On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 14:45:19 GMT, Rich256 wrote:

mm wrote:


The diode for the new chimes provides power all the time. When that

Why would they do that? Doesn't it waste a lot of electricty

Not really. Most likely less than running a clock.

That's one more clock.

I have one, perhaps 20 years old or more, that has power from the
transformer hooked directly to the chimes. The button then is hooked
directly to the chimes. The chime unit then supplies the power to
illuminate a lamp in the button.

When the button is pushed it starts a motor in the chimes that energizes
a series of three plungers for three different tones.

Along the way it makes a couple contacts so extra units can be run from it.

When it would be so easy to keep the swtich open and use closing the
switch as a signal to cycle through its tones.

Somehow the button would have to be held for 10 seconds or more!!

They've had doorbells that chime 8 tones or more for more than 50
years. Are you saying they used this system all this time? I would
have thought they used a latching relay in the past, and some scr or
timer these days.