Old Doorbell

[shbrooks]

I was hoping someone might be able to confirm whether or not this old Doorbell is mains powered or battery powered and therefore safe to remove and leave the wire in the wall?

 

I presume it is battery powered but would like to be sure before I cut the wire!

[dpmiller]

if there isn't another bell push at (say) the back door, then there is a transformer somewhere powering it.

[ProDave]

I would say mains powered. But not directly, there will be a transformer somewhere.  One of those pairs of wires will connect to the transformer which is usually about 9V ac, and the other pair will go to the pushbutton.

 

The transformer is often put next to the consumer unit.  Find it and discnnect it and then you can remove the doorbell.

 

But why disconnect it? what are you going to put in it's place?

[Carrerahill]

10 minutes ago, shbrooks said:

I was hoping someone might be able to confirm whether or not this old Doorbell is mains powered or battery powered and therefore safe to remove and leave the wire in the wall?

 

I presume it is battery powered but would like to be sure before I cut the wire!

It is batteries, I can tell from the contacts either end and the battery markings on the back of the case..

Edited May 1, 2020 by Carrerahill

[ProDave]

1 minute ago, Carrerahill said:

Looks like batteries from the contacts either end.

That sort of doorbell could be used on batteries with just one pair of wires to the pushbutton, or mains powered (as in this case) by connecting a transformer.  but not both together.

[Carrerahill]

4 minutes ago, ProDave said:

That sort of doorbell could be used on batteries with just one pair of wires to the pushbutton, or mains powered (as in this case) by connecting a transformer.  but not both together.

It could well be, if so then he is looking for a 6V transformer somewhere (could also be 12V, solenoid would probably work on both without coming to harm), but, my guess from looking at the wiring is that it was originally wired front and back doors with a different chime for front of back, hi-lo for front, lo-hi for back etc.

 

I had an even earlier version of this type of chime (1960's) with a mercury tilt switch in it! Still have it somewhere actually. 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Carrerahill

[Temp]

+1 Looks like its designed to take 4 batteries or a transformer so probably a 6v transformer somewhere. 

[ProDave]

Do you have a multimeter?  If so you could measure if there is any voltage across either of those pairs.

[shbrooks]

Thanks for all the replies. Incredible response as always. Had a look by consumer unit and found this:

 

[PeterW]

That’s a bell transformer ..! Pull the fuse above and detach the transformer and job done. 

[PeterW]

Ignore that ..!! That’s a very mucky switch ..!! And the wire goes round it..! Need to look better next time ..!

[Mr Punter]

It looks like the single switch (above) is to isolate the transformer (below) so you could switch off the consumer unit power, remove the wire from the switch that leads to the transformer, then switch power back on.

[shbrooks]

Had a look in that socket today and whilst I think I know what I'm doing, I thought it best to check! Do I just remove the black and red wire coming from the transformer, leave everything else in situ and screw the plug back together?

[ProDave]

[pedantic] it's not a plug, it's a switch [/pedantic]

 

If that's is what you are comfortable with then yes just disconnect the red and black coming out of the switch to the door bell.  But it would be better if it's easy to follow the red and black going into the switch and see if you can disconnect that at it's source which is probably the consumer unit. Then you can remove the switch as well.