Outdoor ringer

[masona]

Have any of you fitted an outdoor door chime or bell ringer?

I'm not having much luck, TLC Direct used to sell them but it's now discontinued, doesn't really have to be 100% waterproof, just damp or moisture resistance as I can fit it under the soffit of the summerhouse, it's the door bell chime or ringer I'm after and not a phone ringer.

 

[stem]

Pick a sounder, any you like bell, buzzer, horn, whatever, suitably rated for outdoors, wire up the doorbell push to a relay and use the relay to switch the sounder.

probably a good solution especially if there's a long run between bell push and sounder. Imagine the voltage drop on a long run of bell wire.

 

[masona]

Thanks stem,

It's about 50m of bell wire, does the relay have to be near the ringer or the doorbell pushes?

I couldn't see any relay on TLC-Direct, any pointer?

 

[soontobe]

goto poundland . even if it lasts a year its worth it . had one now about two years ,use good batteries tho not the leaky rubbish that you can buy

 

[Steve]

One of our neighbours has a school-bell type bell on his house. Had it hooked up to the phone, somehow. It rang like a phone. Very loudly. He has a very long garden and is a green party candidate so cant miss calls lol. Dont think he uses it anymore though, he must have discovered cordless phones.

 

[plugwash]

i'd mount the power supply and relay inside a waterproof enclosure near the sounder and then run bellwire to the button and suitable cable for the sounders power to the sounder.

since the relay coil current will be very low this layout should keep the volt drop in the bellwire to a minimum.

probablly a good idea to fuse the bell feed at something reasonable, especially if your power supply is capable of sourcing more than an amp or so.

 

[masona]

Sorry plugwash, I don't quite understand, I couldn't see it in the sticky either, is there a drawing I can look at?

 

[stem]

I couldn't see any relay on TLC-Direct, any pointer?

Try Maplin, they can supply mail order and have an outlet in most cities.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=relay 6v&source=15&SD=Y

This is a 6v relay. wire this up to operate when the bell push is operated and then wire up the contacts to switch a sounder of your choice via a suitable power supply as described by Plugwash.

 

[masona]

Thanks lads