I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been randomly
ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and is
unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck, the
phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the walls
and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the wires
are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to
crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't want
to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--
www.rationality.net

"walter" wrote in message
...
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck,
the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I
don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--
www.rationality.ne

Temperture problems? with push button at door. Change that push button and
see if that cures it. WW

On 2/26/2012 5:04 PM, walter wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming
that my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore
the most vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime.
No luck, the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and
I don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter

I'd prolly check the door bell buttons first. Maybe they have water and
or spider webs inside.

On 2/26/2012 5:04 PM, walter wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming
that my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore
the most vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime.
No luck, the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and
I don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter

I too, would check the button. First see if there is a resistor on it,
if not, be sure the screw terminals aren't touching metal siding or
anything else conductive

On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:04:27 -0800, "walter"
wrote:

I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been randomly
ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and is
unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck, the
phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the walls
and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the wires
are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to
crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't want
to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
You have, most likely, a bad pushbutton. Second in line would be bad
wire shorting out - quite unlikely at that age unless you have rodent
problems.

Easy enough to track down. Remove the button and tape the wires and
see if it happens again. If not, new button.

I can't figure out why ANY builder would put the doorbell transformer
in the attic - and covering it with insulation is against code. They
must be ACCESSIBLE. The only sensible location for a bell transformer,
in my considered opinion, is at the service panel - preferably mounted
directly to the panel at a knockout on a surface mounted (as compared
to a flush or recess mounted) panel.

"walter" wrote in message
...
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck,
the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I
don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--
www.rationality.net

If you have ever had squirrels or mice in the attic or even the walls,
whether or not you knew about them, as they could have chewed the insulation
off the wires and they touch every now and then or even when an animal
passes over them. If it is not the button, disconnect the line to the button
and see if they still chime. If they don't I would suspect the wire to the
button. You could replace it with a temporary line taped to the wall to see
if using it cures the problem, then go to the work of replacing it wherever
you can install a new one with a new transformer on the panel.

On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:04:27 -0800, "walter"
wrote:


Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

You're lucky your phantom riings the bell. Mine came in without
warning, tied me up, and ate all my food.

On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:04:17 -0500, "EXT"
wrote:


"walter" wrote in message
...
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck,
the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I
don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--
www.rationality.net

If you have ever had squirrels or mice in the attic or even the walls,
whether or not you knew about them, as they could have chewed the insulation
off the wires and they touch every now and then or even when an animal
passes over them. If it is not the button, disconnect the line to the button
and see if they still chime. If they don't I would suspect the wire to the
button. You could replace it with a temporary line taped to the wall to see
if using it cures the problem, then go to the work of replacing it wherever
you can install a new one with a new transformer on the panel.

Why a new transformer?

Call a priest. Have the house blessed.

That, or maybe the wire in the wall has a spot that's rubbing through.

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

"WW" wrote in message
. ..

Temperture problems? with push button at door. Change that push button and
see if that cures it. WW

When I was a kid, I noticed the door bell wires ran behind the door in the
bathroom. I shaved off some insulation, and rang the bell by touching a 9
volt transistor battery to the bare wires. Dad figured it out after awhile,
and I was in trouble for it.

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

"micky" wrote in message
...

You're lucky your phantom riings the bell. Mine came in without
warning, tied me up, and ate all my food.

On Feb 26, 4:04*pm, "walter" wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been randomly
ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and is
unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck, the
phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the walls
and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the wires
are concealed *under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to
crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't want
to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--www.rationality.net

What do you mean "electronic door chime"????. If it is a regular hard-
wired door chime with a transformer and wires going to the chime and
the pushbutton at the door, it is just a regular electric circuit,
there are no electronics involved.

On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:25:15 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Feb 26, 4:04Â*pm, "walter" wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been randomly
ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and is
unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck, the
phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the walls
and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the wires
are concealed Â*under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to
crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't want
to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--www.rationality.net

What do you mean "electronic door chime"????. If it is a regular hard-
wired door chime with a transformer and wires going to the chime and
the pushbutton at the door, it is just a regular electric circuit,
there are no electronics involved.
Unless it has a "network" interface - using different resistance on
front and rear button to provide a different chime for each. Not
common, but they are out there.

--


"hr(bob) " wrote in message
...
On Feb 26, 4:04 pm, "walter" wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly
ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and
is
unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming
that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck,
the
phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls
and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the
wires
are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to
crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't
want
to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--www.rationality.net

What do you mean "electronic door chime"????. If it is a regular hard-
wired door chime with a transformer and wires going to the chime and
the pushbutton at the door, it is just a regular electric circuit,
there are no electronics involved.

Yeah, it is electronic because it was tied in with the intercom system.
Supposedly, the door chime would sound on all intercom stations when the
door button was pushed. Never worked that way and, when I encountered the
phantom problem, I totally severed it from the intercom system. It was one
of those chimes that can be programmed for a gazillion terrible melodies.

www.rationality.net

So how old were you when you moved on to top posting?

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message .. .
When I was a kid, I noticed the door bell wires ran behind the door in the
bathroom. I shaved off some insulation, and rang the bell by touching a 9
volt transistor battery to the bare wires. Dad figured it out after awhile,
and I was in trouble for it.

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

I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck,
the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I
don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?


*I had a customer call me with a doorbell problem a few years ago. The
doorbell was always on and buzzing as though someone was holding the button
in. It turned out that the back door button wires were shorting against the
aluminum siding. Some electrical tape and a new button corrected the
problem.

On 2/26/2012 11:25 PM, hr(bob) wrote:
On Feb 26, 4:04 pm, wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been randomly
ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and is
unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck, the
phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the walls
and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the wires
are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to
crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't want
to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter
--www.rationality.net

What do you mean "electronic door chime"????. If it is a regular hard-
wired door chime with a transformer and wires going to the chime and
the pushbutton at the door, it is just a regular electric circuit,
there are no electronics involved.

The electronic ones play melodies, not ding dong. When they're used with
lighted push buttons they need a resistor on the button terminals or
they don't shut off. Or maybe the resistor goes on non lighted buttons.

On Feb 27, 7:09*am, "John Grabowski" wrote:
I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been
randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a
week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that
my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most
vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck,
the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the
walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and
the wires are concealed *under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am
too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I
don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

*I had a customer call me with a doorbell problem a few years ago. *The
doorbell was always on and buzzing as though someone was holding the button
in. *It turned out that the back door button wires were shorting against the
aluminum siding. *Some electrical tape and a new button corrected the
problem.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

As a kid maybe 45 years ago, I am 55 now

I got interested in home repair when the doorbell began ringing at all
sorts of wierd times........

I happened to notice the doorbell rang when the water heater turned
on.....

traced to a wire hanger on a gas pipe rubbing the doorbell wires when
the heater turned on.

At the time I was so proud and excited to have fixed it!!! thanks this
brought back nice memories

My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG

On 9/26/2017 12:13 PM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG


Is this just a regular bell/chime with transformer or does it have any
electronics? There may be some sort of electronic interference.

On 9/26/2017 9:13 AM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG


Just a wild guess but is the sun hitting the doorbell button at that
time? Heating or cooling of the switch *might* cause it to short
temporarily.

Fat Chance wrote:
On 9/26/2017 9:13 AM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30
at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but
the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system
and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way
this could happen in the same timeframe? JG


Just a wild guess but is the sun hitting the doorbell button at that
time? Heating or cooling of the switch *might* cause it to short
temporarily.

I was about to say the same thing. I had a car that had a horn that
went off at night all by itself. It used a switch that consisted of a
ring separated by a honeycomb insulator. The temperature change was
enough to make the contacts short when it cooled down.

On Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:30:17 -0700, Fat Chance
wrote:

On 9/26/2017 9:13 AM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG


Just a wild guess but is the sun hitting the doorbell button at that
time? Heating or cooling of the switch *might* cause it to short
temporarily.


Or a squirrel or mouse who has a regular meal time???

On 9/26/2017 3:03 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:30:17 -0700, Fat Chance
wrote:

On 9/26/2017 9:13 AM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG


Just a wild guess but is the sun hitting the doorbell button at that
time? Heating or cooling of the switch *might* cause it to short
temporarily.


Or a squirrel or mouse who has a regular meal time???


I had a rabbit do this more than once. Heard the rap, nobody there, but
then I looked down saw the rabbit thumping the door like he was
scratching himself.

On 9/26/17 1:30 PM, Fat Chance wrote:
On 9/26/2017 9:13 AM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30
at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but
the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system
and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way
this could happen in the same timeframe?Â* JG


Just a wild guess but is the sun hitting the doorbell button at that
time?Â* Heating or cooling of the switch *might* cause it to short
temporarily.

This time of year, that's kinda late in the day for sunlight to be a factor.

--
Im so old I can remember when other people's achievements were
considered to be an inspiration rather than a grievance.
€” Thomas Sowell

On 9/26/2017 9:13 AM, wrote:
My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at night. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs go crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opened the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG


Kids playing games with you.

replying to walter, Cleo wrote:
It is your TV, Commercials now insert a doorbell ring to get your attention,
that explains the time slot ...that explains it....after replacing the bell,
waiting in the dark to expose the prankster.....well, I now have a shinty new
doorbell 😀😀

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ng-686444-.htm

On Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at 10:44:09 AM UTC-6, Cleo wrote:
replying to walter, Cleo wrote:
It is your TV, Commercials now insert a doorbell ring to get your attention,
that explains the time slot ...that explains it....after replacing the bell,
waiting in the dark to expose the prankster.....well, I now have a shinty new
doorbell 😀😀
--


I remember a TV game show that used a gong that sounded like a doorbell and it drove my hound dog crazy. Evey time it rang, my dog headed for the front door barking hysterically. ヽ(ヅ)ノ

[8~{} Uncle Gong Monster

Uncle Monster posted for all of us...



On Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at 10:44:09 AM UTC-6, Cleo wrote:
replying to walter, Cleo wrote:
It is your TV, Commercials now insert a doorbell ring to get your attention,
that explains the time slot ...that explains it....after replacing the bell,
waiting in the dark to expose the prankster.....well, I now have a shinty new
doorbell ??
--


I remember a TV game show that used a gong that sounded like a doorbell and it drove my hound dog crazy. Evey time it rang, my dog headed for the front door barking hysterically. ?(?)?

[8~{} Uncle Gong Monster

Yeah, I had a dog like that, I miss him. The cat does it now, running off
the bed to who knows where... She does not like the phone either. If I am
reading anything and can't see my face she tries to knock the object out of
my hands and check on me.

--
Tekkie