On Tue, 13 Oct 2020 13:22:10 +0100, T i m wrote:


Our doorbell is a conventional 'Ding-dong' solenoid 6V battery powered
(4x C cell) type with a wired bell push.

So I could hear it in the garden it's near the back of the house and
so because of the double glazing, you often (depending on other
outside noise levels etc) can't hear it outside the front door.

Some of the delivery drivers (and a couple in particular) *also*
either rap the letterbox or tap the glass (one quite 'energetically
that makes the dog think he was an aggressor and he tells him so when
I open the door). ;-)

So, without putting any significant extra load on the battery system
or replacing the bell etc, is there an existing solution that provides
positive feedback for a successful press of the doorbell or can anyone
think of something that could be made / done that would provide such?

Like, I'm thinking there must be 6V across the back of the bell push
and so there could be the source of some energy to charge a cap that
could then be use to momentarily illuminate or rapidly flash a LED
that could be fitted into the std bell push? Should be ok as long as
the quiescent current remained very very low?

Or I could fit a small box containing such electronics on the back of
the door frame behind the bell push if required (because you would
probably need more wires etc and I don't want to have to run any)

It's not a biggie but I know myself how any lack of feedback that the
bell has sounded can be frustrating and it must be even more so if you
have to press 100+ a day to earn a living. ;-(

Maybe an audio 'repeater' in / behind the bell push (cellphone
speaker?) would be better than a LED, even if it was only a momentary
'Beep', as you pressed the button?

Cheers, T i m


You need to design and make a miniature dingdong mounted near the
door, dropping only 1V in series with the existing push. It only has
to be loud enough to be heard there so not much power needed.

You need a dingdong rather than a buzzer to make the caller realise
that keeping the button pressed is counter-productive.

I think the torrent of presses used by some callers is to make you
think they're not chancers, so worthy of having the door opened.
--
Dave W