GEC doorbell wiring nightmare! Please help!

[Lee369]

I have bought on old Bakelite GEC electric doorbell that I really would like to use, but am having real problems trying to find a transformer. The doorbell has 100-110v printed on it and 2 copper coils. It won't work with my modern 12v bell transformer, but I have checked it by plugging in a 12v DC battery charger and making contact with the terminals and it rings lovely. I've tried a LED light 12v AC/DC, 18watt transformer but there's not enough power to make it ring. Also I have spent all day ringing different electrical shops and nobody seems to be able to come up with a solution or product I can buy. I've found out that they used to work with Friedland transformers, but there's different ones on ebay etc and I don't know which model number I would need. If anybody could help with any suggestions I would be really grateful as I would love to have this in my home. Thank you

 

[JohnD]

photo might help

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The doorbell has 100-110v printed on it ... but I have checked it by plugging in a 12v DC battery charger and making contact with the terminals and it rings lovely.

 

[Lee369]

Updated with pics now, thanks

 

[Shutpa]

A few months ago we replaced an old Bakelite bell which the bell and the chrome striker external to the unit. However, we never had a transformer because the bell was powered by an Ever Ready battery with 2 terminals on top. I'm sure that this battery was 12v. Can't remember even looking at the details on the unit.

Edit: wife tells me it had Bell or Bell Battery printed on the side.

 

[Shutpa]

Looked at your photos and our bell was shaped differently, the idea was identical i.e.box, bell and striker. Suggest you upload your pics to your post.

 

[Lee369]

Just tried that and the striker just vibrates slightly

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Just tried what?

 

[bernardgreen]

That is a 110 volt AC bell but it is likely to work quite well on a DC supply of much lower voltage. The coils are very high impedance to an AC current and much lower resistance to a DC current.

Normally the two coils are connected in series ( 55 volts on each coil ) From meory of similar bells re-connecting the coils to be in parallel enables the bell to be operated on less than 6 volts.

wife tells me it had Bell or Bell Battery printed on the side.

These were the very common 126 battery 4.5 volts. The light in our toilet used one of these when I was a very young child.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/ever_battery_126.html

 

[OwainDIYer]

If it rings OK on 12 volts DC then you'd need a 12Vdc power supply. You can get them for CCTV use quite cheaply.

 

[Lee369]

I've connected it to a 9v battery and wouldn't ring but on two 9v batteries it rings fine. No idea how I could reconnect the coils, but might have to try and figure out how to connect the doorbell to the batteries, to the bell so it only rings when the bell is pushed lol! or back to square one with trying to figure out which Friedland transformer I would need, to connect via the mains. Any suggestions welcome please

 

[Lee369]

If it rings OK on 12 volts DC then you'd need a 12Vdc power supply. You can get them for CCTV use quite cheaply

Do you know if I would be able to wire in the doorbell wire as well so the ringer only rings when bell is pressed?

 

[PBC_1966]

Do you know if I would be able to wire in the doorbell wire as well so the ringer only rings when bell is pressed?

You connect the bellpush in series in one side of the supply to the bell.

These were the very common 126 battery 4.5 volts.
View attachment 88301

They powered many a small project in my youth.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Oh, that brings back a few memories.

Mind you, one of these used to have more voltage options!