A couple of months back, when I was not in Canada, it seems there was a power surge in my house and my door bell (wired) was burnt. I realized this very late when someone went home after trying to ring the bell a few times!

I disconnected the bell and found that the coil inside (of transformer???) was burnt. I therefore bought a new and almost similar bell last week. I hae reconnected the same but the bell does not ring.

I suddenly realized that the button which is pressed to ring the bell is not lighted - which means it is not getting the power. I have looked high and low for a switch that might have tripped but can't find any in my switchboard. Though I do find some wire from my switchboard in my basement to the ground floor which seems like the wire that is coming out of the wall at my door where the bell is placed.

Can anyone guide me on where or how to find that the power supply is not working and then how can I get back the power. What I have been able to gather is that the mains are connected to a transformer bringing down the voltage and then the bell is conneted to it.

Any help is really appreciated.

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Chandresh

Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!

Some of the builders hooked it directly into the electrical circuits that were available nearby. In short it is on a light or a plug circuit. Now that depends on how old the house is and who the batti wala was.( Those days)

Currently in NEW constructions, it might be out of the main Power Circuit Breakers. You might also see it on the panel or there might be one of the breakers to which the BELL circuit is connected to. Please read the breaker.

The main reason that I am telling you all of this is, I don't want you to get 'Zapped', if the transformer is not 'DEAD' as you say. Better safe than sorry.

I know by telling you to test the circuit, I don't want you to stick a wet finger into it. So, buy a decent Test meter or if you already have a multi meter, then use it. Here is one from the Canadian tire Catalogue. Also they have one of the older one for about ten bucks, with leads and instructions and how to use it. Newere ones are better.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672790&bmUID=1225203536667&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442202175&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

If you know where the step down transformer is, find out if it is putting out any voltage for the bell circuit. In all probability is is GOOD. Start on that note.

If it is, then the meter will tell you that there is some voltage is coming out of it.

A newer Bell or a transformer might work out to be the same cost. Also you will have a newer bell of the current vintage, if you can install it all by your self.

Now you will have to do the tracing, to see where the break is? For that you will need to disconnect the wires off the TRANSFORMER.

Once the transformer is isolated, you are onto the circuit. join the two ends that you took 'out of the transformer' and connect the two and see if the meter reads a continuity at any points on the lines or the circuit. On the down line. (You might have to learn that from the net or from the books)

Once you know where the break is, you can either patch up the wires, or lay new wires, if you can. Or buy new ILLUMINATED bell button and a new bell and install it it s place, as the case may be. But do try the New Bell outside and see if it is to your liking. i.e., the chime and the tone, the loudness etc.,

Hope this helps you a little.

Good Luck.

Freddie.

Thanks Freddie - however, even with the detailed explanation and a bit of handy man that I am, I am still totally baffled at this seemingly simple task.

Ok let me explain you things point wise:

1. the house is about 7 year old (new).

2. I think the bell is connected to the central power supply rather than any nearby electrical circuits - simply because in that are if all my switches are off (which normally are), the bell should go off too. Moreover, I do see a wire (same coluir and thickness and different from others - also containing two thinner wires inside - black and white) coming out of the main panel in the basement and going through the roof of the basement into the wall upstairs where the bell wires come out from.

3. The place where my bell is attached has two thick wires coming out - each containing a set of black and white wires. One such set was connected to my bell while the other set was joined to each other and was loose. I suppose one that was connected to my bell was for front door and the other set is for rear door but since I do not have a push button at the rear door, (or I have not notice one as yet) the other is not connected to my bell which shows a different point for rear door connection.

4. to my main circuit breaker panel I find a small transformer like thing attached and from this is that thick wire coming out which goes to the bell. While I can see one side of the wires going to the bell (hopefully), I cannot see the inside wires coming out from the panel.

5. Yes I could test the current on the wires coming out of this transformer ( I do not have a meter which I will try and get) but if that shows power, then what do I do next?

6. If I test the wires out of the transformer and they do not display any current, how can I trace it back to the breaker or supply point?

Too much for simple thing .....but seems a real small job for me to call an electrician.

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Chandresh

Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!

1) Since the building is new, you are O.K. to do it all by yourself and will not encounter any complex situations.

2) Now that you know where the Power Panel is and the voltage to the bell is coming out of, through the Transformer, You know the Main Power Cut off or the circuit breaker. Please see how many leads are going out of the transformer - OUT. If it is just one set, (Two) then they might have split it. ( Which I doubt it, because of the newer construction) One goes to the front door, that is what we are concerned about. I have more to add to this. But I will leave it for now and go to #4.

4) Now that we know where the step down transformer is and the power to it, let us isolate it, by shutting off the breaker. Now we hope the circuit is DEAD. Use the Multimeter from here.

Link to material that you should read: http://www.askthebuilder.com/B209_Doorbells_and_Door_Chimes.shtml

< Go to fullsize imageCX-T_th.jpg99 x 100 | 6.7kB
http://www.azpartsmaster.co" rel="nofollow">LINK >

See the pictorials in this link: http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&ni=20&va=transformer+door+bell&fr=moz2&xargs=0&pstart=1&b=1

Here you will see a transformer at the right hand bottom on page #1 with the title above. See if the transformer resembles this picture.

One set of wires come from the circuit breaker into this transformer. One set goes out of it to the bell.

With the meter check the power that goes to the bell. You being a handy man, should be able to use the meter that you have now. If there is no reading between the two terminals when you connect the two leads from the meter, you have no power coming out now. The transformer is suspect.

Now there are two leads from the Main Breaker INTO the transformer. You similarly check this too. See if there is any POWER into it. If there is power, then it will read +/- 110 Volts. It is A.C. The switch that you thought it was shutting the power to the transformer is not the correct one!! Now find the correct one and shot it off.

Now you have sorted the power coming to the transformer, when you shut the power to it at the Main Power Panel. That is the first Task.**

Once the power is OFF, you can play with the circuit.

Get some ELECTRICAL Tape, a spool of it (Black in colour) and 1/2 inch wide, costing under a buck at the same store. You can tape the bare ends of the wires if and when you want, to safeguard it from touching anything near by the Main Power Panel. (Play it safe)

At the illuminated push button for the BELL, remove the cover and find the two wires that are connected to the PUSH. If you have to remove the button off the door frame then do it. See if you can get a new one if you suspect or find it too old and flimsy. In short renew the whole system with a new one, but use the same wire and system in the house currently.

Now how do we find if the transformer is good or bad. That is another task that you will have to do to understand if it is good or bad. Please read through the material first and see how far you have progressed with it.

The Bell, the Meter and the time that you have taken to untangle the mess will not cost you as much as you would to pay for an Electrician to do it.

Please return back and provide us with a feed back.

Now Go for it, handyman.

Freddie.

The two leads coming out of the Mail Power Panel are HOT Wires. Treat them with care. You can also check the voltage out of these two leads if you are careful in doing it. (It should be 110 Volts A.C.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KDcsnhn6AQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEAW2EQM6Ic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKrRy_YWREM

Also view these You Tube videos.

Freddie.

A lady calls Santa for repairing door bell.

Santa does not turn up for 4 days.

Lady calls again,

Santa replies: I am coming daily from 4 days, I press the bell, but no one opens the door.

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You know you are a desi when ........ You spew forth the virtues of India, but don't want to live there...............You've never had a tanning salon membership