Single Doorbell Push to Two Battery Chimes

[JohnW2]

But now the problem is when the secondary chime without batteries is put into the garage, there doesn't seem to be enough power to work the chime, you can visibly see the mechanism move just a little but it looks like it doesn't have enough power to strick the chimes to make them sound. Probably due to some sort of voltage drop over the distance of the cable from front door to the garage. ... Any more ideas ?

If it's simply a voltage drop issue, you ought to have much the same problem if you tried it with just the garage chime (with its batteries!) - i.e with the front door one disconnected. As I asked before, does that work? It may, of course, be a combination of voltage drop in the cable and drop of voltage coming from batteries when loaded with two chimes - are the batteries fairly new?

Kind Regards, John

 

[davewizz]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try that tomorrow and post back what happens with just the single chime unit in the garage with batteries in it connected directly to the bell.

Forgot to try out today.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try that tomorrow and post back what happens with just the single chime unit in the garage with batteries in it connected directly to the bell.

I look forward to hearing the result. If the bell doesn't work in that test, if the batteries are not fairly new, it would be worth re-trying with new batteries.

Kind Regards, John

 

[OwainDIYer]

how many cores of the telephone cable are you using?

Can you parallel cores to give you thicker conductors and reduce volt drop/

Personally I suspect cheap batteries first.

 

[davewizz]

So, just tested a single chime with batteries in the garage connected directly to the doorbell.

The top chime just sounds, not both and not very loud but before with both chimes connected just the mechanism moved. There's still something to do with the distance between bell signal getting to the chime possibly.

I'm using Duracell C batteries, one set brand new and another set had for a while but still full as they are unused and have the power checker strip on side.

Telephone cable is four core and I'd already double it up.

There has to be a way of getting bot chimes to work?

 

[JohnW2]

So, just tested a single chime with batteries in the garage connected directly to the doorbell. The top chime just sounds, not both and not very loud but before with both chimes connected just the mechanism moved. There's still something to do with the distance between bell signal getting to the chime possibly. I'm using Duracell C batteries, one set brand new and another set had for a while but still full as they are unused and have the power checker strip on side. Telephone cable is four core and I'd already double it up.
There has to be a way of getting bot chimes to work?

Right. It depends upon how much you are prepared or able to do.

Using appreciably fatter cable would probably be an answer, as would using low power 'electronic' sounders (rather than electromechanical 'chimes'). A small low voltage relay at the garage end would be another possibility. I would need to think a little, but there would probably be a way of retaining one or more batteries at the garage end (would probably also need a diode or two) to 'boost' the voltage getting to just that one.

Kind Regards, John

 

[davewizz]

Running a new cable is a no go. That would be major.

 

[JohnW2]

Running a new cable is a no go. That would be major.

OK. So if that option is out, and you don't want to change to 'electronic' chimes, or something like that, then the relay option would probably be your best bet. The 6V version (which will operate down to 4.5V, and which only draws about 60mA at 6V) of something like this one would probably work. However, you'd have to be able to solder connections to it.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

OK. So if that option is out, and you don't want to change to 'electronic' chimes, or something like that, then the relay option would probably be your best bet. The 6V version (which will operate down to 4.5V, and which only draws about 60mA at 6V) of something like this one would probably work. However, you'd have to be able to solder connections to it.

As further detail, the sort of arrangement you'd need would be something like this (adapted from OwainDIYer's diagram):

Untitled

• JohnW2
• 20 Sep 2012
• 1

Kind Regards, John

 

[davewizz]

Thanks John for the diagram. As it happens, I'll be across from a Maplins tomorrow so I'll buy one of their 6v 10A relays as in the link you sent.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks John for the diagram. As it happens, I'll be across from a Maplins tomorrow so I'll buy one of their 6v 10A relays as in the link you sent.

You're welcome. No promises, obviously, but I see no reason why it shouldn't work (with batteries in both bells) - I find it hard to believe that the cable you're using would not be man enough for the relay to operate.

Kind Regards, John

 

[big-all]

i would buy 2 relays in case the first bell reduces the voltage to much then you can just use it as a control wire

 

[JohnW2]

i would buy 2 relays in case the first bell reduces the voltage to much then you can just use it as a control wire

Am I missing something? Unless one introduced a third set of batteries (to power the 'control wire'), I'm not sure how a second relay would help - or was that what you were thinking of?

Kind Regards, John

 

[big-all]

i would buy 2 relays in case the first bell reduces the voltage to much then you can just use it as a control wire

Am I missing something? Unless one introduced a third set of batteries (to power the 'control wire'), I'm not sure how a second relay would help - or was that what you were thinking of?

Kind Regards, John

for the sake off another couple off quid you have the full choice
it may work fine with one bell and a relay on the battery if it dosn't you try it with 2 relays only if that is then the only way it can work then you need 3 power sources
as i say it only costs £2 for the chance off the third option that may not be needed

 

[JohnW2]

Am I missing something? Unless one introduced a third set of batteries (to power the 'control wire'), I'm not sure how a second relay would help - or was that what you were thinking of?

for the sake off another couple off quid you have the full choice ... it may work fine with one bell and a relay on t battery if it dosn't you try it with 2 relays only if that is then the only way it can work then you need 3 power sources ...

If it doesn't work with one relay and two sets of batteries, then I see no reason why it should work with two relays and two sets of batteries, but should then work with two relays and 3 sets of batteries, so ...

as i say it only costs £2 for the chance off the third option that may not be needed

For the small price, you're probably right that it would be worth getting a second relay in case that third route (with 3 sets of batteries) becomes necessary (probably cheaper than the petrol for a second trip to Maplin!).

Kind Regards, John