Friedland D753 8V 1A With Ring Video Doorbell Wired

[fouxdafafa]

Needed a new doorbell to replace my old skool push with chime so I've order a Ring Video Doorbell Wired. The existing wiring is still in place - I've removed the box that contained the chime and connected the wiring from the transformer to the bell push side directly. The transformer is mounted beside (but outside) the CU, but is currently disconnected. The transformer is a Friedland D753 rated at 8V 1A AC.

While I wait for the Ring to arrive can someone please advise whether this transformer is likely to work? The Ring requires 8-24VAC, so it's at the minimum of that range.

I've seen discussion that the transformers for those old skool doorbells are designed for short periods of activation i.e. when the bell push is, er, pushed. That's worried me slightly because my understanding is that the Ring can supply continuous live video.

 

[sparkwright]

It may do.

For a bit.

In my experience, Ring doorbells only successfully work with their own transformers - and the plug-in variety seems to the easiest to obtain - so I tend to use that.

I don't think I will ever waste my time ever again trying to fit a Ring doorbell to an existing transformer, a new non-Ring transformer, and most definitely a non-Ring transformer and existing non-Ring doorbell chime.

You can waste hours installing AND researching this stuff, if you're not careful.

 

[fouxdafafa]

It may do.

For a bit.

In my experience, Ring doorbells only successfully work with their own transformers - and the plug-in variety seems to the easiest to obtain - so I tend to use that.

I don't think I will ever waste my time ever again trying to fit a Ring doorbell to an existing transformer, a new non-Ring transformer, and most definitely a non-Ring transformer and existing non-Ring doorbell chime.

You can waste hours installing AND researching this stuff, if you're not careful.

Thanks for your reply.

I guess I'll have to see how it goes then. Out of curiosity, what goes wrong after "a bit"? Does the transformer burn out or something?

If I were to need a different transformer, ideally I'd want a similar replacement to the Friedland, in the same location sitting beside the CU. There are no sockets suitable for a plug-in variety that would hook up to the existing doorbell wiring - and I'd rather not go digging walls out having recently decorated.

Interestingly, the Ring plug-in transformer is DC, so it appears the doorbell will work with both AC or DC. Having said that, I can't find a Ring plug-in for sale in the UK at the moment. Edit: oh wait, I see one now.

Edit 2: Thinking about it, I suppose if needs be I could put a new socket next to the CU, plug it in there and connect to the existing doorbell wiring at that point. The doorbell transformer is on the upstairs lighting circuit at the moment. I presume it would be OK to have a 3 pin socket on that lighting circuit as long as it was marked for doorbell only ... or something.

 

[fouxdafafa]

Just a quick update. Ring Doorbell Wired and Chime arrived today. I reconnected the old 8VAC 1A Honeywell D753 transformer to the CU (my mistake, it's Honeywell not Friedland), and connected it directly to the new doorbell using the existing wiring (actually that's not entirely true - the wires from the transformer, and to the doorbell, which previously went into the old chime enclosure, are now wago'd together inside a new enclosure where the chime used to be). Everything seems OK so far. I had wondered whether the transformer would get warm but it hasn't so far.

Must admit, I was impressed how easy it was to set up with the Ring app on my iPhone.

The only thing I'm slightly unhappy with is that the doorbell itself won't sit flush on the uPVC door frame because the wiring comes from the side. It needs a notch in the side of the housing (which I'm not going to) or a backplate with a notch already in it. That can be done in slow time because it's inside the porch and is not open to the elements.

I had one surprise with the alert sounds - you can change the sound on the Chime, but not the one on the doorbell itself. Not sure why you'd want the doorbell itself to sound when pushed anyway, so I've set its volume to zero.

I will update if/when the transformer packs in.

Edit: Actually, the other surprise I had was that the output from the transformer read 14V AC.

 

[flameport]

Not sure why you'd want the doorbell itself to sound when pushed anyway,

That is so visitors can tell if it has actually worked when they press the button.
Otherwise look forward to multiple presses of it and then people banging on the door and clattering the letterbox as they will think it's broken.

the output from the transformer read 14V AC.

Open circuit voltage and loaded voltage are very different things.
It's rated 8 volts when a 1A current is taken.
That's one of the reasons why using it with devices it was not designed for can result in problems.

 

[fouxdafafa]

That is so visitors can tell if it has actually worked when they press the button.
Otherwise look forward to multiple presses of it and then people banging on the door and clattering the letterbox as they will think it's broken.

Ah yes, point taken. However, my chime is about a metre inside the front door so they should hear that anyway.

Open circuit voltage and loaded voltage are very different things.
It's rated 8 volts when a 1A current is taken.
That's one of the reasons why using it with devices it was not designed for can result in problems.

Thanks. I hadn't realised that. I'm hoping this transformer will be OK, obviously, seeing as it is within spec - just. If it fails, I'll get the Ring plug-in one. They're £20 if bought separately, but only £10 if bought as part of a bundle with the doorbell and chime. So I may have missed a trick there.