My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Ah c'mon, don't be sarcastic.

Telephone/furnace wires would not be behind a doorbell button.
Maybe I did not explain myself very well.

My thinking is that the house was originally wired for a doorbell, but
for some reason the homeowners' decided to go with a battery operated
doorbell. I just can't find the wires inside my home that would connect
to a doorbell box.

I would love to have a wired doorbell.

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

On Feb 18, 11:24*pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, *wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. *Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? *The back door area has the same
colored wires.

No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. *Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?

Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical junction
box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe power supply
for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together and see if you
hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can you se anything
that looks like a bell?

hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical junction
box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe power supply
for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together and see if you
hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can you se anything
that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I can't
find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.

Many thanks!

Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical junction
box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe power supply
for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together and see if you
hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can you se anything
that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I can't
find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.

Many thanks!

If you can stick your head up into the attic hatch, look around for
a string or two of twisted red/white bell wire and see where it goes.
If you spot the wires, there will probably be a bell transformer
mounted on a junction box up there in the attic. You will see a pair
going to both doors and to wherever a bell was mounted. A pair from
the transformer will be going to the bell location with the others.
It's possible the wires come out behind the newer battery operated
bell. Here's a link with helpful illustrations to help you understand.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-i...r/doorbell.htm

TDD

Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated
doorbell which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door
that there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does
this mean the house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door
area has the same colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd
you get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might
be for a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical
junction box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe
power supply for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together
and see if you hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can
you se anything that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I
can't find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.


Measuring for voltage may help even if it doesn't ring. I think most doorbells
used 24VAC power. It's probably disconnected, but who knows.

The Daring Dufas wrote:
Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean
the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical junction
box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe power supply
for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together and see if you
hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can you se anything
that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I
can't find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.

Many thanks!

If you can stick your head up into the attic hatch, look around for
a string or two of twisted red/white bell wire and see where it goes.
If you spot the wires, there will probably be a bell transformer
mounted on a junction box up there in the attic. You will see a pair
going to both doors and to wherever a bell was mounted. A pair from
the transformer will be going to the bell location with the others.
It's possible the wires come out behind the newer battery operated
bell. Here's a link with helpful illustrations to help you understand.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-i...r/doorbell.htm

TDD
Very good info., and thank you so much for the informative site.
I have my work cut out for me, and I will definitely check out the attic.

Many thanks TDD.

Bob F wrote:
Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated
doorbell which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door
that there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does
this mean the house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door
area has the same colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd
you get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might
be for a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.
Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical
junction box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe
power supply for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together
and see if you hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can
you se anything that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I
can't find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.


Measuring for voltage may help even if it doesn't ring. I think most doorbells
used 24VAC power. It's probably disconnected, but who knows.


I have an electrician friend who will be here in two weeks, so I will
probably have to wait until he gets here. I am not giving up though,
and hope to figure it out myself.

Thank you!

Kate wrote:
Bob F wrote:
Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated
doorbell which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door
that there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does
this mean the house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door
area has the same colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd
you get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might
be for a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.
Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical
junction box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe
power supply for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together
and see if you hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can
you se anything that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I
can't find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.


Measuring for voltage may help even if it doesn't ring. I think most
doorbells used 24VAC power. It's probably disconnected, but who knows.


I have an electrician friend who will be here in two weeks, so I will
probably have to wait until he gets here. I am not giving up though,
and hope to figure it out myself.

Thank you!

It is possible the original system was wired and died (meaning the
transformer/bell failed) and was "fixed" by installing the battery
powered bell(s). If that happened then brushing the wire together will
get you no info. What's wrong with replacing the battery or another
battery system?

"Kate" wrote in message
...
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that there
is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the house is
wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same colored
wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

I too have a battery operated doorbell. There is not now and never was a
transformer to supply power. The only problem we have had (not counting the
batteries wearing out) is that the doorbell button cannot be ythe kind that
lights up. Using one of those, the little lamp in the button acts as if the
switch was already pressed. I ended up having to get a lighted button and
cuting out the little lamp.

The reason we ended up this way was that the builder had not wired the door
postion for a doorbell at all (most people in the neighborhood use wireless
bell systems) but we already had a bell that gave us about two dozen tunes
that it would play and can be changed with the seaons. It has patriotic
themes, Christmas carols, Hail the gang's all here, Saints go marching in,
etc. It is about twenty years old now and still chiming along.

Charlie

On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:24:02 -0700, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as the
OP is pretending to be.

On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:50:47 -0500, LouB wrote:
Kate wrote:
Bob F wrote:
Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated
doorbell which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door
that there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does
this mean the house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door
area has the same colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd
you get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might
be for a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.
Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical
junction box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe
power supply for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together
and see if you hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can
you se anything that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I
can't find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.


Measuring for voltage may help even if it doesn't ring. I think most
doorbells used 24VAC power. It's probably disconnected, but who knows.


I have an electrician friend who will be here in two weeks, so I will
probably have to wait until he gets here. I am not giving up though,
and hope to figure it out myself.

Thank you!

It is possible the original system was wired and died (meaning the
transformer/bell failed) and was "fixed" by installing the battery
powered bell(s). If that happened then brushing the wire together will
get you no info. What's wrong with replacing the battery or another
battery system?

If the wires are ok, then it will be an easy job getting the wired
system working again. Asside from the wire and the pushbutton, the
only other components are the transformer and bell.

Wireless systems suck by comparison -- I've got one to reach a carport
on the other side of a locked gate. So far, two transmitters have
failed to outlast more than one battery change. 3 years, 3
transmitters.

"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-i...r/doorbell.htm

TDD

Thanks to that link I was able to fix my doorbell that has been going "CLUNK
dong" for two years now.

Eilean

My thinking is that the house was originally wired for a doorbell, but
for some reason the homeowners' decided to go with a battery operated
doorbell. I just can't find the wires inside my home that would connect
to a doorbell box.

I would love to have a wired doorbell.

I had the exact same issue, had no idea where the transformer was or
the doorbell wires

One day I talked to a neighbor, looked at where his doorbell and
transformer was went back home and found mine in less than 15
minutes

Good thing too the doorbell transformer buried under a cieling was
VERY HOT, smelled of smoke I powered off the house and discoinnected
it after letting it cool for awhile, so I wouldnt get burned

A week later I had my new doorbell chime working

Make friends with your neighbors you can learn things from them

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as the
OP is pretending to be.

I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like to
answer.

I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to worry
about wiring my Barbie Play House. Since I've grown up I've learned a lot
of skills that they never used to teach girls in school (such as running
electric fencing, defrosting frozen well pumps, wall repair, lancing an
abscessed hoof on a draft horse, helping a ewe give birth, running a
tractor, etc.) but I still haven't learned everything about everything yet.

Can you make a fine chocolate torte? Sew a set of drapes? Fix a complete
Thanksgiving dinner? We all have different skills that we bring to the
newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the all the guy stuff yet
but that's why I am he to learn what I still need to know. Today I
managed to fix my own malfunctioning doorbell because of the nice link
someone provided.

BTW, I did think your answer was sort of amusing. But then I'm used to
newsgroup sarcasm and am not unduly alarmed over it. I just wanted to point
out that not everyone is just trollin' along...

Eilean

On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:29:46 -0500, EileanDonan wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as the
OP is pretending to be.

I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like to
answer.

I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to worry
about wiring my Barbie Play House. Since I've grown up I've learned a lot
of skills that they never used to teach girls in school (such as running
electric fencing, defrosting frozen well pumps, wall repair, lancing an
abscessed hoof on a draft horse, helping a ewe give birth, running a
tractor, etc.) but I still haven't learned everything about everything yet.

Can you make a fine chocolate torte? Sew a set of drapes? Fix a complete
Thanksgiving dinner? We all have different skills that we bring to the
newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the all the guy stuff yet

If I see a rod accross the top of a window, I can figure out it is
for drapes.
If it's thankgiving day, and there's a raw turkey in the kitchen, I
can figure out that perhaps it's for the dinner.

Asking if wires behind a doorbell button might be for a doorbell was
****ing stupid. It is not reasonable to equate the realization that
the wires behind a doorbell button are for a doorbell with cooking a
chocolate tort.

On Feb 19, 8:56*am, "Charlie" wrote:
"Kate" wrote in message

...





My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that there
is a red and a white wire behind the button. *Does this mean the house is
wired for a wired doorbell? *The back door area has the same colored
wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. *I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

I too have a battery operated doorbell. There is not now and never was a
transformer to supply power. The only problem we have had (not counting the
batteries wearing out) is that the doorbell button cannot be ythe kind that
lights up. Using one of those, the little lamp in the button acts as if the
switch was already pressed. I ended up having to get a lighted button and
cuting out the little lamp.

The reason we ended up this way was that the builder had not wired the door
postion for a doorbell at all (most people in the neighborhood use wireless
bell systems) but we already had a *bell that gave us about two dozen tunes
that it would play and can be changed with the seaons. It has patriotic
themes, Christmas carols, Hail the gang's all here, Saints go marching in,
etc. It is about twenty years old now and still chiming along.

Charlie- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The best plan of attack was from the poster who suggested finding a
neighbor who has the same or similar house. If this house was built
as one of a series in a development, then they usually are wired
somewhat similarly and it would give you good places to start looking.

Also, how about where a chime would go. What's there? The battery
operated one? Wires behind it? If you can measure voltage between
any of the wires, you could then turn off breakers until you find the
circuit it is on. That could help locate the area where the
transformer might be. If you don't know what the transformer looks
like, go to a HD or hardware store and look at one. They are
typically fastened directly to some type of electric box. An example
would be on the side or top of a single bulb basement light fixture.
Also, I'd focus the search at least initially at the locus of where
the chime would be and the doorbell button or buttons. They usually
don't put the transformer a long way away.

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:29:46 -0500, EileanDonan
wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as
the OP is pretending to be.

I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like
to answer.

I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to
worry about wiring my Barbie Play House. Since I've grown up I've
learned a lot of skills that they never used to teach girls in
school (such as running electric fencing, defrosting frozen well
pumps, wall repair, lancing an abscessed hoof on a draft horse,
helping a ewe give birth, running a tractor, etc.) but I still
haven't learned everything about everything yet.

Can you make a fine chocolate torte? Sew a set of drapes? Fix a
complete Thanksgiving dinner? We all have different skills that we
bring to the newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the
all the guy stuff yet

If I see a rod accross the top of a window, I can figure out it is
for drapes.
If it's thankgiving day, and there's a raw turkey in the kitchen, I
can figure out that perhaps it's for the dinner.

Asking if wires behind a doorbell button might be for a doorbell was
****ing stupid. It is not reasonable to equate the realization that
the wires behind a doorbell button are for a doorbell with cooking a
chocolate tort.

I'd suggest that the OP was merely being thorough - giving us all the available
data as well as she could. I could also suggest that your response was "****ing
stupid" in addition to obnoxious and crude.

On Feb 19, 10:31*am, "Bob F" wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:29:46 -0500, EileanDonan
wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. *I don't think anybody is as stupid as
the OP is pretending to be.

I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like
to answer.

I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to
worry about wiring my Barbie Play House. *Since I've grown up I've
learned a lot of skills that they never used to teach girls in
school (such as running electric fencing, defrosting frozen well
pumps, wall repair, lancing an abscessed hoof on a draft horse,
helping a ewe give birth, running a tractor, etc.) but I still
haven't learned everything about everything yet.

Can you make a fine chocolate torte? *Sew a set of drapes? *Fix a
complete Thanksgiving dinner? *We all have different skills that we
bring to the newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the
all the guy stuff yet

If I see a rod accross the top of a window, I can figure out it is
for drapes.
If it's thankgiving day, and there's a raw turkey in the kitchen, I
can figure out that perhaps it's for the dinner.

Asking if wires behind a doorbell button might be for a doorbell was
****ing stupid. *It is not reasonable to equate the realization that
the wires behind a doorbell button are for a doorbell with cooking a
chocolate tort.

I'd suggest that the OP was merely being thorough - giving us all the available
data as well as she could. I could also suggest that your response was "****ing
stupid" in addition to obnoxious and crude.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Agreed. Kate has had a number of posts here, she is obviously trying
very hard to repair/update her house, and most of us are trying to be
polite and helpful. One or two responders have a habit of being nasty
rather than helpful, hopefully Kate takes everything they say and
ignores it.

LouB wrote:
Kate wrote:
Bob F wrote:
Kate wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated
doorbell which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door
that there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does
this mean the house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door
area has the same colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd
you get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might
be for a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.
Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical
junction box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe
power supply for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together
and see if you hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can
you se anything that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I
can't find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.


Measuring for voltage may help even if it doesn't ring. I think most
doorbells used 24VAC power. It's probably disconnected, but who knows.


I have an electrician friend who will be here in two weeks, so I will
probably have to wait until he gets here. I am not giving up though,
and hope to figure it out myself.

Thank you!

It is possible the original system was wired and died (meaning the
transformer/bell failed) and was "fixed" by installing the battery
powered bell(s). If that happened then brushing the wire together will
get you no info. What's wrong with replacing the battery or another
battery system?
I hope that is not the case. The battery operated units don't have the
Westminster chimes that I really like. The chimes on the battery units
aren't great, but I may have to live with it.

Thanks.

Charlie wrote:
"Kate" wrote in message
...
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that there
is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the house is
wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same colored
wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

I too have a battery operated doorbell. There is not now and never was a
transformer to supply power. The only problem we have had (not counting the
batteries wearing out) is that the doorbell button cannot be ythe kind that
lights up. Using one of those, the little lamp in the button acts as if the
switch was already pressed. I ended up having to get a lighted button and
cuting out the little lamp.

The reason we ended up this way was that the builder had not wired the door
postion for a doorbell at all (most people in the neighborhood use wireless
bell systems) but we already had a bell that gave us about two dozen tunes
that it would play and can be changed with the seaons. It has patriotic
themes, Christmas carols, Hail the gang's all here, Saints go marching in,
etc. It is about twenty years old now and still chiming along.

Charlie


That is good to know. I have not found any battery operated unit with
all of those different chimes. I will keep looking, if I can't get the
wired one to work.

Thank you!

wrote:
My thinking is that the house was originally wired for a doorbell, but
for some reason the homeowners' decided to go with a battery operated
doorbell. I just can't find the wires inside my home that would connect
to a doorbell box.

I would love to have a wired doorbell.

I had the exact same issue, had no idea where the transformer was or
the doorbell wires

One day I talked to a neighbor, looked at where his doorbell and
transformer was went back home and found mine in less than 15
minutes

Good thing too the doorbell transformer buried under a cieling was
VERY HOT, smelled of smoke I powered off the house and discoinnected
it after letting it cool for awhile, so I wouldnt get burned

A week later I had my new doorbell chime working

Make friends with your neighbors you can learn things from them

I cannot figure out why mine would be in the closet. It seems it would
be very hard to hear it at the other end of the house.

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:29:46 -0500, EileanDonan wrote:

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as the
OP is pretending to be.

I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like to
answer.

I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to worry
about wiring my Barbie Play House. Since I've grown up I've learned a lot
of skills that they never used to teach girls in school (such as running
electric fencing, defrosting frozen well pumps, wall repair, lancing an
abscessed hoof on a draft horse, helping a ewe give birth, running a
tractor, etc.) but I still haven't learned everything about everything yet.

Can you make a fine chocolate torte? Sew a set of drapes? Fix a complete
Thanksgiving dinner? We all have different skills that we bring to the
newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the all the guy stuff yet

If I see a rod accross the top of a window, I can figure out it is
for drapes.
If it's thankgiving day, and there's a raw turkey in the kitchen, I
can figure out that perhaps it's for the dinner.

Asking if wires behind a doorbell button might be for a doorbell was
****ing stupid. It is not reasonable to equate the realization that
the wires behind a doorbell button are for a doorbell with cooking a
chocolate tort.
The reason I asked this question is because my house has electrical
switches all over. The previous owners who built the house loved
Christmas. They had all lights hooked up to these switches.

Two switches are on the inside wall, right behind the door bell push
button. This is why I asked. For all I knew, messing with these wires
could get me into trouble, as they may be related to the electrical
switches.

I am not always very good at explaining myself, but hope you get the
idea. As you can see, I am at a total loss when it comes to electrical
stuff.

hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:31 am, "Bob F" wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:29:46 -0500, EileanDonan
wrote:
"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as
the OP is pretending to be.
I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like
to answer.
I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to
worry about wiring my Barbie Play House. Since I've grown up I've
learned a lot of skills that they never used to teach girls in
school (such as running electric fencing, defrosting frozen well
pumps, wall repair, lancing an abscessed hoof on a draft horse,
helping a ewe give birth, running a tractor, etc.) but I still
haven't learned everything about everything yet.
Can you make a fine chocolate torte? Sew a set of drapes? Fix a
complete Thanksgiving dinner? We all have different skills that we
bring to the newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the
all the guy stuff yet
If I see a rod accross the top of a window, I can figure out it is
for drapes.
If it's thankgiving day, and there's a raw turkey in the kitchen, I
can figure out that perhaps it's for the dinner.
Asking if wires behind a doorbell button might be for a doorbell was
****ing stupid. It is not reasonable to equate the realization that
the wires behind a doorbell button are for a doorbell with cooking a
chocolate tort.
I'd suggest that the OP was merely being thorough - giving us all the available
data as well as she could. I could also suggest that your response was "****ing
stupid" in addition to obnoxious and crude.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Agreed. Kate has had a number of posts here, she is obviously trying
very hard to repair/update her house, and most of us are trying to be
polite and helpful. One or two responders have a habit of being nasty
rather than helpful, hopefully Kate takes everything they say and
ignores it.
Thanks, it doesn't bother me. I can't learn if I don't ask questions,
regardless of how silly it might be written.

I really do appreciate everyone's help.

On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:44:09 -0800, Kate wrote:

hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 18, 11:24 pm, Tony Hwang wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.
No, those are for the furnace, or possibly phone service. Where'd you
get the crazy notion that wires behind a doorbell button might be for
a door bell?
Hi,
Quit playing silly games. You are too old for that.

Look for a transformer mounted on the suface of an electrical junction
box, maybe on the basement ceiling, that would be athe power supply
for the bell. And, you could brush the wires together and see if you
hear a doorbell ringing somewhere in the house. Can you se anything
that looks like a bell?
This is what is so mind boggling. I don't have a basement, and I can't
find the junction box anywhere.

I will brush the wires together to see what happens.

Many thanks!
Very often the transformer is right at the electrical service panel,
and the chime wire is often centered above the frond vestibule closet
door - quite possibly papered over with the wire tucked back.

On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:56:34 -0500, "Charlie"
wrote:


"Kate" wrote in message
...
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that there
is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the house is
wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same colored
wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

I too have a battery operated doorbell. There is not now and never was a
transformer to supply power. The only problem we have had (not counting the
batteries wearing out) is that the doorbell button cannot be ythe kind that
lights up. Using one of those, the little lamp in the button acts as if the
switch was already pressed. I ended up having to get a lighted button and
cuting out the little lamp.

The reason we ended up this way was that the builder had not wired the door
postion for a doorbell at all (most people in the neighborhood use wireless
bell systems) but we already had a bell that gave us about two dozen tunes
that it would play and can be changed with the seaons. It has patriotic
themes, Christmas carols, Hail the gang's all here, Saints go marching in,
etc. It is about twenty years old now and still chiming along.

Charlie

I THINK the OP is saying he has a "wireless" battery operated bell -
with a battery in the push-button and in the chime.

EileanDonan wrote:
"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-i...r/doorbell.htm

TDD

Thanks to that link I was able to fix my doorbell that has been going "CLUNK
dong" for two years now.

Eilean



Glad it helped you. I look for links that can help explain and show how
things work. I've been an electrical terrorist since childhood when I
would build Frankenstein machines and let one of my little brothers
plug it in while I ducked behind something. I learned at an early age
how to release the magic smoke that allows all electrical devices to
function.

TDD

EileanDonan wrote:
"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
Just playing with a troll. I don't think anybody is as stupid as the
OP is pretending to be.

I'm not the OP but I learned something from this thread so I'd like to
answer.

I don't think I'm stupid but when I was growing up I never had to worry
about wiring my Barbie Play House. Since I've grown up I've learned a lot
of skills that they never used to teach girls in school (such as running
electric fencing, defrosting frozen well pumps, wall repair, lancing an
abscessed hoof on a draft horse, helping a ewe give birth, running a
tractor, etc.) but I still haven't learned everything about everything yet.

Can you make a fine chocolate torte? Sew a set of drapes? Fix a complete
Thanksgiving dinner? We all have different skills that we bring to the
newsgroup and mine aren't quite up to snuff with the all the guy stuff yet
but that's why I am he to learn what I still need to know. Today I
managed to fix my own malfunctioning doorbell because of the nice link
someone provided.

BTW, I did think your answer was sort of amusing. But then I'm used to
newsgroup sarcasm and am not unduly alarmed over it. I just wanted to point
out that not everyone is just trollin' along...

Eilean



When I was a kid my mother told me something that I have applied to
almost every problem I encounter. "If it smells bad, don't eat it."

TDD

On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:44:23 -0800, Kate wrote:

My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

A little detective work is in order to locate the transformer
location. Having both front and back already wired is a good
thing--dump the batteries!

"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message

Glad it helped you. I look for links that can help explain and show how
things work. I've been an electrical terrorist since childhood when I
would build Frankenstein machines and let one of my little brothers
plug it in while I ducked behind something. I learned at an early age
how to release the magic smoke that allows all electrical devices to
function.

TDD

LOL I've seen that smoke. It usually goes from wires to my finger tips.

Eilean

"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...

When I was a kid my mother told me something that I have applied to
almost every problem I encounter. "If it smells bad, don't eat it."

TDD

My older sister once advised me, "If it smells like cologne, leave it
alone."

::blink blink::

EileanDonan wrote:
"The Daring Dufas" wrote in message
...
When I was a kid my mother told me something that I have applied to
almost every problem I encounter. "If it smells bad, don't eat it."

TDD

My older sister once advised me, "If it smells like cologne, leave it
alone."

::blink blink::



Probably more like "Hai Karate".

TDD

On Feb 18, 9:44*pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. *Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? *The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. *I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

Hi Kate,

I'm an electronic engineer and I've also had lots of experience with
house wiring. I've also had nothing but trouble with my door bell for
about 30 years. After I retired, I finally got around to fixing it and
adding an extension door bell in a room I added on years ago. The job
turned out to be even dirtier and more difficult than I thought it
would be.

In my case, the problem was that the door bell wire they used in my
house was extremely brittle. Every time I would fix it, it would break
again, close to the bend or the loop where it screws on to the door-
bell button, after a few years of going through the summer heat and
winter cold and being used over and over again. Another problem I had
was that the transformer was located in the basement ceiling which was
sheet rocked over before I bought the house. I don't know how much of
that brittle, single-strand wire there is floating around, but that
could be one reason someone might have converted your house to a
wireless system.

The first thing I would do to fix your doorbell is go up in your attic
directly above where the doorbell is, inside your house, and find the
wires that are connected to it. There are 3 components to a door bell
system: the bell or chime, the outside doorbell button, and the
transformer. Once you find the wires above your door bell, in your
attic, you will need to follow the wires until you find the
transformer and you find the wires going to the doorbell button.

Once you find the transformer, check to make sure the wire connections
are good and check the transformer output with a volt meter. It should
measure roughly 16-18 Volts AC. If there is no voltage on the outputs
then you need to check the AC connections. To do this you will need to
turn off the appropriate circuit breaker in your house first. If the
AC connections are good and there is still no output you will need to
replace the transformer. You can buy new ones at Home Depot, for
instance.

If you try to follow the wires, but cannot find the transformer
because the wires disappear in the wall, for instance, then you need
to tap into the wires and make sure there is 16-18 Volts AC present.
If there isn't, I would just cut the wires and install a new
transformer and put it close to the manhole in your attic so that's
easy to find next time.

You will also need to locate the wires going to your front door bell
button. After you have done this, connect them together at the door
bell end, and put an ohm meter on the other end to make sure you have
continuity. After you have done all this and replaced some of the
wire, if necessary, just reconnect everything and you will have a
working door bell system.

If you don't want to do all this, you'll understand why I put the job
off for 30 years.

http://www.hrrc-ch.org/images/DOORBE...0SCHEMATIC.JPG

mg wrote:
On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

Hi Kate,

I'm an electronic engineer and I've also had lots of experience with
house wiring. I've also had nothing but trouble with my door bell for
about 30 years. After I retired, I finally got around to fixing it and
adding an extension door bell in a room I added on years ago. The job
turned out to be even dirtier and more difficult than I thought it
would be.

In my case, the problem was that the door bell wire they used in my
house was extremely brittle. Every time I would fix it, it would break
again, close to the bend or the loop where it screws on to the door-
bell button, after a few years of going through the summer heat and
winter cold and being used over and over again. Another problem I had
was that the transformer was located in the basement ceiling which was
sheet rocked over before I bought the house. I don't know how much of
that brittle, single-strand wire there is floating around, but that
could be one reason someone might have converted your house to a
wireless system.

The first thing I would do to fix your doorbell is go up in your attic
directly above where the doorbell is, inside your house, and find the
wires that are connected to it. There are 3 components to a door bell
system: the bell or chime, the outside doorbell button, and the
transformer. Once you find the wires above your door bell, in your
attic, you will need to follow the wires until you find the
transformer and you find the wires going to the doorbell button.

Once you find the transformer, check to make sure the wire connections
are good and check the transformer output with a volt meter. It should
measure roughly 16-18 Volts AC. If there is no voltage on the outputs
then you need to check the AC connections. To do this you will need to
turn off the appropriate circuit breaker in your house first. If the
AC connections are good and there is still no output you will need to
replace the transformer. You can buy new ones at Home Depot, for
instance.

If you try to follow the wires, but cannot find the transformer
because the wires disappear in the wall, for instance, then you need
to tap into the wires and make sure there is 16-18 Volts AC present.
If there isn't, I would just cut the wires and install a new
transformer and put it close to the manhole in your attic so that's
easy to find next time.

You will also need to locate the wires going to your front door bell
button. After you have done this, connect them together at the door
bell end, and put an ohm meter on the other end to make sure you have
continuity. After you have done all this and replaced some of the
wire, if necessary, just reconnect everything and you will have a
working door bell system.

If you don't want to do all this, you'll understand why I put the job
off for 30 years.

http://www.hrrc-ch.org/images/DOORBE...0SCHEMATIC.JPG
Thanks so much. A friend is coming over Sunday and he wires all
of his new homes. I will print this info. out.

I can't wait to get a voltmeter hooked up to all of these wires and see
where we go from there.

I will post an update.

Many thanks for taking the time to write this.

On Feb 23, 3:27�pm, Kate wrote:
mg wrote:
On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. �Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? �The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. �I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.

I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. �Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? �The back door area has the same
colored wires.

I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. �I have
checked all closets, etc.

Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?

I hope I explained this fairly well.

Thanks.

Kate

Hi Kate,

I'm an electronic engineer and I've also had lots of experience with
house wiring. I've also had nothing but trouble with my door bell for
about 30 years. After I retired, I finally got around to fixing it and
adding an extension door bell in a room I added on years ago. The job
turned out to be even dirtier and more difficult than I thought it
would be.

In my case, the problem was that the door bell wire they used in my
house was extremely brittle. Every time I would fix it, it would break
again, close to the bend or the loop where it screws on to the door-
bell button, after a few years of going through the summer heat and
winter cold and being used over and over again. Another problem I had
was that the transformer was located in the basement ceiling which was
sheet rocked over before I bought the house. I don't know how much of
that brittle, single-strand wire there is floating around, but that
could be one reason someone might have converted your house to a
wireless system.

The first thing I would do to fix your doorbell is go up in your attic
directly above where the doorbell is, inside your house, and find the
wires that are connected to it. There are 3 components to a door bell
system: the bell or chime, the outside doorbell button, and the
transformer. Once you find the wires above your door bell, in your
attic, you will need to follow the wires until you find the
transformer and you find the wires going to the doorbell button.

Once you find the transformer, check to make sure the wire connections
are good and check the transformer output with a volt meter. It should
measure roughly 16-18 Volts AC. If there is no voltage on the outputs
then you need to check the AC connections. To do this you will need to
turn off the appropriate circuit breaker in your house first. If the
AC connections are good and there is still no output you will need to
replace the transformer. You can buy new ones at Home Depot, for
instance.

If you try to follow the wires, but cannot find the transformer
because the wires disappear in the wall, for instance, then you need
to tap into the wires and make sure there is 16-18 Volts AC present.
If there isn't, I would just cut the wires and install a new
transformer and put it close to the manhole in your attic so that's
easy to find next time.

You will also need to locate the wires going to your front door bell
button. After you have done this, connect them together at the door
bell end, and put an ohm meter on the other end to make sure you have
continuity. After you have done all this and replaced some of the
wire, if necessary, just reconnect everything and you will have a
working door bell system.

If you don't want to do all this, you'll understand why I put the job
off for 30 years.

http://www.hrrc-ch.org/images/DOORBE...0SCHEMATIC.JPG

Thanks so much. �A friend is coming over Sunday and he wires all
of his new homes. �I will print this info. out.

I can't wait to get a voltmeter hooked up to all of these wires and see
where we go from there.

I will post an update.

Many thanks for taking the time to write this.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

ask neighbors where their doorbell parts are, can save tons of time
and effort let alone unnecessary holes in walls.

wrote:
On Feb 23, 3:27�pm, Kate wrote:
mg wrote:
On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. �Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? �The back door area has the same
colored wires.
I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. �I have
checked all closets, etc.
Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?
I hope I explained this fairly well.
Thanks.
Kate
On Feb 18, 9:44 pm, Kate wrote:
My home is 11 years old, and it came with a battery-operated doorbell
which has worked great, but now it needs replacing.
I noticed when I took the old push button off by the front door that
there is a red and a white wire behind the button. �Does this mean the
house is wired for a wired doorbell? �The back door area has the same
colored wires.
I cannot find any place where I would install the box inside. �I have
checked all closets, etc.
Can anyone tell me if these wires are indeed for a wired doorbell, and
where the inside wires would be for the box?
I hope I explained this fairly well.
Thanks.
Kate
Hi Kate,
I'm an electronic engineer and I've also had lots of experience with
house wiring. I've also had nothing but trouble with my door bell for
about 30 years. After I retired, I finally got around to fixing it and
adding an extension door bell in a room I added on years ago. The job
turned out to be even dirtier and more difficult than I thought it
would be.
In my case, the problem was that the door bell wire they used in my
house was extremely brittle. Every time I would fix it, it would break
again, close to the bend or the loop where it screws on to the door-
bell button, after a few years of going through the summer heat and
winter cold and being used over and over again. Another problem I had
was that the transformer was located in the basement ceiling which was
sheet rocked over before I bought the house. I don't know how much of
that brittle, single-strand wire there is floating around, but that
could be one reason someone might have converted your house to a
wireless system.
The first thing I would do to fix your doorbell is go up in your attic
directly above where the doorbell is, inside your house, and find the
wires that are connected to it. There are 3 components to a door bell
system: the bell or chime, the outside doorbell button, and the
transformer. Once you find the wires above your door bell, in your
attic, you will need to follow the wires until you find the
transformer and you find the wires going to the doorbell button.
Once you find the transformer, check to make sure the wire connections
are good and check the transformer output with a volt meter. It should
measure roughly 16-18 Volts AC. If there is no voltage on the outputs
then you need to check the AC connections. To do this you will need to
turn off the appropriate circuit breaker in your house first. If the
AC connections are good and there is still no output you will need to
replace the transformer. You can buy new ones at Home Depot, for
instance.
If you try to follow the wires, but cannot find the transformer
because the wires disappear in the wall, for instance, then you need
to tap into the wires and make sure there is 16-18 Volts AC present.
If there isn't, I would just cut the wires and install a new
transformer and put it close to the manhole in your attic so that's
easy to find next time.
You will also need to locate the wires going to your front door bell
button. After you have done this, connect them together at the door
bell end, and put an ohm meter on the other end to make sure you have
continuity. After you have done all this and replaced some of the
wire, if necessary, just reconnect everything and you will have a
working door bell system.
If you don't want to do all this, you'll understand why I put the job
off for 30 years.
http://www.hrrc-ch.org/images/DOORBE...0SCHEMATIC.JPG
Thanks so much. �A friend is coming over Sunday and he wires all
of his new homes. �I will print this info. out.

I can't wait to get a voltmeter hooked up to all of these wires and see
where we go from there.

I will post an update.

Many thanks for taking the time to write this.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

ask neighbors where their doorbell parts are, can save tons of time
and effort let alone unnecessary holes in walls.

Thanks. I found the two wires inside my entry way closet. There is
nothing else there. My feeling is that part of it was drywalled over.
I will ask neighbors though. Excellent idea.