On Nov 20, 12:54*am, "Leroy" wrote:
Seerialmom wrote:
On Nov 19, 6:21 pm, "Bill" wrote:
Wired doorbells have a transformer which is always on and always using
electricity. This is yet one more thing in the house which does this like
TV, microwave, remote control things, things with clocks, plug-in phones,
etc.

These things add up...

I replaced/rewired my switch so the transformer is only on when the
doorbell button is pressed! Thus the transformer is off most of the time
now.

I installed a regular electrical box at my front door, ran 14 ga. romex
from this box to the doorbell transformer, then got a nice brass blank wall
plate, drilled a hole in this plate, then installed a 120V momentary push
switch in the plate. Then wired this to switch on the transformer when the
button is pressed. Then connected the two wires which were going to the old
button so the doorbell would ring as soon as it receives power from the
transformer.

My first thought when reading this was "ok...so we'd save a few
pennies a month". *But I investigated and found a rather interesting
read related to your theory where the author actually tested the
doorbell transformer using a Kill-A-Watt:

http://www.newenglandbreeze.com/nl/TEM20080901.html

Luckily my doorbell isn't lighted, so it's probably not worth my time
and effort to change.

yeah, the article stated 3 lousy watts for a *lighted* doorbell. *I doubt
that an unlighted doorbell switch even draws a watt. *It's a transformer
but it has *no* load on it at all except for the brief moment it's pushed..
Much ado about Nothing.

One watt for a year would be about a dollar a year. *The payback
on all the OP's effort will take a Long time. g- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Such a door bell transformer is typically capable of a maximum of 7
watts or less when it is actually ringing the bell or door chime. Many
are not designed for continuous use. Next time I have spare moment
will measure the amount of electrcity such a transformer takes in it'
'idle' state.
It's most likely a few milliamps. Well lets say 10 milliamps (A 100th
of one amp) to be generous to a fairly low grade transformer.
One 100th of an amp at 115 volts = 1.15 watts per hour, 27.6 watt
hours per day or 10,074 watt hours per year. That's just over 10
kilowatt hours per year. Although I doubt it is that high?
At my cost of electrcity (ten cents per kilowatt hour) that's just
about one dollar per year. A saving of one dollar per year (over 20
years) could probably amortize a capital saving at the start of that
period of around $12. Spend more that and it not economic.
Our transformer which has been in place for the last 38 years does run
slightly warm. In this cool climate that warmth does very, very
slightly, but insignificantly, contribute to the electric house
heating. Probably less so than normally leaving the bath and shower
water to cool down to house temperature.
Seemed like rather pointless exercise?