAPELLO, IA USA

• Aug 18, 2003

• #2

well, D, it'd sure help if they gave the ladder diagrams and complete electrical prints along with voltages, wattages, etc. now wouldn't it. I never messed with doorbells, always had more fun toys to play with. seems nothing is built to be repaired easily sometimes.

 

P

Peter S

Diamond

Joined

May 6, 2002

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

• Aug 18, 2003

• #3

D.
Can't help with the voltage question, (though my guess is a few extra volts won't hurt...) but seems like new doorbells down here are wireless, sounds like a simple fix to me, no wires, no transformer. Chime is about 2"x2"x1" and takes two AAs'.

 

D

D. Thomas

Guest

• Aug 18, 2003

• #4

The catch with wireless are those 2 AA's. Replacing batteries adds one more complexity to life I don't need. Wires are all in place already, so hard wired it shall remain.

 

G

gamachinist

Aluminum

Joined

Apr 19, 2003

Location

Locust Grove Ga USA

• Aug 18, 2003

• #5

Before you get fired up about one only going "dong" instead of "ding-dong",the one at my folks house was made that way so's you could tell which door was being "rung".
Or you could go low tech.My Grandmothers house had a bell with a knob you turned to ring it.I kind of miss that type of thing.No batteries or wires to get loose.
On the subject of doorbells,anyone else here seen Rocky Horror enough to remember the audience reply to Brad ringing the doorbell at Franks place?Every stinking time I ring a doorbell or even walk up to a door "ding dong,a**hole calling" goes through my mind!
Robert.

 

M

mh454

Plastic

Joined

Jul 13, 2003

Location

North Dakota

• Aug 18, 2003

• #6

We have one of those wireless doorbells where the speaker plugs into the outlet and the doorbell itself takes a 9V battery. No wires and haven't replaced a battery for over 5 years I know for sure (may even be longer).

 

J

J Tiers

Guest

• Aug 18, 2003

• #7

D:
If it's mechanical.
The ding/dong is usually a ding when you press and the other when you release. It pulls in a little moving cylinder with a solenoid coil to make the ding, lets loose and a spring pushes it back to "dong". There is an overshoot against a spring both ways so that it hits but doesn't stay stuck against the sounder tube/spring/whatever.

The back and front door thing is usually with a single unit, it has two different moving "hammers". You might be sure that you have it on the right door's connection.

Otherwise, odds are that either it isn't getting enough juice to pull in and hit for the ding, or else it is stuck by a piece of dust, etc. My doorbell transformer is 18 volts AC just sittng there waiting. Sags a lot under load, but that is normal for doorbells.

Now, where is the downstairs door on that boat?

[This message has been edited by J Tiers (edited 08-18-2003).]

 

W

Weirsdale George

Stainless

Joined

May 17, 2003

Location

Weirsdale, FL

• Aug 18, 2003

• #8

Don,
I feel your pain. I had the same problem with my Servant Call System. It is supposed to go ding for the Cook, dong for the Head Housekeeper and ding-dong for the Butler, but I was forever getting a dong instead of a ding-dong. To say the least, this was upsetting the Head Housekeeper. It turns out someone had tampered with the overshoot springs. After some detective work, it was found that the Butler did it!

 

D

D. Thomas

Guest

• Aug 18, 2003

• #9

George, do you have a source on the golden braided and plumage tasseled rope you pull from your bed each morning for breakfast ?

 

W

WJHartson

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 13, 2003

Location

Pass Christian, MS, USA

• Aug 18, 2003

• #10

I let all of my servents go because I couldn't keep the ding-dong working right.

In working on some of the doorbells in my rental houses I have found most of the problems in the push button due to corrosion resulting in high resistance. Connection have also been coroded.

Hope this helps.

Joe

 

Y

yf

Aluminum

Joined

Nov 25, 2002

Location

Highview, NY USA

• Aug 19, 2003

• #11

FWIW, chimes are usually 16 volt.
I've seen older ones rated 8, 10, 12 etc.
I would change the one marked 10 volt and replace the transformer with a 16 volt 20VA.
Make sure the other chime is rated 16V, or change it too.

Plain chimes are cheap enough. I've seen them in the discount stores here (Brooklyn) for less than $5.00.
The fancy ones are the same units as the plain ones with a different cover.

 

P

Peter S

Diamond

Joined

May 6, 2002

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

• Aug 19, 2003

• #12

D.
Before buying a new transformer you could test the voltage theory by connecting some batteries together and trying different voltages on each chime. It may change the chime speed/note. (You could try lugging your car battery upstairs, don't blame me for the acid on the carpet, dry cells sound like less stress).

Had a look at my old (pre-electronic and non-working) chime, its transformer has tappings for 4, 8 & 12 volts, the chime is basically a two-plunger solenoid, make sure the solenoid plungers are not sticking. Mine also has a mercury switch and an adjustable rheostat, this may change chime speed/note?
Also the rubber grommets used to suspend the chime tubes perish.
I suppose you may have some new-fangled electronic/speaker type...

[This message has been edited by Peter S (edited 08-19-2003).]

 

R

Roman

Plastic

Joined

Aug 10, 2003

Location

chugiak, alaska, usa

• Aug 19, 2003

• #13

D:

I can understand your frustation with the door bell dinging and donging "or not" as the case may be. I too have similar issues with telephones. I have never been able to get a telephone to work again after I've worked on it. However, I design controls systems and fix problems on 100 million dollar gas and steam turbines, so go figure.... I'm not very good with TV's either but that's another story. I loved the lighthearted tongue in cheek replies.

 

M

malia

Aluminum

Joined

Jul 18, 2003

Location

Douglass, KS, USA

• Aug 19, 2003

• #14

I agree with "WJHartson". Check the button. usualy the problem & cheap to replace.

 

D

D. Thomas

Guest

• Aug 19, 2003

• #15

You guys that are saying "check the button" and/or explaining the workings of a doorbell need to realise that just because someone asks a stupid question doesn't mean they are ~reaaal~ stupid

Of course I checked the button contacts...first thing I did (plus confirming the same problem occurs bypassing the button and closing circuit direct) and of course I know exactly how a doorbell chime works....obvious within three seconds of taking the cover off of one.

SHeesh...the issue isn't the button, how one works, or going wireless, the issue is the ~transformer~ and how to find out what voltage is the downstairs no name ding donger that doesn't say what voltage it is anywhere.

Thanks yf, you did get directly to the query. Guess I'll replace the 10 volt transvormer with a 16 and see if the Nutone coils get hot while dinging. If they do, chuck it and buy another dinger of appropriate voltage.

 

M

mattei

Aluminum

Joined

Nov 3, 2001

Location

OH

• Aug 19, 2003

• #16

Just a joke:

Remember " There is no such thing as a stupid question! Just stupid people that ask questions."

Ha.Ha....

P.S.- Get a wireless.....

 

J

J Tiers

Guest

• Aug 19, 2003

• #17

No D, Not stupid, just busy, and that means its easy to overlook things like which chime connection it got connected to.
Especially when you have two doors and two different chimes.

ps was that enough emoticons?