Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of the
wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed so (just to
reduce the risk of electrocution)

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America) but it does say
that the bell push should have low voltage wires, no greater than 16v. The
house came with this doorbell so I have no instructions!

TIA

Angela

Angela wrote:

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of the
wires at the bell push is low voltage?

Very likely to be low voltage, have you a doorbell transformer near your
"fuse box" or perhaps built into it?

Angela brought next idea :
Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of the
wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed so (just to
reduce the risk of electrocution)

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America) but it does say
that the bell push should have low voltage wires, no greater than 16v. The
house came with this doorbell so I have no instructions!

No absolute guarantees, because a previous owner might have done
something really silly, but ALL door bells should be extra low voltage
- as in no greater than the 16v specified.

What known as a voltstick would be useful to make more certain, or even
better a test meter. It might also be worth looking for the bell
transformer, or checking the bell to see what operating voltage is
marked on it.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
| No absolute guarantees, because a previous owner might have done
| something really silly, but ALL door bells should be extra low voltage
| - as in no greater than the 16v specified.
|
| What known as a voltstick would be useful to make more certain, or even
| better a test meter. It might also be worth looking for the bell
| transformer, or checking the bell to see what operating voltage is
| marked on it.
|
| --
| Regards,
| Harry (M1BYT) (L)
| http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk
|

It's a brand new house so hopefully the developer knew how to install. I've
looked at it, it's a Friedland chime, no model number on it. I took the
cover off but no help there except it says max 15w where there ios space for
the backup battery (none fitted). Having looked online it looks like a
model called "big ben" . In fact it says that all lit bell pushes must be
used with a transformer and mine does have a lit up bell push. Looking
hopeful!

Angela has brought this to us :
It's a brand new house so hopefully the developer knew how to install. I've
looked at it, it's a Friedland chime, no model number on it. I took the
cover off but no help there except it says max 15w where there ios space for
the backup battery (none fitted). Having looked online it looks like a
model called "big ben" . In fact it says that all lit bell pushes must be
used with a transformer and mine does have a lit up bell push. Looking
hopeful!

In that case fine, there should be no problems. The lit bell push must
be used with a transformer because the lamp would discharge the battery
in no time at all. I think the 15w will be 15v (typo?)

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
Angela has brought this to us :
It's a brand new house so hopefully the developer knew how to install.
I've
looked at it, it's a Friedland chime, no model number on it. I took the
cover off but no help there except it says max 15w where there ios space
for
the backup battery (none fitted). Having looked online it looks like a
model called "big ben" . In fact it says that all lit bell pushes must
be
used with a transformer and mine does have a lit up bell push. Looking
hopeful!

In that case fine, there should be no problems. The lit bell push must be
used with a transformer because the lamp would discharge the battery in no
time at all. I think the 15w will be 15v (typo?)

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk



Have a look on the TLC site to see what a transformer looks like. It could
be alongside or even inside your consumer unit.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VE765.html

Incidentally, I found that the bulbs in mine didn't last long so I changed
the tapping on the transformer to give a lower voltage - it has now been lit
for over 15 years

In article ,
Angela wrote:
Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of
the wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed so
(just to reduce the risk of electrocution)

I'd say 99.9% likely. More so if the existing bell push looks like any
other.

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America) but it does
say that the bell push should have low voltage wires, no greater than
16v. The house came with this doorbell so I have no instructions!

Can you see the cable to it anywhere? Bell wire is twin solid core cable
with no second sleeve like all mains cable. But find out which MCB or
whatever stops it working and turn that off before fitting the new - the
sparks you might get if working on it live won't kill you but could lead
to you reacting in some way and hurting yourself.

--
*Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 8 Dec 2008 16:11:44 -0000 someone who may be "Angela"
wrote this:-

Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

Stupid questions tend to be those where either the information is
already readily available, or the questioner has been told the
answer once and keeps asking until someone gives the answer the
questioner wants to hear. Neither apply in this case.

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of the
wires at the bell push is low voltage?

Actually the 230V mains is low voltage. As other have said the
supply to the bell push is almost certainly an even lower voltage,
called extra low voltage. I have never come across chimes that
worked on low voltage. There should be a transformer near the bell
or in the consumer unit. If it is in the consumer unit it is
probably not a good idea to fiddle, unless you are sure you know
what you are doing.

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America) but it does say
that the bell push should have low voltage wires, no greater than 16v. The
house came with this doorbell so I have no instructions!

As has been said, turn off the circuit before working on it.
Hopefully in 5-10 minutes you will have a bell push to admi-)



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

"David Hansen" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 8 Dec 2008 16:11:44 -0000 someone who may be "Angela"
wrote this:-

Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

Stupid questions tend to be those where either the information is
already readily available, or the questioner has been told the
answer once and keeps asking until someone gives the answer the
questioner wants to hear. Neither apply in this case.

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of the
wires at the bell push is low voltage?

Actually the 230V mains is low voltage. As other have said the
supply to the bell push is almost certainly an even lower voltage,
called extra low voltage. I have never come across chimes that
worked on low voltage. There should be a transformer near the bell
or in the consumer unit. If it is in the consumer unit it is
probably not a good idea to fiddle, unless you are sure you know
what you are doing.

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America) but it does say
that the bell push should have low voltage wires, no greater than 16v.
The
house came with this doorbell so I have no instructions!

As has been said, turn off the circuit before working on it.
Hopefully in 5-10 minutes you will have a bell push to admi-)



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54


.....unless - like mine, the wires were too short.

David Hansen wrote:
I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of the
wires at the bell push is low voltage?

Actually the 230V mains is low voltage.

Stupid answer.

She didn't mention it was 230V ... could have been 240V

(you know exactly where I'm going with this...)

--
Adrian C

Angela wrote:
Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage
of the wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed
so (just to reduce the risk of electrocution)

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America)

Do tell whats fantastic about it, picky if posible?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"Adrian C" wrote in message
...
David Hansen wrote:
I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage of
the wires at the bell push is low voltage?

Actually the 230V mains is low voltage.

Stupid answer.

She didn't mention it was 230V ... could have been 240V

(you know exactly where I'm going with this...)

I'm going to put a sign on my CU

DANGER, LOW VOLTAGE

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Angela wrote:
Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage
of the wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed
so (just to reduce the risk of electrocution)

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America)

Do tell whats fantastic about it, picky if posible?

Electrocutes door-to-door salesmen by the sound of it :-)

I wonder if unsolicited callers think they have the "advantage"
when ringing those black and white bell-pushes with the illuminated
name plate at the bottom?

"Hello Mrs Friedland..."
--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
| Angela wrote:
| Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!
|
| I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage
| of the wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed
| so (just to reduce the risk of electrocution)
|
| My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America)
|
| Do tell whats fantastic about it, picky if posible?
|
|
| --
| Dave - The Medway Handyman
| www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


I know this wont be to everyone's taste but I have a bit of a "thing" about
gecko's!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...night/bell.jpg

Angela wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Angela wrote:
Hopefully this isn't such a stupid question!

I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage
of the wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed
so (just to reduce the risk of electrocution)

My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America)

Do tell whats fantastic about it, picky if posible?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


I know this wont be to everyone's taste but I have a bit of a "thing"
about gecko's!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...night/bell.jpg

Wow! Never seen the like. Wonder why UK bell pushes are so boring?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
|
| I know this wont be to everyone's taste but I have a bit of a "thing"
| about gecko's!
|
| http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...night/bell.jpg
|
| Wow! Never seen the like. Wonder why UK bell pushes are so boring?
|
|
| --
| Dave - The Medway Handyman
| www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

I guess we're a little more reserved than k the yanks! What'e the betting
that people wont realise it's a door bell?

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...night/bell.jpg

Wow! Never seen the like. Wonder why UK bell pushes are so boring?

Indeed. I wanted a decent Victorian reproduction but illuminated and
couldn't find one. The old push - very old - does work, but some think it
shouldn't and don't use it. And since I've got a well sealed inner door a
knock is hard to hear.

--
*Why isn't there a special name for the back of your knee?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:42:12 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...night/bell.jpg

Wow! Never seen the like. Wonder why UK bell pushes are so boring?

Indeed. I wanted a decent Victorian reproduction but illuminated and
couldn't find one. The old push - very old - does work, but some think it
shouldn't and don't use it. And since I've got a well sealed inner door a
knock is hard to hear.

Have you considered an authentic mechanical bell?

Zero running costs (the visitor provides all the energy!), but you
could provide a small lamp to illuminate the handle, if the
street-lighting isn't adequate.

My objection to so-called 'Victorian reproductions' is that they
aren't true 're-productions' and are produced with plasticy bits in
metric dimensions.

--
Frank Erskine

In article ,
Frank Erskine wrote:
Indeed. I wanted a decent Victorian reproduction but illuminated and
couldn't find one. The old push - very old - does work, but some think
it shouldn't and don't use it. And since I've got a well sealed inner
door a knock is hard to hear.

Have you considered an authentic mechanical bell?

Zero running costs (the visitor provides all the energy!), but you
could provide a small lamp to illuminate the handle, if the
street-lighting isn't adequate.

Even less chance of it being used, I'd say.

My objection to so-called 'Victorian reproductions' is that they
aren't true 're-productions' and are produced with plasticy bits in
metric dimensions.

I've seen quite respectable ones in cast brass - just not illuminated.

The spring broke on the original - just rusted through over the years. The
replacement I fitted is a bit stiff.

--
*If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.