Wireless Door Bells

[John]

What is the battery life like on wireless door bells. The battery in the button unit is a small (10p sized ) cell.

I feel inclined to fit a wired door bell - but having just decorated - and having a new plastic door I don't feel too enthusiastic about drilling and wiring.

[Ian Stirling]

It's off until the button is pressed. The battery will have a shelf life of some 3-10 years. As an educated guess, the battery will probably power the transmitter for some 30 hours constantly, so even at 10 rings a day for 10 seconds each, that's some 4 years neglecting shelf life. Call it 3 years, very pessimistically.

[Steve Eldridge]

decorated - and

drilling and

Hi John

I don't know how long the battery will last in the sender but, considering the intermittent use, it should last for a few years.

Presumably it has failed. Before condemning the battery, clean the contacts and try again.

I have "fixed" three of these doorbells this way (one of them was mine). Seems that humidity gets in there and causes an invisible open circuit. One actually had become corroded slightly on a contact and the corrosion had to be scraped away.

Like you, I have considered a wired doorbell, but I'm not too keen on drilling hole through UPVC frame!

HTH Steve

[Richard Sterry]

We moved into this house over two and half years ago, and the battery in the press switch housing hasn't gone flat yet. Judging by the state of the plastic, it wasn't particularly new. So, I believe you can reckon on several years battery life, and it's not exactly expensive or difficult to replace when the time comes.

I wouldn't be concerned on that score.

Rick

[Peter Parry]

For the button cells about 12 months. The bell itself doesn't contribute much to their demise - its more self discharge because of condensation and atmospheric dirt across the very fine layer of insulation between the two ends of the cell.