[lcainsa]

Hi all, I recently moved into a new home, and realized shortly after getting settled that my doorbell button was sticking, which would cause my doorbell to hum. I know that replacing the button is an easy repair, so I bought a new one, and replaced the one that was sticking. I tested it when I replaced it, and it worked fine. This was a couple weeks ago. My sister stopped by last night and had to call me while standing at the door because I didn't hear the doorbell, and we found out that the chime isn't working now. I did some testing on it this morning, and when I push the button, the doorbell makes a clicking sound, but does not ring. Is this something that can be fixed, or do I need to replace the chime?

I looked at the chime but can't see any manufacturer information to provide.

[ma0641]

The strikers are possibly gummed up. Take the cover off and you should see 1 or 2 metal rods that hit the gong. Have someone push the doorbell and see what they do. They should slide back and forth. If they don't, clean and lightly oil them. If that still doesn't do the trick, either get new wired unit or a battery remote unit. The newer ones are great, no wires.

[lcainsa]

I did as you suggested, and had someone ring the bell while I looked at the chime. Here's what it looks like:



The 3 screws are labeled Front Trans and Back, respectively. I'm assuming the two things sticking up above that are the strikers? When I ring the doorbell, the left one goes down and back up - I hear a click and a slight hum when that occurs.

[lcainsa]

Thanks for your response, see my answer with photo above. Would you say I need to get a new unit? Does getting a new unit require replacing the transformer as well?

[ma0641]

Great Picture! That is your front door rod but I don't see any ringer plate. Look above the Rear door and you will see a metal bar, almost flush with the top. Since it doesn't look like there is a rear door wire, disconnect the wire from the "front" terminal and connect it to the "rear" terminal. It may only give you a "ding" not ding dong. Try that and let us know what happens. Brian

[lcainsa]

Brian, I don't see anything at all above the Rear door, inside or out, and that is the only exterior door to my house other than the one to the garage, which also has nothing. I realized that there is another box which looks like it's probably related to the box above (they both have similar white covers) just a little farther down in the hallway. Here's a picture of the box:




I tried your suggestion on disconnecting the wire from the "front" terminal and connecting it to the "rear" terminal, and it gave me absolutely nothing, no click, no hum, no ding or ding-dong, nothing at all. The box above is secured at the bottom by a screw, so I took it out to see if the cover came off. However, with this box, the innards are inside the cover, and what I saw (sorry, hard to hold on and try to take a picture of it, so I don't have a picture) was a small circuit board at the bottom. There are red and black wires coming from the wall to one end of the circuit board, and a black split wire going into terminals on the side of what appears to be a speaker above the circuit board.

[ma0641]

I'm sorry, my answer was a little confusing. By front door/rear door, I meant the indicator on the ringer. On the ringer picture with the wires, there are 3 terminals front trans rear. Above the front bar should be a metal plate that the bar should hit. It appears there is a bar above the rear bar. SO you relocated the "front" white wire to the "rear" and then pushed the FRONT door bell. Nothing happened?

[lcainsa]

Ah, OK, yes, I thought you meant to go look at the door. Yes, I relocated the "front" white wire to the "rear" and then pushed the FRONT door bell (button). Nothing happened. And I am guessing that the item in my second picture in fact has something to do with my alarm system and not my doorbell. :-)

[hkstroud]

..

[lcainsa]

They are two loosely held bars... I hadn't realized that till I looked at it again. They are metal, and I think that's what gets hit to make the sound? I kind of flicked them both with my fingers, and they both have a tone to them.

[hkstroud]

OK, those are the bars that make the sound. When you press the front door bell button, the left pin should move down and strike the lower bar. When you release the button it should bounce up and strike the upper one. Bars must be loosely held in place with nothing preventing them from vibrating. Try door bell button with out the cover on.

[Stratmando]

Also try moving them by hand to see if they can physically strike the bar or are the binding?
If you swap the front and rear wires and now nothing happens(no movement), that coil is open or it is froze/binding. If you can make front or rear to work, you can hook both wires to that good terminal, you just won't know which door.
If you replace, Identify the wires first.

[lcainsa]

I have done that already. When the button is pushed, the left pin goes down a bit, then back up, but it doesn't go far enough to hit either the top or bottom bar. The bars are loosely held in place, and worked previously; I have not done anything at all to change the way the bars are.

[Stratmando]

Does it move by hand or is it binding?

[hkstroud]

Check connection at door bell button. This is low voltage. Doesn't tolerate bad connections very well.

Remove wire from plunger on left, remove button and connect the two wire together. Then touch wire to plunger. If you have a meter check voltage between the two wires wires. Voltage should read either 18 or 24 volts, depending on transformer.

[fuseman]

Had the same problem, over years the transfomer gets old.replace with new one and larger.
Not enough power to run the plunger.(s).

[lcainsa]

I will try doing this in the morning and let you know.

[lcainsa]

The doorbell button connections are fine, it was working fine when I replaced the old one a couple weeks ago, and I double check the connection before posting this question. I don't have a voltage meter, will try your suggestion in the morning.

[lcainsa]

Could be, but looking to isolate the issue to be sure what needs replacing.

[Stratmando]

Any Luck?