Bell wire and transformer

[ey143]

Hi

I'm renovating my house and want to install a new hard wire bell where no bell currently exists. I want to install the mains transformer (or whatever it is called) in a cloackroom cupboard about 6m of cable length, away from the bell button.

From the transformer I then want to install a total of 3 bell sounders (we have a larger than average home). The ground floor rear utility room bell sounder will be about 12-15m cable metres away from the transformer, approx the same distance for the 1st floor sounder too. For both of these sounders, the cable will have to bend and travel in many different directions.

1. Could someone please spec out the most appropriate bell wire to select taking into account the length of cable I will need for each floor and any loss of power due to the length?

2. What considerations I should give to the setup and recommend a good make and power mains adaptor I should buy?

Thanks.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Bends etc has no effect. Electricity can whizz round corners faster than Lewis.

Your problem is that most standard bell transformers are only able to drive one standard bell (usually they pull an amp eac.
So you will need a transformer that can deliver sufficient current to drive all three whatever they are. you say "sounders" what are they?

 

[ericmark]

First select the bell, my very old bell has the option for two door pushes and two speakers on in the bell and one remote and it needs an 8 volt AC supply, but other for example my mothers which although bell push is hard wired the bell is like a phone and you slot it into a charging bay uses 12 volt DC as supply to door push, many bell transformers have the option 8 volt or 12 volt but most are AC and the more technical bells which allow multi-pushes and speakers are often DC. With mine the sound from front door bell is different from back door bell.

Today at home I use wireless I bought three Lidi units and programmed all bells into the same door push and I no longer have a rear door bell push. Not even sure you can still get the wired bell I fitted some 27 years ago. Everything today seems to be wireless, had same with central heating, simply could not buy wired TRV's they are all wireless.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Eric. he wants to have 3 sounders. More of a problem. Unless he abandons the wired requirement.

 

[stem]

You need to make sure that the power rating of the transformer you get is sufficient to drive all three bell sounders simultaneously.

I have wired two bells to one transformer, but not three. 12-15m for bells 1 & 2 should be OK with normal bell wire, but there maybe a problem if the third bell is very close to the transformer as there will be less impedance, and so it may get most of the current. If this is the case I would consider using 0.75mm wire for the further bells to balance it up a bit.

You may also have to consider the current rating of the bell push, and perhaps use a relay to prevent pitting of the contact.

 

[mwatsonxx]

How about 3 of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32-Chime-...091121&hash=item5d635149cd:g:ci4AAOSwENxXmebH job done with change from £40, a no brainer.

 

[Taylortwocities]

How about 3 of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32-Chime-...091121&hash=item5d635149cd:g:ci4AAOSwENxXmebH job done with change from £40, a no brainer.

Does not comply with his stated requirement

want to install a new hard wire bell

 

[SUNRAY]

How about 3 of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32-Chime-...091121&hash=item5d635149cd:g:ci4AAOSwENxXmebH job done with change from £40, a no brainer.

These things are OK if there is nothing similar within 100m or so, I find that even the units that need to be paired suffer.

My neighbor went through several different makes before reusing the cable that was left behind when the original button fell apart.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Does not comply with his stated requirement

No that's right, he didn't say he wanted the job done as simply and as cheaply as possible.

 

[Taylortwocities]

That's right, he didn't

 

[SUNRAY]

No that's right, he didn't say he wanted the job done as simply and as cheaply as possible.

If my neighbours (and other) experience is anything to go by he may be wanting something more reliable than cheap and cheerful

 

[333rocky333]

Some of them bells, the operating coils sometimes overstress the so called bell transformers and using 2 or 3 often technically work on paper but not in reality.
worth considering a 12 or 24 volt power supply and small 12 or 24 volt Electronic, buzzers/ chimes/bells.
We used to use Friedland underdome bells in retail for Till bells to call staff, but now use White Electronic sounders that fit on a 1 gang square box, you can get adjustable ones with low db level and variable sound, usually designed for alarms and fire alarms so made in red or white
True bell wire is sometimes a bit crap , we tend to use 2 core mains flex

 

[ey143]

you say "sounders" what are they?

Bell boxes. The thing that goes ding dong!

 

[ey143]

No that's right, he didn't say he wanted the job done as simply and as cheaply as possible.

Cost is not a consideration as my whole setup wont be more than £200 and bell wire probably only £50 for a roll. I want a wired bell option since I don't fancy recharging any units or changing batteries or having interference issues and besides, I'm at a building stage in my project to running cable around will be a doddle and take me 20 min at most for all three bells boxes/sounders.

I will probably go for a smart bell of some sort, maybe The Ring version as my home will have various zwave automation relays etc built in so would rather have the functionality of a door bell which I can remotely see who approached the door.

With respect to the question of where the third bell sounder will go, it will be within 3-5 metres of the transformer, so closer to the front door compared with the other two which are 15m+ away.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Bell boxes. The thing that goes ding dong!

You should get out more.
There are also ones that go ding a ling, dome go buzzzz and a few that can make any noise that you can load into them with an sound file.
Some of these need a lot of current, some very little.