Some time ago I replaced the old door bell of an elderly relative who is
going a bit deaf. I got a wireless system with two chime units, one
battery one mains, which could be placed in different parts of the
house. When it worked this arrangement was much better, but the
reliability has been terrible.

I've had to fix it 4 times in the last couple of months. Sometimes the
rubber push has been pushed in too hard (I guess) so it has got
misaligned with the microswitch, once this made the push stay on until
the battery ran down; sometimes it's not obvious what's wrong, it just
doesn't work until I take it the push apart, reassemble, and
resynchronise the remote units. At least once the chimes have gone off
when there has been nobody there - radio interference I'd guess, or
maybe a mains spike. When I tested it yesterday, it wasn't even
reliable when the bell-push transmitter was just a foot away from one of
the receivers - sometimes worked, sometimes didn't, even though the
green LED on the bell-push went on each time.

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless
bell pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all
the units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron,
which I will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current
unit back and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a
year I guess it's too late.

The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the
old wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if
I can find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?

--
Clive Page

In article ,
Clive Page wrote:
The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the
old wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if
I can find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?

An underdome bell is about as loud a device as you'll get by using a
standard bell transformer.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VE792.html

Some transformers will run two of them.

As regards the push, I'd go for a flush fitting all metal one - you'll
often see broken surface mount plastic ones around.

--
*They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

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

"Clive Page" wrote in message
...
Some time ago I replaced the old door bell of an elderly relative who is
going a bit deaf. I got a wireless system with two chime units, one
battery one mains, which could be placed in different parts of the house.
When it worked this arrangement was much better, but the reliability has
been terrible.

I've had to fix it 4 times in the last couple of months. Sometimes the
rubber push has been pushed in too hard (I guess) so it has got misaligned
with the microswitch, once this made the push stay on until the battery
ran down; sometimes it's not obvious what's wrong, it just doesn't work
until I take it the push apart, reassemble, and resynchronise the remote
units. At least once the chimes have gone off when there has been nobody
there - radio interference I'd guess, or maybe a mains spike. When I
tested it yesterday, it wasn't even reliable when the bell-push
transmitter was just a foot away from one of the receivers - sometimes
worked, sometimes didn't, even though the green LED on the bell-push went
on each time.

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless bell
pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all the
units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron, which I
will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current unit back
and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a year I guess
it's too late.

The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the old
wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if I can
find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?

--
Clive Page


Clive - you have raised the main fault which seems to be the displaced
rubber membrane. Unfortunately many users do not hear the chime / bell - so
push harder in the expectation that something will work and they will hear
something.

Byron should do a re-design.

On Mon, 8 Mar 2010 12:57:44 +0000, Clive Page wrote:

Unfortunately all
the units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron,
which I will obviously never buy again.

Possibly not the answer you were looking for, however...

Yes, over the last few years I bought two sets of remote control mains
adapter sockets, and although it wasn't obvious from the packaging, it
turned out they were both made by Byron. They cost around £40, and
they were utterly useless, often failing to turn on and off even from
a range of about 6 inches. In fact in the application they were used
for they were worse than useless they were positively dangerous.

A few months ago I spotted some in Lidl, 4 sockets (two with dimmers)
for £15, and they have been absolutely 100 per cent reliable.
Fantastic bit of kit - and obviously not Byron.

I got a remote-control doorbell from Aldi a few weeks ago (£6), and
although I haven't fitted it yet, I've tested it at lots of locations
and ranges and that too seems very reliable. Might be worth you
investigating, I know my local branch still has some in stock.

On 08/03/2010 12:57, Clive Page wrote:
Some time ago I replaced the old door bell of an elderly relative who is
going a bit deaf. I got a wireless system with two chime units, one
battery one mains, which could be placed in different parts of the
house. When it worked this arrangement was much better, but the
reliability has been terrible.

I've had to fix it 4 times in the last couple of months. Sometimes the
rubber push has been pushed in too hard (I guess) so it has got
misaligned with the microswitch, once this made the push stay on until
the battery ran down; sometimes it's not obvious what's wrong, it just
doesn't work until I take it the push apart, reassemble, and
resynchronise the remote units. At least once the chimes have gone off
when there has been nobody there - radio interference I'd guess, or
maybe a mains spike. When I tested it yesterday, it wasn't even reliable
when the bell-push transmitter was just a foot away from one of the
receivers - sometimes worked, sometimes didn't, even though the green
LED on the bell-push went on each time.

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless
bell pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all
the units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron,
which I will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current
unit back and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a
year I guess it's too late.

The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the
old wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if
I can find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?


Could you fit a conventional (ie reliable) pushbutton unit outside, and
wire it to the contacts inside the wireless pushbutton just inside the door?

--
Reentrant

On 08/03/2010 14:16, Reentrant wrote:
On 08/03/2010 12:57, Clive Page wrote:
Some time ago I replaced the old door bell of an elderly relative who is
going a bit deaf. I got a wireless system with two chime units, one
battery one mains, which could be placed in different parts of the
house. When it worked this arrangement was much better, but the
reliability has been terrible.

I've had to fix it 4 times in the last couple of months. Sometimes the
rubber push has been pushed in too hard (I guess) so it has got
misaligned with the microswitch, once this made the push stay on until
the battery ran down; sometimes it's not obvious what's wrong, it just
doesn't work until I take it the push apart, reassemble, and
resynchronise the remote units. At least once the chimes have gone off
when there has been nobody there - radio interference I'd guess, or
maybe a mains spike. When I tested it yesterday, it wasn't even reliable
when the bell-push transmitter was just a foot away from one of the
receivers - sometimes worked, sometimes didn't, even though the green
LED on the bell-push went on each time.

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless
bell pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all
the units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron,
which I will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current
unit back and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a
year I guess it's too late.

The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the
old wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if
I can find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?


Could you fit a conventional (ie reliable) pushbutton unit outside, and
wire it to the contacts inside the wireless pushbutton just inside the
door?


ps .... assuming as John suggests that the membrane switch is the problem.

--
Reentrant

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message ...
In article ,
Clive Page wrote:
The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the
old wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if
I can find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?

An underdome bell is about as loud a device as you'll get by using a
standard bell transformer.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VE792.html

The 120 dB alarm sounder that has been our temporary doorbell for
the past 10 years is testament that you are wrong!
I put it there when the yaxley switch in the old Westminster chimes doorbell
fell apart.
The sounder runs off the existing transformer with a diode in series.

Its replacement is high up on SWMBOs list of DIY jobs that I haven't
got round to yet.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Reentrant wrote:


Could you fit a conventional (ie reliable) pushbutton unit outside,
and wire it to the contacts inside the wireless pushbutton just
inside the door?

Now that is a good idea. Thinking outside of the box as they say.


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

Clive Page wrote:
Unfortunately all
the units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron,
which I will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current
unit back and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a
year I guess it's too late.

I've had similar trouble with Byron. Friedland are a better brand IMO.


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

Clive Page explained :
I've had to fix it 4 times in the last couple of months. Sometimes the
rubber push has been pushed in too hard (I guess) so it has got misaligned
with the microswitch, once this made the push stay on until the battery ran
down; sometimes it's not obvious what's wrong, it just doesn't work until I
take it the push apart, reassemble, and resynchronise the remote units.

They don't hear a bell sound, so press the button even harder.

At
least once the chimes have gone off when there has been nobody there - radio
interference I'd guess, or maybe a mains spike. When I tested it yesterday,
it wasn't even reliable when the bell-push transmitter was just a foot away
from one of the receivers - sometimes worked, sometimes didn't, even though
the green LED on the bell-push went on each time.

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless bell
pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all the units I
can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron, which I will
obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current unit back and demand
a refund from the retailer, but after more than a year I guess it's too late.

The cheapo units are like that, buy a reputable make like Friedland.

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

In article ,
Clive Page wrote:

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless
bell pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all
the units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron,
which I will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current
unit back and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a
year I guess it's too late.

I thought the same, wireless door bells are crap. Then someone suggested
I tried a friedland.

That was years ago - still works 100%. Never had a rogue ring, never not
worked (as far as I know!).

http://www.mrdoorbell.com/Friedland-...411-p-152.html

is the one we have - it's excellent. There is a plug in mains receiver as
well but we've never used that - the battery one is plenty powerful enough
(and the batteries seem to last *for ages*).

More expensive, but you get what you pay for. IIRC, homebase used to sell
them.

HTH,

Darren

On Mon, 8 Mar 2010 13:50:58 -0000, John wrote:

"Clive Page" wrote in message
...
Some time ago I replaced the old door bell of an elderly relative who is
going a bit deaf. I got a wireless system with two chime units, one
battery one mains, which could be placed in different parts of the house.
When it worked this arrangement was much better, but the reliability has
been terrible.

I've had to fix it 4 times in the last couple of months. Sometimes the
rubber push has been pushed in too hard (I guess) so it has got misaligned
with the microswitch, once this made the push stay on until the battery
ran down; sometimes it's not obvious what's wrong, it just doesn't work
until I take it the push apart, reassemble, and resynchronise the remote
units. At least once the chimes have gone off when there has been nobody
there - radio interference I'd guess, or maybe a mains spike. When I
tested it yesterday, it wasn't even reliable when the bell-push
transmitter was just a foot away from one of the receivers - sometimes
worked, sometimes didn't, even though the green LED on the bell-push went
on each time.

It's obviously crap, and indeed I think the whole concept of wireless bell
pushes is flawed without better quality units. Unfortunately all the
units I can see in the shops are made by the same company, Byron, which I
will obviously never buy again. I'd like to take the current unit back
and demand a refund from the retailer, but after more than a year I guess
it's too late.

The old transformer is still there but not plugged in, and much of the old
wiring too, so I suppose I can just connect another bell or two, if I can
find ones that take the same voltage (6 or 12 volts AC as far as I
remember). But I need at least one new loud bell unit, and a new
bell-push for the door. Any recommendations?

--
Clive Page


Clive - you have raised the main fault which seems to be the displaced
rubber membrane. Unfortunately many users do not hear the chime / bell - so
push harder in the expectation that something will work and they will hear
something.

Byron should do a re-design.

This happens at my parents' house regularly. I've suggested that they move
the "push" inside the doorframe and wire it to a normal external bellpush -
there's already a hole there as they used to have a wired bell, but
replaced it with a wireless one, as my mother is going deaf and needed one
in the living-room instead of the hallway.

SteveW