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Frustrations arising from adding a second door bell

Thanks for the input - I'll give it a go.

Reply to
PaulS
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Hi Steve,

The bells are indeed running on AC and I'm using a 12 VAC relay.

Reply to
PaulS

You need to run from the two wires on the existing bell to your new bell.

The switch is simply a confusion.

Reply to
Fredxx

Hi Terry,

I'm going to to have ago with the shorting of the trembler solution (I'm a great believer in KISS).

Interesting circuit for the alternative. My main problem with that one is that, although the relay operates when the switch is operated, the bell in series with the relay coil doesn't

Reply to
PaulS

Hmmm. Interesting Brian. I'll try the simple solutions first and see if I need to try this one.

Reply to
PaulS

From what I've been able to measure the bells are similar. I'll try some of the other simple solutions first before I start trying to tune things.

Reply to
PaulS

Can't use wireless? The boss won't have it (and the house structure makes any sort of wireless problematic).

Reply to
PaulS

Piezo -I may just try this if some of the other solutions based on the current kit don't work. The office repeater is fairly inaccessible (ladders are involved) so If I can avoid precarious fiddling I will.

Reply to
PaulS

only one on the circuit.

lls which each worked on 8 V AC. Therefore, after any test in which you do not get ringing on both bells, you should test the bells individually on 8 V AC to ensure that each is still capable of working using the intended fi nal cables.

ng a thin needle into each wire (I'm supposing they are stranded) to make c ontact for electrical measurement.

such should mean that batteries don't need regular replacement - existing button for Home, new one for Office.

hable metal in the transformer is either well earthed or double-insulated a nd that one side of the transformer output is also well earthed.

Both bells work individually with the intended final cables. Solar is a nic e thought, but the boss doesn't like things like solar panels mounted on th e front of the house (and it would still require a small amount of maintena nce). The same goes for a second button. The boss won't have it.

Thanks for the warning re earthing. All the transformers I've been using ar e double insulated.

Reply to
PaulS

ell wire) was passed through the cavity / under floors from the under-the-s tairs transformer adjacent to the breaker panel, to the front door bell pus h via an over the door bell

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providing a simple door bell setup.

ck to the under-the-stairs panel. From past experience I knew i wouldn't be able to hear the existing bell when working.

nly one on the circuit. I then wired the bells in series. No sound. I hadn' t really expected them to as the 8 Volt transformer wouldn't have the oomph to drive 2 bells in series.

24 and tried again. Still no go.

ppears to be an adequate voltage across the terminals (testing from where t he wires terminate near the transformer).

ll mechanisms work - making and breaking the circuit and that being out of sync in such a way as to prevent either bell from working - so I modified t he circuit and added a 12VAC relay.

s with it doesn't. Frustrating!

or in parallel to an inductive load (such as the bell or the relay) might b e of some use in such situations. But what type of capacitor and what value ? Anyone?

hat appears to be adequate voltage and the bell and relay in series don't w ork?

st bell and switch (bell push) are and no option of adding another.

mer. This in effect means I CAN'T wire the bells in parallel.

Hi Dave,

The second bell gets its power from a separate (the original) transformer ( not shown - my bad). I'll try some of the simple solutions first and if th ey son't work I'll give yours a go.

Reply to
PaulS

Hi Fred,

I can't do as you suggest. There is only one 2 core cable in place with the transformer at one end and the bell and switch at the other end.

Reply to
PaulS

Surely the simple answer is to replace the bells with some sort of sounders that *will* work in series?

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

I don't know if you mean the relay coil in series with bell 1 - if so you'd need to rewind the relay coil with much thicker wire for that to work.

no need. Your existing system proves that

Anyway, you've already had explained the standard solution.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

ice thought, but the boss doesn't like things like solar panels mounted on the front of the house (and it would still require a small amount of mainte nance). The same goes for a second button. The boss won't have it.

are double insulated.

solar just buys you unreliability You don't need an earth, bell transformers are double insulted.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

It's a fairly simple subject, but clearly not in the minds of everyone.

Reply to
tabbypurr

If wiring a relay in series with the bell, you'll likely have to experiment with a shunt resistor across the relay coil as it will take a great deal less current than the bell. Should be possible to get both working perfectly.

However, two matched AC bells with a suitable transformer should work OK in series.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I'm not so confident. In fact I don't see much difference between putting the bells in series, especially if the existing one is marginal.

If the OP can get a low voltage, low current relay then that might work if he also uses back to back diodes to ensure most of the voltage still appears across the existing bell.

They would have to have the same continuous current draw, something I wouldn't like to guarantee.

Reply to
Fredxx

It's true the bells might take different current, but one of the posts said they were similar bells. I would have suggested both bells have an added capacitor, but assumed it would be difficult to add one to the door bell. Putting a capacitor across the 2nd bell means it always gets DC even in the instants when the door bell is non-conducting, and the door bell gets DC but it doesn't matter if it takes intermittent current.

As you say, the door bell will get a big kick because the capacitor on the 2nd bell won't be initially charged. The 2nd bell won't sound until the charge has built up.

The 8V transformer is rated at 1A, but I can't find any info on the current the bell takes.

Reply to
Dave W

That is a simple(ish) solution, but, due to the relative inaccessibility of at least one of the sounders in question, I'd like to try to make what I've got work first.

Reply to
PaulS

It's true the bells might take different current, but one of the posts said they were similar bells. I would have suggested both bells have an added capacitor, but assumed it would be difficult to add one to the door bell. Putting a capacitor across the 2nd bell means it always gets DC even in the instants when the door bell is non-conducting, and the door bell gets DC but it doesn't matter if it takes intermittent current.

As you say, the door bell will get a big kick because the capacitor on the 2nd bell won't be initially charged. The 2nd bell won't sound until the charge has built up.

The 8V transformer is rated at 1A, but I can't find any info on the current the bell takes.

Reply to
Dave W

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