I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?

jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?

Hi,
Tried reversing diode? From ----|------- to ------|--------.

jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?


I would try putting the diode in the line at the upstairs chimes instead
of at the button.

A diode would essentially cut the voltage in half. The old chimes
probably need full voltage.

On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 20:16:37 GMT, Rich256 wrote:


jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?


I would try putting the diode in the line at the upstairs chimes instead
of at the button.

A diode would essentially cut the voltage in half. The old chimes
probably need full voltage.

More importantly, a diode only conducts in one direction. If you have
an AC system and a DC doorbell, the diode, only conducting in one direction,
would cause pulsing DC to appear at the doorbell.

Put the diode in line with the new doorbell so that the normal AC
will go to the downstairs doorbell. If it doesn't work, switch
the diode.

"jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?


Is this one chime with two buttons? I have that setup and it required the
diode only on the front door. Check to see that you are wired correctly at
the chime. Will it work with the front disconnected?

Rich256 wrote:
jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?


I would try putting the diode in the line at the upstairs chimes instead
of at the button.

A diode would essentially cut the voltage in half. The old chimes
probably need full voltage.


I spoke too soon. The diode is hooked across the button terminals to
provide power to the chimes.

I don't think you can have different types or perhaps even two units.
The new (with the diode) may allow additional speakes.

On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:43:42 GMT, Rich256 wrote:


Rich256 wrote:
jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?


I would try putting the diode in the line at the upstairs chimes instead
of at the button.

A diode would essentially cut the voltage in half. The old chimes
probably need full voltage.


I spoke too soon. The diode is hooked across the button terminals to
provide power to the chimes.

I don't think you can have different types or perhaps even two units.
The new (with the diode) may allow additional speakes.

Or it may be there to allow different rings for front and back door buttons.

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:43:42 GMT, Rich256 wrote:


Rich256 wrote:
jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?

I would try putting the diode in the line at the upstairs chimes instead
of at the button.

A diode would essentially cut the voltage in half. The old chimes
probably need full voltage.


I spoke too soon. The diode is hooked across the button terminals to
provide power to the chimes.

I don't think you can have different types or perhaps even two units.
The new (with the diode) may allow additional speakes.

Or it may be there to allow different rings for front and back door buttons.

It is not a front and back door problem. It is two different types of
ringers being driven off the same button.

The way I think his system works is:

The diode for the new chimes provides power all the time. When that
diode is shorted out it signals the new one to cycle through it's tones.

If the old bell was the "ding-dong" type. Closing the button picked up
a plunger giving one tone. When released it gives the second. With a
diode across the button the plunger might be picked up all the time.

Rich256 wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:43:42 GMT, Rich256 wrote:


Rich256 wrote:
jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button. I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new
chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?

I would try putting the diode in the line at the upstairs chimes
instead of at the button.

A diode would essentially cut the voltage in half. The old chimes
probably need full voltage.


I spoke too soon. The diode is hooked across the button terminals to
provide power to the chimes.

I don't think you can have different types or perhaps even two units.
The new (with the diode) may allow additional speakes.

Or it may be there to allow different rings for front and back door
buttons.

It is not a front and back door problem. It is two different types of
ringers being driven off the same button.

The way I think his system works is:

The diode for the new chimes provides power all the time. When that
diode is shorted out it signals the new one to cycle through it's tones.

If the old bell was the "ding-dong" type. Closing the button picked up
a plunger giving one tone. When released it gives the second. With a
diode across the button the plunger might be picked up all the time.

Forgot to add that with the diode the new chimes continues to get power
after the button is released, allowing it to cycle through all the
chimes or whatever.

If all else fails he can add a relay with a 24VAC coil to the circuit. The
button would operate the old chime directly and also feed the coil of the
relay. The contacts of the relay become the the "button" to the new chime
and whatever need to be done with the diode (across the contacts
apparently) is done at that point. One country--two systems! It'll be the
Hong Kong of doorbells!

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:12:35 GMT, Rich256 wrote:

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:43:42 GMT, Rich256 wrote:


Rich256 wrote:
jack wrote:
I have a doorbell button at the front door and chimes upstairs and
downstairs. The old chime upstair quit so I bought a new chime, which
required a diode on the button.

Do you mean from one button terminal to the other button terminal?

Or for some reason, from one button terminal to the wire that used to
be on the terminal?

Or something else?

It sounds like you mean the first, but it seeems like that would use a
lot of electricity for nothing.

I did this, but now the downstairs
chime dosn't work. ( It does not require a diode) The new chime
works fine.. Is there anything I can wire in to the lower unit to
counteract the diode?




Or it may be there to allow different rings for front and back door buttons.

It is not a front and back door problem. It is two different types of
ringers being driven off the same button.

The way I think his system works is:

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

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

diode is shorted out it signals the new one to cycle through it's tones.

If the old bell was the "ding-dong" type. Closing the button picked up
a plunger giving one tone. When released it gives the second. With a
diode across the button the plunger might be picked up all the time.

Yes, Or at least not have enough oomph to spring back and ring the
chime.

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.

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!!

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.

mm wrote:
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 don't think so - perhaps less - the clock is running. The polarity of
the rectified voltage derived from the diode most likely is used to bias
off all circuitry. The only load will be the heat generated in the
transformer and that is there for all doorbells. Only when the full ac
is present does the chimes start operation.


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.


Yes. Cheaper. 50 years ago they didn't have the electronics to cycle
through the program either (except of course very large ones using
primitive transistors or tubes). Ones like mine couldn't be more
simple. A clock motor. When the button closes a path is provided to
start the motor. Once started it moves a rotary switch that keeps power
on it until the cycle is complete. Along the way the switch has contact
that energize selected plungers.

Just took a look around the web. Confirmed what I thought and am pretty
certain that the original post problem is what I describe. The diode
goes across the contacts of the switch to provide a bias voltage. The
plunger on the other type will most likely be picked up all the time.

http://www.musicaldoorbell.com/installation.htm

If his chimes use a speaker his solution might be to replace the old
bell with a speaker (using the old wires for the speaker).

On Fri, 17 Mar 2006 00:23:41 -0500, mm wrote:


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.

Big deal; about a buck a year.

Tell me how to do this, what ohm speaker?