ok, entering uncharted territory. how do i fix my doorbell?

[vash]

my door ringer is ancient. for awhile, i only got a single "donk!" basically one note, and it was very weak. then it went away altogether. i took the button off, and tried to touch the two wires..nothing.

it could be: the ringer mechanism...so i went to the store to look at my options. foolishly, i bought a new button, because it is shiny. i looked at new doorbell units, and then i saw a silver box-like thing. it was unlabeled but kept with all the buttons and stuff, so it must be related to the system. is it the transformer? it steps down the voltage right? how would you smart DIY home guys go about trouble shooting this thing? am i destined for a door knocker...or worse a remote door ringer with a fake electronic "ding dong!"

thanks in advance. the jehovah's witnesses are getting frustrated. help a J-W out!

cliff

[Fritz Peyerl]

Take your door bell down, clean the plungers with some solvent, that they move free.
you will see 3 wires center one will be ground and outside one will be the front and the other outside will be back door. Take a 9V battery and see if you can get the plunger to move up and down.
If the bell works, than the transformer might be fried.

[slodave]

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/repairdoorbell

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2installadoorbell

[fingpilot]

Do it the new Obama way. Make a change.

Go to Home Depot and buy one of the wireless doorbells. Like $15.

It will sustain our 'Balance of Trade' issues with our creditors.

[vash]

thanks! slodave, i keep forgetting about the powers of this internet thing.

derrr. doenst look that hard......

[vash]

Originally Posted by fingpilot

Do it the new Obama way. Make a change.

Go to Home Depot and buy one of the wireless doorbells. Like $15.

It will sustain our 'Balance of Trade' issues with our creditors.

i pushed every button...there isnt a good sound coming out of any unit...

[slodave]

Originally Posted by vash

thanks! slodave, i keep forgetting about the powers of this internet thing.

derrr. doenst look that hard......

Good luck!

[john70t]

This is duplicate but put a multimeter on the ringer. If it doesn't change, then it must be the transformer.

[HardDrive]

Hire a tiny Indian man name Mukesh to ring a large gong anytime a person comes to the door.

I know my idea is not the most practical, but it does have its merits, especially when you have drank as much Drambuie as I have.

[WilsonTC]

Originally Posted by fingpilot

Do it the new Obama way. Make a change.

Go to Home Depot and buy one of the wireless doorbells. Like $15.

It will sustain our 'Balance of Trade' issues with our creditors.

Typical "tax and spend-er"...

Here's the GOP response:

[vash]

OK! thanks for the Excellent! help..

i tested everything and narrowed it down like a pro. it was the transformer. my bell rings! i felt so good about myself that i pulled out the tablesaw to finish a wimdow trim project. well that didnt work out so well. i had to call my wife back from shopping, for the "tim taylor" ride to ER. i will spare the grossness. doc had to trim back the shaggy parts, and stitch me back up.

[john70t]

Ehhhhh, a mere flesh wound.
Chicks dig scars, but not so much the shaggy pants......(evisioning 70's bell bottom lime-green hip huggers).
The important thing is that you got 'er done.

[GH85Carrera]

I fought with a new doorbell this weekend. My wife decided the old one was ugly. Our doorbell is not just a ding-dong sound, it is a Westminster Chime. That is great because when a movie or TV show has a ding-dong in the sound track our dogs ignore it. The interesting part of the entire ordeal was that the diode from the old doorbell had to be used on the new doorbell. Without the diode the doorbell sounded like something from the Adam's family. It was funny sounding, something like the Westminster chimes in ultra low slow motion bass. I expected to her Lurch ask "you rang?"

[ruf-porsche]

Install one of these on the door instead.



LMAO