wired door bell trouble shooting ?

[rebs]

I have a wired doorbell on my house and it quit qorking at both doors. The chime rings once for the back door and twice for the front door.How can I determine if its the transformer or the chime unit ?

[cyber16]

Have you checked for low voltage coming out of the transformer?
I'd start there.

[PRD1]

If both doors stopped it is either the chime or transformer. Check the voltage at the chime to see if it is getting there, if not check it at the transformer, if it is present at the transformer there is a wiring problem. My guess is that it is the chime, good luck.

Paul

[rebs]

I just checked the voltage at the transformer and it read between 0.01 and 0.03
I take it the transformer is shot, right ?

First check voltage on secondary side of transformer should have 12 or 24 volts if you don't open junction box and check and make sure you have 120 volts to primary side of transformer (but be careful) if you have 120 to primary side but not secondary, your transformer is bad. If transformer is good and you have 12 or 24 volts jumper secondary wires (12 or 24 volt) straight to your bell and see if it rings, if it doesn't bell is bad. If it does ring one of your push buttons may be bad find wich two wires go to front door and which to go to back then put meter leads on wires going to front door then have someone go push button meter will ring continuity if wiring and button are good do same thing for back door. If one doesn't ring out take button off and unhook wires from button then check button for continutiy if button reads continuity then wires are bad and need to be re pulled or just go buy a new wireless door bell. Most common problem i find at many houses is the transformer or bell are bad and need to be replaced. Good luck!!

[REW]

Rebs,
Remember, when you check your voltage at the transformer you are checking AC voltage.

So, when you do your checking be sure that first of all that your meter reads AC voltage correctly. To do this, set your scale to 250 volts ac, and put the leads into a wall socket. You should read the expected 117-122 ac volts.

Then, check both sides of your door bell transformer.

You should have the expected 117-122 volts AC voltage on the primary, where it plugs into the wall, or is hard wired to an ac circuit.

Then, the output of the transformer should be 24 volts AC.

If in doubt, disconnect the chime and button wires from the transformer, and measure the voltage on the transformer again. Sometimes if the chimes go bad, or a short occurs, the voltage on the transformer can be pulled down to 0. So, to check that, disconnect the door bell chimes from the transformer and recheck the AC voltage on the transformer.

But, if you have already said, have no voltage on the transformer with no wires connected, but have good 120Volts on the transformer primary, the transformer is certainly bad.

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[rebs]

There is only two wires attached to the transformer out put that I can get to test, they are right out in the open. I checked the transformer where the wires are attached that go to the door bell. I was under the impression the out put should be DC current.
REW are you saying the transformer out put should be AC ?

[EyeKing]

Doorbells r 12or 24V AC. Typically 12. 90% of the time it is a bad transformer.

[ifishmn]

Rebs- my doorbell did the same thing, and I found that replacing it with a wireless unit from the local home center was the best and easiest option.

Now, its always a mystery to see what chime my son has it set to when someone comes over. This darn doorbell has a chime for every holiday and season, its kinda funny.

Good luck with yours!

[zeebee]

Originally Posted by ifishmn

Rebs- my doorbell did the same thing, and I found that replacing it with a wireless unit from the local home center was the best and easiest option.

Now, its always a mystery to see what chime my son has it set to when someone comes over. This darn doorbell has a chime for every holiday and season, its kinda funny.

Good luck with yours!

Yup. Bought a new house and the transformer is buried somewhere under the suspended ceiling......looked for it in all the conventional locations.. then went out and bot a wireless. Works like a chime.