front door chime not working

[clare]

I'm generally not nasty - and tried not to be in that reply - but there is no other accurate description.

[clare]

You could go out and buy a can of "brake clean" or "brake kleen" and try that. You want it off the wall first - and on a layer of newspaper. Brake Kleen is generally safe on MOST plastics - but I would not guarantee it. You do not need to rinse - it evaporates leaving no residue I suspect you have an oily build-up causing your problem.

Or you could use something like "spray 9" or "fantastic" - but you will need to rinse them both well with hot water when you are finished

- so might just as well use the dishwasher.

[clare]

Draw out the circuit. 2 options. Transformer to bell to button, or transformer to button to bell. Simple series loop.

Option 1. short between the transformer and the bell means no power at the button - so no spark. Short between the button and the bell - possible - still get a spark - and no ring. But this is an UNLIKEY wiring scheme, since USUALLY the power goes by a single 2 strand cable to the bell (T and C), and the button is connected by a single 2 strand cable to the chime (FD and C) - which is:

Option 2. If the nail is between the transformer and the bell, the short will ensure there is no power to the bell - and therefore to the button - so no spark.

If the nail is between the bell and the button - again no spark - and the doorbell should hum and get warm. After an hour or so, it would be warm enough to be obvious.

So I think we are safe to say that is not the problem - with wiring scenario Option 2.

And Option 1 would ONLY exist if it was installed by an amateur who did not read instructions but had a slight inkling of how electrical circuits worked. - so again - I'd say we are pretty safe to ASS U ME ( I know ----- ) that it is NOT the problem.........

And just look at the way that thing is wired -------- Then look at your recomendation again.

see

's the right way.

Look at

and try to envision how you would do that with 2 strand bell wire. Then think how TWISTED an electrician would have to be to attempt it.

Then look at

doing THAT with 2 conductor cable. Would ANY sane man run the wire from the TRANSFORMER to the bell and then to the side or rear connection??? Of course not - he would run it from the TRANS connection on the chime UNLESS he was running single strand wire - not 2 conductor bell cable. That diagram, by the way, is for a MOTORIZED chime from the fifties.

If you look at

try to follow the instructions, you will find it impossible.

The "Now, run the door chime wiring from the side or back door to the door transformer." is WRONG. It needs to go to the door CHIME.

quote : .Run the two conductor low voltage wiring from the front door to the door chime. Now, run the door chime wiring from the side or back door to the door transformer. These two wires should be marked front and back door to keep them straight. Also run a third wire from the door chime to the transformer. This will feed the power to the door chime. Bring the wiring through the access hole in the chime mechanism. With the wire strippers, strip the outer sheathing from the three wires. On the power feed wire, tie one side of the transformer to the center terminal of the door chime. The other wire connects to the second terminal of the transformer and also to the black wires of the two door wires. Use a wire nut to connect these together. The white wire will connect to the front and back door terminals of the door chime, as you have already marked these earlier.

SO --------- Back to the real world..

Wire from transformer to chime. Wire from chime to button. Spark at button. WHERE can there possibly be a short that would allow power to the button and not the chime?????

Unless it was totally mis-wired it is NOT POSSIBLE.

[clare]

Compressed air will not remove greasy buildup. It might remove greasy fuzz - but the grease will still be there.

If it is a horizontal acting 2-tone chime, the plunger will be suspended between 2 springs, and it is REAL EASY to tell if it is sticky.. If it is a vertical acting chime, the plunger will be suspended ona single spring - and it is also VERY EASY to tell if it is sticking..

I have BOTH in my house - 1 up, and 1 down.

I'm still very partial to the dish washer. ASAS U ME ing it is NOT an "electronic chime".

[clare]

The clearance between the coil frame and the plunger is large enough that just plain AIR is the best lubricant you can get. There's a good

1/32 inch of cleance in any I've ever seen - Get the greasy fuzzy-wuzzies out and leave it totally clean and dry.

[micky]

Your description was not accurate. The wire needn't be cut, it could be shorted. The button ends would still spark but they woudln't ring the chime.

[clare]

Did you read my whole post? There is only ONE way that could happen - and doorbells are almost exclusively not wired in the way that would allow it to happen. Virtually all doorbels are wired with a 2 wire cable to the bell, and a 2 wire cable from the bell to each button.

Wired that way it is IMPOSSIBLE to have the scenario you are proposing.. And what I was refering to as STUPIDITY was the examples of your blundering you gave , not the doorbell.

[trader4]

I don't need to draw out the circuit. The chime is a

2 wire device. A 2 wired cable is frequently used to connect to it. That wire runs some length through the house, often to the transformer, where one wire connects to the transformer, the other to one wire going to the door bell button. The doorbell button is another 2 wire device. It frequently is wired with a 2 wire cable back to the transformer where one wire gets connected to the other side of the transformer, completing the circuit. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

Now let's say the chime is OK. The 2 wire cable connected to it as described above is however shorted somewhere along it's run between the transformer and the chime. You touch the doorbell wires together and you get sparks.

That's why I suggested that he listen for a hum at the chime or test for power at the chime with the doorbell wires connected. It quickly rules out the possibility of a short.