# Can't find doorbell transformer



## partner (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm in a new house just over a year old. I can't find the transformer for the doorbell. I have looked in all the logical places and even took off the cover panel to the electric box. Nowhere to be found. I have isolated it down to being on the Kit/dining-room/foyer/laundry light circuit. Anyone have any ideas? They wouldn't have put it inside an ceiling light fixture, would they? I just hope they didn't cover it over with wall board like they did with a couple of smoke detector boxes. Does any one know if the code allows it to be non accessible? That might be the only way I can get the builders attention.


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## circuitman (Aug 9, 2013)

usually there in the attic or basement, sometimes the garage.can you trace the wires from the buttons or doorbell? there not supposed to be hidden.let us know where you find it. never heard of them being in a breaker panel, have heard of them mounted on the outside if the panel is on a wall, but anythings possible.:biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:


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## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

can you not contact the home builder and ask who wired the home ?
they will know where the tranny is located.
There is no such thing as a "standard" place to put them,
as such it could be virtually anywhere.
in a j-box in a wall somewhere
roof space, basement.
trace the wires


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Look behind the doorbell!


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## partner (Mar 26, 2015)

jbfan said:


> Look behind the doorbell!



The button is mounted on door frame and the wires disappear into the wall behind the chimes. 
Code question ?


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## cad99 (Jun 29, 2014)

Look in a closet or mech/ storage room. May be mounted in the inside of a box with blank plate. Or on the side of surface mounted panel. More then likely in side a closet. 


Living the dream one nightmare at a time


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## fa_f3_20 (Dec 30, 2011)

In this part of the country, it's usually in the attic in the vicinity of the front door. In our previous house, for some bizarre reason, it was tied into a switch for the attic ventilator. Whenever I had to turn the ventilator off (because the motors kept burning up), it disabled the doorbell.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Around here for the last 40 years they are in a device box behind the chime unit. Older homes and retro installs may be found anywhere.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

partner said:


> The button is mounted on door frame and the wires disappear into the wall behind the chimes.
> Code question ?


Look behind the chimes.


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## partner (Mar 26, 2015)

jbfan said:


> Look behind the chimes.


Not sure what you mean. There's a solid wall on the other side of the wall that the chimes are on.


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## partner (Mar 26, 2015)

Colbyt said:


> Around here for the last 40 years they are in a device box behind the chime unit. Older homes and retro installs may be found anywhere.


Exactly where behind? There's a solid wall on the other side of the wall that the chimes are on.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

partner said:


> Exactly where behind? There's a solid wall on the other side of the wall that the chimes are on.


Remove the chime and look behind it.


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## partner (Mar 26, 2015)

circuitman said:


> usually there in the attic or basement, sometimes the garage.can you trace the wires from the buttons or doorbell? there not supposed to be hidden.let us know where you find it. never heard of them being in a breaker panel, have heard of them mounted on the outside if the panel is on a wall, but anythings possible.:biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:


Wires disappear into wall. I didn't expect it to be in the breaker panel either but it was easy to look in. And I was out of other options.


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## partner (Mar 26, 2015)

*Re: Can't find doorbell transformer - SOLVED*



rjniles said:


> Remove the chime and look behind it.


OK! That's what it took for me to figure out what JBFAN had been saying all along. So I took the chimes down and all I saw was two metal screws coming out of the wall. I scrapped some mud off and there was a metal plate. More scrapping and uncovered two screws holding plate to box. Inside was the transformer. I had looked behind the chimes before but it was so covered by mud that I assumed it was all wallboard. Even the wire hole was mostly filled with mud. I had never seen one in that location, I learned something today. Thanks to all that responded.


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## circuitman (Aug 9, 2013)

glad to hear you found it!that's a weird place.:biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:


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