doorbell

fifilarue

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for this and also apologies for the undoubtedly stupid question.:D
I want to have an old style doorbell installed-the push button type. I was wondering what I needed to do the job and the approximate cost. I looked up installing a doobell online and just ended up confused. Can anyone help? I would happily go for the wireless one, but they don't seem to do them in the old style I'm looking for (it's an old house). I presume I'd need an electrician to fit one? There's currently no doorbell and it's actually hit and miss if someone knocks as more oftne than not, I don't hear them. Once agian, apologies for the basic question.

meercat

INSTALLING A SINGLE-BUTTON DOORBELL

The simplest doorbell or buzzer installation is the wiring illustrated in. In this instance, a button is mounted on one door only to operate the buzzer or bell.

One wire runs unbroken from the terminal screw on the button of the bell or buzzer to the terminal screw on the transformer. The second wire runs from the button to one of the terminal screws on the bell, then from the second terminal screw back to the other screw on the transformer.

The button can be mounted on any door–as far away from the bell as you'd like–and the bell and transformer can be mounted in any concealed location.




Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2installadoorbell#ixzz0zzsinU31
you need
a bell
a push
a transformer
some bell wire
some clips
about 50euro should cover materials
careful with mains power though

fifilarue

thanks for replying meercat (love the name:D)-that's the site I looked up. I was going to get someone to install it for me as I wouldn't go near anything electrical-is that what you mean by being careful with the mains?

meercat

yeah
easy job for electrician or handyman
local man should supply and fit for about 80euro (incl vat .......mods note)

Buford T Justice

It is a simple enough job to fit yes. Where are you located?

Stoner

just for the record, argos sell wireless ones, the bell plugs in so the only battery is in the bell push.

They have a range of chimes and you can get the one bell push to trigger two bells, although the bell/chime plugs in they have units the will sit between a socket and another appliance.


edit..

still not as good are a wired system though

delly

Moved from DIY

Bruthal

Another way to explain it is a 2 core bellwire from the transformer to the push button, and a second 2 core bellwire from the transformer to the bell,

Connect the 2 wires at the pushbutton into it, the 2 wires at the bell into that, and now you have 2 bellwires at the transformer.

Now at the transformer get 1 wire end from each bellwire pair (which wire does`t matter) and connect together with a connector so one wire coming from the button connects to 1 wire going to the bell.
And get the other 2 now and connect them to the two terminals in the transformer, matching the bell voltage to the voltage on the transformer as there are usually 2 or 3 options. One terminal says 0v and then there may be 6, 9 and 12v options so one wire into the 0v and the other into the 12v for a 12 volt bell etc.

Can be a bit of a sparks job connecting bell transformer into an MCB board though.

fifilarue

Thanks for all the very helpful replies and apologies for posting in the wrong forum. Will definitely have to get someone in to do it as there is no way I'd chance that myself. I don't want to open the door and find the path littered with the corpses of electrocuted callers!

Am located in the midlands, Fingers btw.

Thanks again.

Bruthal

fifilarue wrote: »

I don't want to open the door and find the path littered with the corpses of electrocuted callers!

Am located in the midlands, Fingers btw.

Thanks again.

Thats a great idea, will you install my doorbell, im sick of salesmen calling:)

mullingar

If its just the outside switch you are replacing (keeping ringer/cables/etc). It is a very simple job

These cables are only 6 to 9 volts AC (A small square battery is 9 volt) so no electrician is required.

If you can find someone to wire a plug, they can do this job.

fifilarue

robbie7730 wrote: »

Thats a great idea, will you install my doorbell, im sick of salesmen calling:)

:D:D

Also mullingar-i'm starting from scratch, there is currently no doorbell.

mullingar

If you are starting from scratch with no wiring to the front door in place it will be a nasty job.

If it was me and assuming there are no existing cables layed, I would simply modify a wireless system.


Crack open the new switch/transmitter, solder in a wire to the switch of the transmitter, run the wire to outside, screw the new wire into your old style switch.

Job done

handydandy

If there is no old doorbell in place then in my opinion a wireless bell is the way to go especially if you do not want any cables on show or messing about with walls and floor boards to hide the cables. Much neater.

fifilarue

thanks a million everyone for the advice-much appreciated.