Help finding door bell transformer

[CazDIY]

Hi,

I want to replace the door bell chime box as we're redecorating the hallway soon and the old one has become discoloured.

I can't find the transformer box and neither could the electrician when he replaced the house's consumer unit last year.

It's only a two bed house and there's not that many places it can be. Built around 1997/98.

Any ideas where it might be? How will I know if it is built in to the chime unit itself?

Thanks

 

[bernardgreen]

Picture would help.

If there is a mains type cable ( as opposed to thin bell wire ) going into the chime box then the transformer is part of the chime unit.

Transformers can be found under floor boards, in cupboards and one I found was plastered into the wall. ( though no longer in use and no mains to it )

 

[CazDIY]

Thanks for your help.

Here's a picture of the insides....
Seems that the chime box does have a larger wire feeding into it and then only a couple of smaller wires attach to the chime itself.

Is that what it looks like to you?

 

[bernardgreen]

There is no transformer in that chime box. The white cable(s) are telephone type cables, often used for door bell wiring. One will be going to the transformer wherever it has been hidden and the other to the door bell.

 

[CazDIY]

Ok thanks.

Is it important to find the transformer box?

For example, could a new hard wired chime box be installed to directly replace the unit that's there without seeing the transformer? Or alternatively could a wireless door bell be installed without disconnecting the old transformer?

We've looked in all obvious places including the loft and all cupboards etc.

 

[bernardgreen]

For example, could a new hard wired chime box be installed to directly replace the unit that's there without seeing the transformer?

Yes provided it is electrically the same as the present one in terms of voltage and power used. ( 8 to 16 volts AC or 6 volts DC and 15 watts ).

That said having a transformer that is hidden away somewhere with a mains supply to it is not good practise as it may develop a fault and could over heat.

 

[SFK]

CazYDIY
One more place to look is in your fuse box (Consumer Unit).
Wylex (I don't know about others) have a Door Bell Transformer (Power Supply Module for door bells) that is a MCB (fuse) shaped device and that fits in the fuse box in place of one of the MCBs.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=W...6P_OAhUsKcAKHdK1D8MQ_AUICSgC&biw=1920&bih=950
sfk

 

[CazDIY]

CazYDIY
One more place to look is in your fuse box (Consumer Unit).
Wylex (I don't know about others) have a Door Bell Transformer (Power Supply Module for door bells) that is a MCB (fuse) shaped device and that fits in the fuse box in place of one of the MCBs.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=W...6P_OAhUsKcAKHdK1D8MQ_AUICSgC&biw=1920&bih=950
sfk

Thanks. I will have a look but don't think it will be on the consumer unit....we had a new consumer unit installed last year. It's in a kitchen cupboard so upgraded when we had the kitchen refurbished. I can't remember this being mentioned but I'll double check.

 

[SFK]

CazDIY,
You are likely right as I have only tended to see these when the FuseBox is next to front door and Bell Box is near by (I expect because a short cable is needed between the Bell Transformer and the Bell itself to minimize Voltage drop and cause bell not to ring).
One other suggestion is to Switch off all the MCBs (fuses) in your fuse box and Switch them on one at a time testing your door bell each time. That will not locate your door bell power supply, but will tell you which circuit/fuse it is on.
sfk

 

[chappers]

why not just give the one you've got a bit of a clean and then give it a spray with some spray paint.

 

[CazDIY]

I'll try that thanks. I've managed to find a picture from just after the new consumer unit was installed just before the kitchen was fitted (attached).

There's a white cable going up from the consumer unit.

Is this likely to be the door bell wire? If so does this help find the transformer?

If transformer still can't be found could the mains cabling be capped off by accessing the consumer unit? That way we could just install a wireless door bell and forget about the hard wiring.

 

[CazDIY]

why not just give the one you've got a bit of a clean and then give it a spray with some spray paint.

That's a good option too.