Phantom door bell ringing

[walter]

I have a hard-wired door chime. In the past year something has been randomly ringing the door bell, even at night. This happens maybe once a week and is unnerving when it happens at 4 AM.

The video system shows nobody at the door when this happens. Assuming that my electronic door chime is the most complex part, and therefore the most vulnerable part of the system, I replaced the large door chime. No luck, the phantom still rings the door bell.

The house is about 30 years old. The wires for the bell run inside the walls and then through the attic. In the the attic, the transformer and the wires are concealed under thick bats of fiberglass insulation. I am too old to crawl around in the attic. The chime has real brass tubes and I don't want to replace it with a cheap-looking wireless door bell.

Any suggestions for slaying the phantom?

Thanks, Walter

[WW]

Temperture problems? with push button at door. Change that push button and see if that cures it. WW

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[Kevin O. Conner]

I'd prolly check the door bell buttons first. Maybe they have water and or spider webs inside.

[RBM]

I too, would check the button. First see if there is a resistor on it, if not, be sure the screw terminals aren't touching metal siding or anything else conductive

[clare]

You have, most likely, a bad pushbutton. Second in line would be bad wire shorting out - quite unlikely at that age unless you have rodent problems.

Easy enough to track down. Remove the button and tape the wires and see if it happens again. If not, new button.

I can't figure out why ANY builder would put the doorbell transformer in the attic - and covering it with insulation is against code. They must be ACCESSIBLE. The only sensible location for a bell transformer, in my considered opinion, is at the service panel - preferably mounted directly to the panel at a knockout on a surface mounted (as compared to a flush or recess mounted) panel.

[EXT]

If you have ever had squirrels or mice in the attic or even the walls, whether or not you knew about them, as they could have chewed the insulation off the wires and they touch every now and then or even when an animal passes over them. If it is not the button, disconnect the line to the button and see if they still chime. If they don't I would suspect the wire to the button. You could replace it with a temporary line taped to the wall to see if using it cures the problem, then go to the work of replacing it wherever you can install a new one with a new transformer on the panel.

[micky]

You're lucky your phantom riings the bell. Mine came in without warning, tied me up, and ate all my food.

[micky]

Why a new transformer?

[Stormin Mormon]

Call a priest. Have the house blessed.

That, or maybe the wire in the wall has a spot that's rubbing through.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Temperture problems? with push button at door. Change that push button and see if that cures it. WW

[Stormin Mormon]

When I was a kid, I noticed the door bell wires ran behind the door in the bathroom. I shaved off some insulation, and rang the bell by touching a 9 volt transistor battery to the bare wires. Dad figured it out after awhile, and I was in trouble for it.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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You're lucky your phantom riings the bell. Mine came in without warning, tied me up, and ate all my food.

[hrhofmann]

What do you mean "electronic door chime"????. If it is a regular hard- wired door chime with a transformer and wires going to the chime and the pushbutton at the door, it is just a regular electric circuit, there are no electronics involved.

[clare]

Unless it has a "network" interface - using different resistance on front and rear button to provide a different chime for each. Not common, but they are out there.

[walter]

[Detective Sergeant Joe Friday]

So how old were you when you moved on to top posting?

[John Grabowski]

*I had a customer call me with a doorbell problem a few years ago. The doorbell was always on and buzzing as though someone was holding the button in. It turned out that the back door button wires were shorting against the aluminum siding. Some electrical tape and a new button corrected the problem.

[RBM]

The electronic ones play melodies, not ding dong. When they're used with lighted push buttons they need a resistor on the button terminals or they don't shut off. Or maybe the resistor goes on non lighted buttons.

[bob haller]

As a kid maybe 45 years ago, I am 55 now:(

I got interested in home repair when the doorbell began ringing at all sorts of wierd times........

I happened to notice:) the doorbell rang when the water heater turned on.....

traced to a wire hanger on a gas pipe rubbing the doorbell wires when the heater turned on.

At the time I was so proud and excited to have fixed it!!! thanks this brought back nice memories:)

[judi1946]

My door bell has rung four times in the last week between 8 and 8:30 at nig ht. I live in a close community. No one has been at the door but the dogs g o crazy when they hear the bell. It is a hard wired system and I have opene d the unit to see if it is dirty. Is there any way this could happen in the same timeframe? JG

[Ed Pawlowski]

Is this just a regular bell/chime with transformer or does it have any electronics? There may be some sort of electronic interference.

[Fat Chance]

Just a wild guess but is the sun hitting the doorbell button at that time? Heating or cooling of the switch *might* cause it to short temporarily.