I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:05:04 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


I think this is the original chime box in a house built in 2006
located near Houston, Texas if that matters.

Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.

"Doug" wrote in message
...
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Do you have a simple tester? See if the wires are hot where and when
they're supposed to be.

Steve

On Jan 7, 5:05*pm, "Doug" wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). *I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. *One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. *He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. * I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. * Is this a
DIY job??? * Any good URL to watch on this repair?

If you can't figure out how chimes are wired by google searching,
and can't find where the transformer is located (usually near main
electrical panel) or that the solenoid on the chime can burn out,
then perhaps this is not a job for you to take on DIY...

~~ Evan

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

What's the voltage at the chime before and while the door button is being
pressed?

On 1/7/2012 2:44 PM, Doug wrote:
Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.
One other critical piece of information is needed. Is there a door bell
button for more than the front door? Does the same chime box also
announce the back or other door button is pressed? If so, does that work?

Paul

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Another question: Are your door chimes wireless?

Paul

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:36:44 -0800, Paul Drahn
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:44 PM, Doug wrote:
Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.
One other critical piece of information is needed. Is there a door bell
button for more than the front door? Does the same chime box also
announce the back or other door button is pressed? If so, does that work?

Paul


Front Door only. One button.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:37:39 -0800, Paul Drahn
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Another question: Are your door chimes wireless?

Paul


Wired but I'm thinking of a wireless system as I think it might be
cheaper to fix????

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:02:03 -0800, mike wrote:

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.


I was wondering but I saw this round thing about maybe 6 to 12 inches
to the side of the chime box and wondered if that was the transformer?
Problem is I know nothing about that neither.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:44:54 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.

Personally, if you already have a wired system you would be much
farther ahead replacing whatever is bad and using it. The wireless
pushbutton has a battery in it that is prone to failure - andif your
neighbor buys one his can ring yours and vise versa.

I find them a pain, but if you didn't have wires already in place, it
IS easier than wiring from scratch.

A friend also uses one, with the chime unmounted, when he's out in
the fenced back yard/pool area so he can hear if someone comes to the
front door.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:02:03 -0800, mike wrote:

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.
My transformer is mounted at the service panel - as is virtually
every one in my entire neighbourhood, and at least half the city.

Cooking grease, cigaret smoke residue, and just plain gunge will
eventually "stick up" the hammers in the average doorbell chime. I'd
recommend you disconnect it, take it down, and throw it in the
dishwasher - then see how it works. Replacement chimes are cheap too.

On Sat, 7 Jan 2012 15:24:48 -0800, "Steve B" wrote:


"Doug" wrote in message
.. .
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Do you have a simple tester? See if the wires are hot where and when
they're supposed to be.

Steve

If it sparks when he shorts the wires at the button, and it doesn't
chime, no more testing required - the chime is either stuck or shorted
- and I'd bet on stuck.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:50:52 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:37:39 -0800, Paul Drahn
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Another question: Are your door chimes wireless?

Paul


Wired but I'm thinking of a wireless system as I think it might be
cheaper to fix????
Cheap chinese crap will drive you nuts untill you pitch it.
Fix the GOOD system you already have.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:05:04 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know.

I mivght ask that question myself, so (I'm not criticiizing him, but
it doesn't really matter. It used to work and now it doesn't, and
the problem, whatever it is, is not related to the voltage.

(You didn't add another bell did you? If you add another bell, it
might be necessary to go to a higher voltage.)

He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall.

Except for the electricity that goes to it!

Is this a
DIY job???

Yes.

Do you have even a cheap voltmeter? A friend to hep you?

Any good URL to watch on this repair?

??

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:13:36 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:05:04 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


I think this is the original chime box in a house built in 2006
located near Houston, Texas if that matters.

Thaty's practically new. They should last about 50 years.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:43:01 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:44:54 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.

Personally, if you already have a wired system you would be much
farther ahead replacing whatever is bad and using it. The wireless

Absolutely. I only used wireless once, when my mother's apartment
had no doorbell at all, and cement walls, that the landlord wouldn't
have wanted me drilling holes in.

Plus you need to replace batteries. Plus the button is fat and
surface mounted and and looks terrible.

pushbutton has a battery in it that is prone to failure - andif your
neighbor buys one his can ring yours and vise versa.

I find them a pain, but if you didn't have wires already in place, it
IS easier than wiring from scratch.

A friend also uses one, with the chime unmounted, when he's out in
the fenced back yard/pool area so he can hear if someone comes to the
front door.

OP, this is unrelated to your problem. Don't try this at home:

I had a bell in my first floor hall, and put an added bell in my
basement (which required a bigger transformer because they rang at the
smae time) and when I got a computer, I spent a lot of time on the
second flloor. Didn't want to bother running wires, so I bought
wireless, soldered close the wireless push button, removed the
battery, and replace it with a connection to the transformer, that had
power when the front door button was pressed. Had to add a diode to
get DC currrent to the wireless button. Plugged the bell into a 2nd
floor hall outlet and now the doorbell rings on all 3 floors.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:53:18 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:02:03 -0800, mike wrote:

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Mine is in the basement, in the ceiling on the floor joist, half-way
between the sump pump and the furnace, and pretty far from the breaker
box. Not sure why, but it's a townhouse and they probably had a
reason.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.

That's true, but batteries sit there going dead, leaking, making one
buy a whole new doorbell periodically because you can't buy the button
by itself. (Do alkaine batteries leak?)


I was wondering but I saw this round thing about maybe 6 to 12 inches
to the side of the chime box and wondered if that was the transformer?
Problem is I know nothing about that neither.

You may need to view this with fixed or proportional widthe font. The
tranfromerus usually has a metal band
____
that looks like _| |_ 3/4's of a rectangle, with
mounting legs, and coming out from each side is a rounded brown bulge.
One side has a stiff brown piece with two metal connectors, with a
wire attached to each one.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:50:52 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:37:39 -0800, Paul Drahn
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Another question: Are your door chimes wireless?

Paul


Wired but I'm thinking of a wireless system as I think it might be
cheaper to fix????

Have one of you hold the button down, while the other stands on a
chair and puts hir ear next to the bell, to see if it hums at all.

Or better yet, take the plastic/wood-like cover off the bell and look
at the horiztontal rod before and while someone pushes the button.

Use your finger to flick the little horiszontal rod (most of which
goes through an electro magnet) back and forth sideways, to see if it
bounces back at all. There is only 16 or 24 volts there and it's not
enough to even feel it, let alone hurt you (unless you get startled
and fall off the chair!, assuming you can feel it) , plus you don't
have to touch the wires themselves, only the rest of the mechanism.

When the button is pushed, the magnet pushes th e horitizontal rod to
the right (or left?) and it hits the flat chime plate, usually a
rectangle about 4 or 5 inches high, 1/8'" thicik and an inch or inch
and a half from front to back. Uusally dark goldish color. Hit it
yourself with a pencil and and it should ring a little bit.

Look for insect leftovers, like Claiir said. maybe they are keeping
the rod from moving, or the plate from vibrating.

Once the little thin spring broke, that goes around the rod and
pushes the rod back where it was, and so it got pushed up to the chime
plate, but never went back. So the rod couldn't get up enough
velocity to ring the chime. It just made a little thump, or maybe it
made no sound at all. Push the rod back where it was and push the
button again. If it rings once but not again, maybe the spring is
broken.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:05:55 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:43:01 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:44:54 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.

Personally, if you already have a wired system you would be much
farther ahead replacing whatever is bad and using it. The wireless

Absolutely. I only used wireless once, when my mother's apartment
had no doorbell at all, and cement walls, that the landlord wouldn't
have wanted me drilling holes in.

Plus you need to replace batteries. Plus the button is fat and
surface mounted and and looks terrible.

pushbutton has a battery in it that is prone to failure - andif your
neighbor buys one his can ring yours and vise versa.

I find them a pain, but if you didn't have wires already in place, it
IS easier than wiring from scratch.

A friend also uses one, with the chime unmounted, when he's out in
the fenced back yard/pool area so he can hear if someone comes to the
front door.

OP, this is unrelated to your problem. Don't try this at home:

I had a bell in my first floor hall, and put an added bell in my
basement (which required a bigger transformer because they rang at the
smae time) and when I got a computer, I spent a lot of time on the
second flloor. Didn't want to bother running wires, so I bought
wireless, soldered close the wireless push button, removed the
battery, and replace it with a connection to the transformer, that had
power when the front door button was pressed. Had to add a diode to
get DC currrent to the wireless button. Plugged the bell into a 2nd
floor hall outlet and now the doorbell rings on all 3 floors.
I added a second chime in the basement at my place, and no problems
at all. It's not the voltage of the transformer that is critical when
adding a second chime, but the current capacity ( the va rating)

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:13:26 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:53:18 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:02:03 -0800, mike wrote:

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?

Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Mine is in the basement, in the ceiling on the floor joist, half-way
between the sump pump and the furnace, and pretty far from the breaker
box. Not sure why, but it's a townhouse and they probably had a
reason.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.

That's true, but batteries sit there going dead, leaking, making one
buy a whole new doorbell periodically because you can't buy the button
by itself. (Do alkaine batteries leak?)


I was wondering but I saw this round thing about maybe 6 to 12 inches
to the side of the chime box and wondered if that was the transformer?
Problem is I know nothing about that neither.

You may need to view this with fixed or proportional widthe font. The
tranfromerus usually has a metal band
____
that looks like _| |_ 3/4's of a rectangle, with
mounting legs, and coming out from each side is a rounded brown bulge.
One side has a stiff brown piece with two metal connectors, with a
wire attached to each one.
MOST look that way, but I've seen some pretty strange ones over the
years.

And I've even seen doorbells hooked to the FURNACE CONTROL transformer
(the one that operates the thermostat).

I've also seen a few older wired systems running off a lantern battery
(12 volt) - a carry-over from the old 1.5 or 3 volt battery operated
door buzzers of years gone by. ( using those big "ignition cells" (
the EN6 - now discontinued by Ever-ready))

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:24:01 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:50:52 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:37:39 -0800, Paul Drahn
wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Another question: Are your door chimes wireless?

Paul


Wired but I'm thinking of a wireless system as I think it might be
cheaper to fix????

Have one of you hold the button down, while the other stands on a
chair and puts hir ear next to the bell, to see if it hums at all.

Or better yet, take the plastic/wood-like cover off the bell and look
at the horiztontal rod before and while someone pushes the button.

Use your finger to flick the little horiszontal rod (most of which
goes through an electro magnet) back and forth sideways, to see if it
bounces back at all. There is only 16 or 24 volts there and it's not
enough to even feel it, let alone hurt you (unless you get startled
and fall off the chair!, assuming you can feel it) , plus you don't
have to touch the wires themselves, only the rest of the mechanism.

When the button is pushed, the magnet pushes th e horitizontal rod to
the right (or left?) and it hits the flat chime plate, usually a
rectangle about 4 or 5 inches high, 1/8'" thicik and an inch or inch
and a half from front to back. Uusally dark goldish color. Hit it
yourself with a pencil and and it should ring a little bit.


Actually, MOST work opposite to that. The solenoid pulls the plunger
back against a spring, and when you release it, it comes back by
spring action and hits the gong, with the spring pulling it back again
from the gong. That's on single tone gongs. Dual tones hit one gong on
the power stroke and the second on the rebound. The power stroke gives
the short "ding" while the rebound, undamped, gives the long "dong"

Look for insect leftovers, like Claiir said. maybe they are keeping
the rod from moving, or the plate from vibrating.

Once the little thin spring broke, that goes around the rod and
pushes the rod back where it was, and so it got pushed up to the chime
plate, but never went back. So the rod couldn't get up enough
velocity to ring the chime. It just made a little thump, or maybe it
made no sound at all. Push the rod back where it was and push the
button again. If it rings once but not again, maybe the spring is
broken.
Or mabee it's sticky - like I said.

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark.

Actually, it could be the button. Some have a resistor (or is it a
diode?) that can get fried. Even if you have power, that can make it
inoperative. Pull the button and check for one wired behind it.

OTOH, out the 30+ year in this house, the bell has only worked maybe 6
months. Anyone we know comes to the side door at the family room.
Salesmen, JW's and politicians seeking election come to the front
door. We don't need no steenkin bell.

Check what battery the system takes. I've seen wireless doorbells which take
a small 12 volt cell for the transmitter, might be expensive and hard to
find replacements.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Doug" wrote in message
...

Wired but I'm thinking of a wireless system as I think it might be
cheaper to fix????

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:50:07 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:05:55 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:43:01 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:44:54 -0600, "Doug"
wrote:

Sorry to keep tagging on to my own message but how good do the
wireless door bells work? I mean the door bell would be about 3 feet
from the front (wood) door and if I go with the same location as the
wired chime box, it's about 15 feet inside door. I could probably
mount the wireless chime box much closer but the original location is
more central in the home.

Personally, if you already have a wired system you would be much
farther ahead replacing whatever is bad and using it. The wireless

Absolutely. I only used wireless once, when my mother's apartment
had no doorbell at all, and cement walls, that the landlord wouldn't
have wanted me drilling holes in.

Plus you need to replace batteries. Plus the button is fat and
surface mounted and and looks terrible.

pushbutton has a battery in it that is prone to failure - andif your
neighbor buys one his can ring yours and vise versa.

I find them a pain, but if you didn't have wires already in place, it
IS easier than wiring from scratch.

A friend also uses one, with the chime unmounted, when he's out in
the fenced back yard/pool area so he can hear if someone comes to the
front door.

OP, this is unrelated to your problem. Don't try this at home:

I had a bell in my first floor hall, and put an added bell in my
basement (which required a bigger transformer because they rang at the
smae time) and when I got a computer, I spent a lot of time on the
second flloor. Didn't want to bother running wires, so I bought
wireless, soldered close the wireless push button, removed the
battery, and replace it with a connection to the transformer, that had
power when the front door button was pressed. Had to add a diode to
get DC currrent to the wireless button. Plugged the bell into a 2nd
floor hall outlet and now the doorbell rings on all 3 floors.
I added a second chime in the basement at my place, and no problems
at all. It's not the voltage of the transformer that is critical when
adding a second chime, but the current capacity ( the va rating)

You're right, I said bigger, and I don't know if I meant amperage or
amperage and voltage. It might have been that when I looked for a
higher current transformer, I only found one with a higher voltage.

MY first basement doorbell wasn't a chime but one with a vibrating
clapper against a round bell. The smaller of the two common sizes,
but still, maybe it takes more current than a chime.


I was lucky. When rectified it was very close to 9 volts, which is
what the battery in the button was supposed to be.

The whole doorbell was 4 dollars 20 years ago, and it worked for my
mother for 5 or 10 years and for me for 10, until the noisemaker part
that plugs in "burned up". Fortunately, I had bought two sets.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:43:42 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:




On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark.

Ed makes a good point. I should have seen it. The sparks show
you have power, but why do you think the button is wroking? Because
connecting the two wires doesn't make it ring? Could you hear it from
there? If so, you're right.

The button is the most likely thing to break, because it's a moving
part, and they break a lot, and becaus it's outside and gets rained
on. And mine broke once, from age.

If you get a button with a light, and the light goes out when the
button is pressed, that means the button is working, though I suppose
it could be making a poor connection.

Actually, it could be the button. Some have a resistor (or is it a
diode?) that can get fried. Even if you have power, that can make it
inoperative. Pull the button and check for one wired behind it.

OTOH, out the 30+ year in this house, the bell has only worked maybe 6
months. Anyone we know comes to the side door at the family room.
Salesmen, JW's and politicians seeking election come to the front
door. We don't need no steenkin bell.

wrote:
On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:02:03 -0800, mike wrote:

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.
My transformer is mounted at the service panel - as is virtually
every one in my entire neighbourhood, and at least half the city.

Cooking grease, cigaret smoke residue, and just plain gunge will
eventually "stick up" the hammers in the average doorbell chime. I'd
recommend you disconnect it, take it down, and throw it in the
dishwasher - then see how it works. Replacement chimes are cheap too.

He doesn't know what he has.
YOU don't know what he has.
Telling him to put it in the dishwasher is irresponsible.

I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


*If you got a spark, the transformer is working. I've had some customers
who have had problems with their chimes. In two instances the problem was
as a result of the cover not being seated properly and was interfering with
the mechanism. In others it was just a bad chime. Buy a new chime and try
it out.

On Jan 8, 1:48*am, micky wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:43:42 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). *I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark.

Ed makes a good point. *I should have seen it. * *The sparks show
you have power, but why do you think the button is wroking? * Because
connecting the two wires doesn't make it ring? *Could you hear it from
there? * If so, you're right.

It was pretty clear to me that the chime doesn't
ring when he touches the wires together. If
it did I don't think he's be just saying the wires
spark when he touches them.

I agree with CL, all indications are that it's the
chime. It's likely either stuck or shot. Listening
for a hum or measuring for power at the chime
with the wires connected ar the next step.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:48:56 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:43:42 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:




On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark.

Ed makes a good point. I should have seen it. The sparks show
you have power, but why do you think the button is wroking? Because
connecting the two wires doesn't make it ring? Could you hear it from
there? If so, you're right.

The button is the most likely thing to break, because it's a moving
part, and they break a lot, and becaus it's outside and gets rained
on. And mine broke once, from age.

If you get a button with a light, and the light goes out when the
button is pressed, that means the button is working, though I suppose
it could be making a poor connection.

Actually, it could be the button. Some have a resistor (or is it a
diode?) that can get fried. Even if you have power, that can make it
inoperative. Pull the button and check for one wired behind it.

OTOH, out the 30+ year in this house, the bell has only worked maybe 6
months. Anyone we know comes to the side door at the family room.
Salesmen, JW's and politicians seeking election come to the front
door. We don't need no steenkin bell.


Micky, I took off the button and tried it on another home and it
worked fine so I put it back on this home knowing it wasn't the
problem.

Let me ask.... if I touched the two wires together and saw spark (did
this like 3 times with same result) as well as the door bell button
was lit too, does this mean that since the transfomer has power, that
the transformer is good? I mean when you test the transformer is it
to just see if it has power?

On 1/8/2012 7:48 AM, John Grabowski wrote:

I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


*If you got a spark, the transformer is working. I've had some customers
who have had problems with their chimes. In two instances the problem
was as a result of the cover not being seated properly and was
interfering with the mechanism. In others it was just a bad chime. Buy a
new chime and try it out.

And as a temporary measure, try connecting the wires to the unused rear
door solenoid. When you take the chime cover off, you should find where
your 2 wires are connected. At that location you should see a 3rd
terminal. Since you have no rear doorbell button, this terminal won't
have a wire connected. Of the two terminals where the wires are
currently connected, one should be marked "T" or "Trans", leave that one
connected. Remove the other one and relocate it to the unused terminal.
Test the button and see if you now get a "ding"

On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 07:48:59 -0500, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


*If you got a spark, the transformer is working. I've had some customers
who have had problems with their chimes. In two instances the problem was
as a result of the cover not being seated properly and was interfering with
the mechanism. In others it was just a bad chime. Buy a new chime and try
it out.


Thanks John. When I test the transformer, is it only to see if it has
power? And the simple test is to just touch the two wires together to
see spark (as I did and saw spark)?

Suppose I didn't touch the two wires together but the door bell button
was lit, would this also tell me the transformer is fine? In this
case, the button stayed lit tho no sound and I tested the button on
another home and it worked.

Maybe the chime is stuck but to maybe speed things up, I may just go
ahead and replace the box.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:38:07 -0800, mike wrote:

wrote:
On Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:02:03 -0800, mike wrote:

Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?
Just guessing, 'cause it depends on what king of chime.
If the switch sparks, you've got volts and current, which suggests
it's a solenoid that forces a mass into a mechanical chime.
It's possible that corrosion has increased a contact resistance
so much that it can't move the mass.
But
First thing I'd check is to see if some spider hasn't
gummed up the solenoid so the core can't move and bang the gong.

In my case, the transformer is inside a coat closet above the door
about half way between the button and the chime box.

Never thought about it in that context, but a transformer-operated
doorbell is yet another vampire device that wastes power continuously
when it's used...well...approximately never.
My transformer is mounted at the service panel - as is virtually
every one in my entire neighbourhood, and at least half the city.

Cooking grease, cigaret smoke residue, and just plain gunge will
eventually "stick up" the hammers in the average doorbell chime. I'd
recommend you disconnect it, take it down, and throw it in the
dishwasher - then see how it works. Replacement chimes are cheap too.

He doesn't know what he has.
YOU don't know what he has.
Telling him to put it in the dishwasher is irresponsible.


Thanks Mike... you're right except I didn't take the dishwasher
serious tho for the first moment it made me stop to think about it.
Tho I don't know where the transformer is in this home right now, I
think if I saw it, I would now recognize it. And apparently reading
other posts, tells me it's not the problem. I know the button isn't
the problem from testing it on another house so the only answer left
is that the problem is within the chime box. Appreciate your help.

On 1/8/2012 8:52 AM, Doug wrote:
On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 07:48:59 -0500, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


*If you got a spark, the transformer is working. I've had some customers
who have had problems with their chimes. In two instances the problem was
as a result of the cover not being seated properly and was interfering with
the mechanism. In others it was just a bad chime. Buy a new chime and try
it out.


Thanks John. When I test the transformer, is it only to see if it has
power? And the simple test is to just touch the two wires together to
see spark (as I did and saw spark)?

Suppose I didn't touch the two wires together but the door bell button
was lit, would this also tell me the transformer is fine? In this
case, the button stayed lit tho no sound and I tested the button on
another home and it worked.

Maybe the chime is stuck but to maybe speed things up, I may just go
ahead and replace the box.

If your lighted button is lit, or you touch the wires together and get a
spark, you've got transformer. No need to pursue that direction. John is
probably 99.9 % correct, that the problem is with the front door,
(ding-dong) solenoid, which is why I suggest connecting the "rear" door
solenoid, as a test.

On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 05:40:04 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Jan 8, 1:48*am, micky wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:43:42 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). *I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark.

Ed makes a good point. *I should have seen it. * *The sparks show
you have power, but why do you think the button is wroking? * Because
connecting the two wires doesn't make it ring? *Could you hear it from
there? * If so, you're right.

It was pretty clear to me that the chime doesn't
ring when he touches the wires together. If
it did I don't think he's be just saying the wires
spark when he touches them.


When my button failed, putting the wires together would not ring the
chime. It had to pass through the button with the resistor on it.
Unless you know what type of button, we can't eliminate it for
certain.

On Jan 8, 8:41*am, "Doug" wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:48:56 -0500, micky
wrote:





On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:43:42 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 1/7/2012 2:05 PM, Doug wrote:
I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). *I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark.

Ed makes a good point. *I should have seen it. * *The sparks show
you have power, but why do you think the button is wroking? * Because
connecting the two wires doesn't make it ring? *Could you hear it from
there? * If so, you're right.

The button is the most likely thing to break, because it's a moving
part, and they break a lot, and becaus it's outside and gets rained
on. *And mine broke once, from age.

If you get a button with a light, and the light goes out when the
button is pressed, that means the button is working, though I suppose
it could be making a poor connection.

Actually, it could be the button. *Some have a resistor (or is it a
diode?) that can get fried. *Even if you have power, that can make it
inoperative. *Pull the button and check for one wired behind it.

OTOH, out the 30+ year in this house, the bell has only worked maybe 6
months. *Anyone we know comes to the side door at the family room.
Salesmen, JW's and politicians seeking election come to the front
door. *We don't need no steenkin bell.

Micky, I took off the button and tried it on another home and it
worked fine so I put it back on this home knowing it wasn't the
problem.

Let me ask.... if I touched the two wires together and saw spark (did
this like 3 times with same result) as well as the door bell button
was lit too, does this mean that since the transfomer has power, that
the transformer is good? *I mean when you test the transformer is it
to just see if it has power? *- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That's a very good indication that the transformer
is fine. You need to start looking at the chime.
As someone suggested, listen for a hum with
the door button wires connected. But there
are all kinds of chimes. That would work with
an old solenoid one, but not with an electronic
one, where there would be no hum. Or use
a simple VOM meter that you can get at
radio shack for $10 to see if you have power
at the chime with the wires connected.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:41:45 -0500, RBM wrote:

On 1/8/2012 7:48 AM, John Grabowski wrote:

I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


*If you got a spark, the transformer is working. I've had some customers
who have had problems with their chimes. In two instances the problem
was as a result of the cover not being seated properly and was
interfering with the mechanism. In others it was just a bad chime. Buy a
new chime and try it out.

And as a temporary measure, try connecting the wires to the unused rear
door solenoid. When you take the chime cover off, you should find where
your 2 wires are connected. At that location you should see a 3rd
terminal. Since you have no rear doorbell button, this terminal won't
have a wire connected. Of the two terminals where the wires are
currently connected, one should be marked "T" or "Trans", leave that one
connected. Remove the other one and relocate it to the unused terminal.
Test the button and see if you now get a "ding"


I like this idea.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 09:03:36 -0500, RBM wrote:

On 1/8/2012 8:52 AM, Doug wrote:
On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 07:48:59 -0500, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


I've got a house that the door chime stopped working (making a chime
noise). I know it's not the outside button and the two wires outside
that connect to the button (that go thru the outside brick wall) when
touching each other showed some spark. One repair guy asked me if
it's a 16v or 24v transformer and I don't know. He seemed to say it's
not a part of the chime box inside. I thought everything was self
contained inside the chime box that mounts on the wall. Is this a
DIY job??? Any good URL to watch on this repair?


*If you got a spark, the transformer is working. I've had some customers
who have had problems with their chimes. In two instances the problem was
as a result of the cover not being seated properly and was interfering with
the mechanism. In others it was just a bad chime. Buy a new chime and try
it out.


Thanks John. When I test the transformer, is it only to see if it has
power? And the simple test is to just touch the two wires together to
see spark (as I did and saw spark)?

Suppose I didn't touch the two wires together but the door bell button
was lit, would this also tell me the transformer is fine? In this
case, the button stayed lit tho no sound and I tested the button on
another home and it worked.

Maybe the chime is stuck but to maybe speed things up, I may just go
ahead and replace the box.

If your lighted button is lit, or you touch the wires together and get a
spark, you've got transformer. No need to pursue that direction. John is
probably 99.9 % correct, that the problem is with the front door,
(ding-dong) solenoid, which is why I suggest connecting the "rear" door
solenoid, as a test.

I like that idea. I presume the solenoid is the chime mechanism? I
saw one video that said to use lighter fluid (not oil) if the
plunger(solenoid??) is stuck. I guess the other way is to just
replace the whole chime box. This is a rental home so I don't want
spend a lot of time on it but that doesn't mean I have unlimited funds
but I'm willing to just replace the box. I have the option of a
repair guy to fix it but he wants $90 just to diagnose the problem but
thanks to everyone including you here, I think we've pretty much
narrowed it down to within the chime box at least.