Door bells

Very likely to be low voltage, have you a doorbell transformer near your "fuse box" or perhaps built into it?

Angela brought next idea :

No absolute guarantees, because a previous owner might have done something really silly, but ALL door bells should be extra low voltage

- as in no greater than the 16v specified.

What known as a voltstick would be useful to make more certain, or even better a test meter. It might also be worth looking for the bell transformer, or checking the bell to see what operating voltage is marked on it.

Angela has brought this to us :

In that case fine, there should be no problems. The lit bell push must be used with a transformer because the lamp would discharge the battery in no time at all. I think the 15w will be 15v (typo?)

Have a look on the TLC site to see what a transformer looks like. It could be alongside or even inside your consumer unit.

I'd say 99.9% likely. More so if the existing bell push looks like any other.

Can you see the cable to it anywhere? Bell wire is twin solid core cable with no second sleeve like all mains cable. But find out which MCB or whatever stops it working and turn that off before fitting the new - the sparks you might get if working on it live won't kill you but could lead to you reacting in some way and hurting yourself.

On Mon, 8 Dec 2008 16:11:44 -0000 someone who may be "Angela" wrote this:-

Stupid questions tend to be those where either the information is already readily available, or the questioner has been told the answer once and keeps asking until someone gives the answer the questioner wants to hear. Neither apply in this case.

Actually the 230V mains is low voltage. As other have said the supply to the bell push is almost certainly an even lower voltage, called extra low voltage. I have never come across chimes that worked on low voltage. There should be a transformer near the bell or in the consumer unit. If it is in the consumer unit it is probably not a good idea to fiddle, unless you are sure you know what you are doing.

As has been said, turn off the circuit before working on it. Hopefully in 5-10 minutes you will have a bell push to admire:-)

Stupid answer.

She didn't mention it was 230V ... could have been 240V

(you know exactly where I'm going with this...)

Do tell whats fantastic about it, picky if posible?

I'm going to put a sign on my CU

DANGER, LOW VOLTAGE

Electrocutes door-to-door salesmen by the sound of it :-)

I wonder if unsolicited callers think they have the "advantage" when ringing those black and white bell-pushes with the illuminated name plate at the bottom?

"Hello Mrs Friedland..."

| > I have a mains powered door bell, can anyone tell me if the voltage | > of the wires at the bell push is low voltage? I would have assumed | > so (just to reduce the risk of electrocution) | >

| > My cousin has sent me a fantastic bell push (from America) | | Do tell whats fantastic about it, picky if posible? | | | -- | Dave - The Medway Handyman |

I know this wont be to everyone's taste but I have a bit of a "thing" about gecko's!

| > I know this wont be to everyone's taste but I have a bit of a "thing" | > about gecko's! | >

| >

I guess we're a little more reserved than k the yanks! What'e the betting that people wont realise it's a door bell?

Indeed. I wanted a decent Victorian reproduction but illuminated and couldn't find one. The old push - very old - does work, but some think it shouldn't and don't use it. And since I've got a well sealed inner door a knock is hard to hear.

Have you considered an authentic mechanical bell?

Zero running costs (the visitor provides all the energy!), but you could provide a small lamp to illuminate the handle, if the street-lighting isn't adequate.

My objection to so-called 'Victorian reproductions' is that they aren't true 're-productions' and are produced with plasticy bits in metric dimensions.

Even less chance of it being used, I'd say.

I've seen quite respectable ones in cast brass - just not illuminated.

The spring broke on the original - just rusted through over the years. The replacement I fitted is a bit stiff.