![]() Instead, it’s wired to an existing light switch, outlet, or electrical box sharing a circuit with other electrical devices. A doorbell’s transformer is not directly connected through a dedicated circuit breaker. Now that you’ve learned the parts and doorbell mechanics, it’s time to find the circuit breaker that feeds the doorbell’s power supply. Red goes to the front doorbell, and black goes to the standard wire with the transformer. Meanwhile, two wires are coming from the doorbell (push-button) to the chime. From the transformer, there are two wires, whereas the red wire powers up the chime and the black wire connects to the standard wires. And last, the doorbell placed at the gate or the front door acts as a push-button to activate the chime.Ī doorbell comprises four wirings (usually black and red) connected to the chime. It’s not usually easy to spot inside the house to match the house’s interior. Next is the chime, a component where all the wirings are connected to run the doorbell system as a whole. Its primary purpose is to step down or lower the voltage coming from a 120-Volt source. First is the transformer, about 16 to 24 volts depending on how many volts your doorbell needs. By pressing the doorbell button, its internal electromagnet creates a magnetic field that activates the chime creating the famous doorbell sound.Ī doorbell system comprises three major components: the transformer, chime, and the doorbell itself. This system works around the concept of electromagnetism. However, it’s critical to learn the basics essential for tracing the breaker. A doorbell is a simple overall system commonly found in residential homes. The new cable used must match the wire gauge of the existing wiring in the low down electrical box.Before you dive into the search for your doorbell circuit breaker, you should know how it works. If so it may be necessary to make a temporary hole in the drywall near the blocking so that you can drill a hole through it for the new cable. Once the new box is all installed in place you can mount the new transformer on the box cover of that new box with the low voltage wire terminals being up near the ceiling.īefore you start do check that wall cavity to see if it has a cross member or fire block that would impede pushing the cable up the cavity. Then drop a new electrical cable down the stud cavity from the new opening and enter into the existing electrical box (it may turn out to be easier to push the new cable through the existing electrical box up the wall to the new opening where you can reach in and snag the new cable). If I were doing this I would make a new opening for an old work electrical box up near the ceiling of the closet. The low voltage wires should not be inside the electrical box. ![]() The line voltage parts of the circuit must be contained inside an electrical box which has an accessible cover. I’m in Virginia and would like to do this to code. ![]() So- do I just expose the transformer at waist height and surrounded by coats, or can I put the whole mess in the wall and cover it appropriately (vented panel?). ![]() The doorbell wire runs vertically in the same wall cavity (red area) and has enough slack to reach the green area easily. I know code requires this to be accessible so I can’t drywall over it, but can I have a transformer like that attached to a gang box on its side, with all of the wiring behind a cover plate? Or cover plates?Īs seen here the 120v is behind the existing wall plate in a single box currently mounted on a stud. What I’d like to do is mount the transformer in the wall cavity. Would that be a problem if I surface-mounted the transformer? But it is waist-high and would be covered by coats all the time. The location is in a coat closet, with an existing (currently capped) 120vAC line and close proximity to the doorbell wiring. I can disconnect and patch through the existing LV wiring easy enough though and I have a much more accessible location to install an updated one. My current under-powered doorbell transformer is in a very awkward location (old home, etc.) and in a location where several old wires are cable-nutted together and I would rather not replace it there. ![]()
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