# Different color wires on new doorbell transformer....



## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

I'm replacing my doorbell transformer. The old one had two black wires and one green wire. This junction box also has a 2 plugin socket. The two black wires both went to the socket. 1 on the right side and 1 on the left side. The green wire was grounded to the metal junction box.

The new doorbell transformer has 1 green wire, 1 black wire, and 1 white wire. The instructions only show how to hook it up to the incoming feed. (white to white, black to black, ground to box, etc...)

My question is how do I wire in the new transformer with the white wire? Do I treat it just like the old transformer with 2 black wires? 

I saw two choices for doorbell transformers at Home Depot, 10v and 15v. I didn't see any with different wiring options. Do they make them for different wiring options. One kind for use with the direct line and another kind for use with a socket?


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## Sammy (Mar 11, 2007)

The only difference between 10v/15v is the output draw....

Wiring should be the same as before.

Any white stripes on the new black wires?


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Nope, no difference at all between the two black wires on the old one. They both have very small writing on them in white.

I can't find anything on the Internet about these coming with 1 green and 2 black wires. It seems they all have 1 green, 1 black, 1 white, which makes since. It would be simple if I didn't have to wire it though the plug. I don't have the option to bypass the plug either. 

Could I damage the transformer if I wire it in wrong? My only idea is to wire the white wire exactly like the black wire was that comes out of the same spot on the transformer.


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## Andy in ATL (Aug 28, 2007)

The old tranformer really didn't care which wire got hooked to the neutral and which wire got hooked to the hot.

I suspect that the new transformer doesn't care either...but the manufacturer made it easier for you.

I'm assuming that by "2 plug in socket" you mean a receptacle???

If my assumption is correct? Simply (with the power off, of course) take the black wire from the transformer and attach to the brass screw of the recp. The brass screw will be on the same side as the shorter slot on the receptacle and the one the black wire from your house wiring is attached to.

Take the white wire and attach it to the silver screw of the receptacle. This screw will be oposite of the brass scew, corresponding with the longer slot of the receptacle, and the one the white wire is attached to. It will also be on the same side as your ground wire, if you have a three wire recp. Attach the green as before. 

Post back with any questions...Don't let that pesky white wire throw you off. It is essentially the same as the old one.

Andy


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## Andy in ATL (Aug 28, 2007)

OOPS!!! Brain fart of gigantic proportions....You cant wire the transformer to the receptacle outlet. It has to be hardwired. I typed that whole post without thinking.:furious: 

Post back and we will think of other options....Why can't you tie in elsewhere?

Andy

Edit to add: I guess the question is...If you are attaching this to a recp. Where does the transformer sit? The transformer, while not huge, can't possibly fit behind the recp. in the box. I'm confused.


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

The transformer sits on top of a metal junction box. It's made to screw tight using a knockout hole.

I completely bypassed the receptacle and just wired it straight to the power source. White to White, Black to Black, Ground to Green. I attached the little red wires on the output side. I went to the wires at the door and touched them together to short the wires and see if the doorbell worked.....it didn't. So I swapped the red wires on top of the transformer since I'm not sure if it matters which one goes where....shorted the lines at the door.....nothing.

Now I'm just frustrated. I guess I'll have to buy a volt meter to see if I'm getting 15V from the output of the transformer and then see if I'm getting any power to the lines at the switch.

I find it very unlikely that I have a broken wire since when I was wiring in the new switch (see other post) I was able to get the light on the switch to flicker on and off and was able to ring the doorbell on one occasion.

Anybody have any ideas?


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Sounds like the doorbell unit itself is defective.


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## SANDBAGER (Nov 20, 2007)

To Test Low Voltage Transformer Touch The 2 Screws With A Flat Head Screw Driver If It Sparks Its Good, Are The Wires Red And White? If So You Have 2 End Points Red & White @ Button, Red & White @ Trans, Leave The White Wire @ The Chime Uncut Cut The Red Hookup On Chime Marked Trans & Door


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## Sammy (Mar 11, 2007)

Dont get frustrated.. Its those little jobs that ya think will take two minutes that drive us all crazy... TRUST ME...

Pick up an inexpensive multimeter for a few bucks and start testing. That way your working with known factors. 

Check the output at the transformer and see if you have 10-16 volts AC coming of the transfromer.. Then test across your door bell button leads.. 
Wiggle the wires and see if they still test o.k. I've seen trim nails or lock strike screws hit door bell wires before. 

If both of those test o.k. you can go to your chime/bell while somebody pushes the door bell button and see if you get voltage there.


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

***In reference to the doorbell unit itself going out***

That is an option, but I don't know of a way to test it out. It seems odd that it would go out by just replacing the switch at the door.

Any way to test it out?


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## SANDBAGER (Nov 20, 2007)

Will Work Anyway You Hook It Up


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## SANDBAGER (Nov 20, 2007)

May Need Resistor On Button Between Screws


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Sammy said:


> Dont get frustrated.. Its those little jobs that ya think will take two minutes that drive us all crazy... TRUST ME...
> 
> Pick up an inexpensive multimeter for a few bucks and start testing. That way your working with known factors.
> 
> ...



Yeah, I thought this would just be an easy cosmetic fix. Now it's turn into a pain in my butt.

It sounds like I'll just need to get a volt meter and trace it that way. I was looking at some volt meters today and of course I couldn't just get the $20 one after seeing all the cool things the $80 one does and I couldn't justify spending $80 until I tried just replacing the transformer to see if that fixed everything.


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## Sammy (Mar 11, 2007)

Heck mine is only ten bucks... 

I aint launching rockets into space... Just testing a circuit here or there...


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Just an FYI on the situation.

I had an ugly switch at my entry door. The doorbell worked fine. I tried replacing the old switch with a new switch that has a lighted button. While installing the new switch, the light would come on and off. I couldn't get it to stay on for a long period of time. I was able to ring the doorbell once while the light was on. After playing with the wires for awhile trying to get the light to stay on, the button no longer would light.

Today I tried replacing the transformer. The old one was a 10v version. The new one I tried installing was a 15v version. I assumed the light might be drawing more than 10v which could be causing the problem. After installing the new transformer, I jumped the wires at the door and still couldn't get the doorbell to ring.

That's where I stand now.


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Sammy said:


> Heck mine is only ten bucks...
> 
> I aint launching rockets into space... Just testing a circuit here or there...


I know. I know. I just liked the one that had the temperature probe. My mechanic used his when testing out the A/C in my truck this summer. 

I'll probably get a cheap one, but I was hoping this new transformer would do the trick and I wouldn't have to get one at all.


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## LawnGuyLandSparky (Nov 18, 2007)

ConstantChange said:


> Just an FYI on the situation.
> 
> I had an ugly switch at my entry door. The doorbell worked fine. I tried replacing the old switch with a new switch that has a lighted button. While installing the new switch, the light would come on and off. I couldn't get it to stay on for a long period of time. I was able to ring the doorbell once while the light was on. After playing with the wires for awhile trying to get the light to stay on, the button no longer would light.
> 
> ...


Take the chime down (label where the wires went before you disconnect them) Bring the chime to the transformer and run 1 wire from the transformer output (either one doesn't matter) to the com/comm/common terminal, and touch another wire from the transformer's other terminal to "door" or "1" and see if the transformer can drive the chime.

Some chimes are crappy builder's specials, and can burn out their coil if the pushbutton ever gets stuck.


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## RichyL (Nov 17, 2007)

The black lead coming out of the transformer wirenut that to the black 120 volt wire. The white lead to the white 120 volt wire. Green to the bare (ground) wire. Turn the power back on. Try pushing the doorbell button, if it doesnt work trying removing the doorbell, back out the screws completely and touching the two wires together briefly, if the chime is still not working at this point you may need to verify low voltage from the transformer and get a meter. And yes it is possible for the transformer to go bad if wired wrong. When you screwed the new doorbell in did you use longer screws? If you hit the wire screwing in the doorbell, which i hope is not the case, your transformer COULD blow everytime. In that case you will probably need to check for continuity to make sure the 2 wires arent constantly touching. I dont know how likely it is that a chime can go bad, I have never experienced this but i guess that could also be a very remote possibility. Hope this helps


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

RichyL said:


> When you screwed the new doorbell in did you use longer screws?


I never even attempted to screw the new switch in places since it wasn't working. Now I just have two wires sticking out of a hole next to the door. I've just been touching them together to test things out. I figured once it was working that way, I would try to reinstall the switch.


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## RichyL (Nov 17, 2007)

Have you taken off the chime cover yet? Maybe one of the strikers got stuck or something, or a spring popped off lol


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

RichyL said:


> Have you taken off the chime cover yet? Maybe one of the strikers got stuck or something, or a spring popped off lol


Yeah, I took off the cover. Everything looks fine. I can manually move the striker and make the doorbell sound.


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## RichyL (Nov 17, 2007)

I hope this helps 

http://www.thehomeshow.com/hih/howtos/dbells/dbells.htmlhttp://www.doityourself.com/stry/installdoorchime


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## Piedmont (Nov 1, 2007)

Well, just an FYI it doesn't take much to fry a doorbell transformer. Well, one purchased at Home Depot anyway. My doorbell didn't work, I replaced the switch and chime and still no go. I replaced the transformer, turned on the breaker and the transformer made a humming noise. I tried the system out, no go. Went back to the transformer (after about 10 minutes of fooling around) and it wasn't humming anymore. Nothing I did could make it hum and the thing was damn hot, I had blown it. Purchased another, hooked it into the panel, no humming. Hooked in the wires to chime and it started humming. Unhooked the wires to chime, humming stopped. Moved chime to transformer and hooked in new wires, no humming. That told me there was a short between the doorbell and chime. Replaced them and my doorbell light came on and everything was great. 

Lessons learned, a humming transformer means it's being used, and if you don't have your doorbell hooked up it shouldn't be humming. After about 10 minutes of humming it will blow if a cheap one at Home Depot, maybe others will as well. 

Do you have a back doorbell hooked into the system?


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Piedmont said:


> Do you have a back doorbell hooked into the system?


Nope, just the one at the front door.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

SANDBAGER said:


> To Test Low Voltage Transformer Touch The 2 Screws With A Flat Head Screw Driver If It Sparks Its Good,


Good way to blow out the transformer if it was any good.


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Well, I bought a voltage tester and tested everything out. The old transformer seems to be working fine. Its output is 18.5v, which should be fine. The wires at the door are dead. I guess when I took the old switch off and pulled the wires out of the hole so I could work with them I somehow broke one of the wires or snagged it on a staple or something.

I went in the attic and was able to locate what I think is the wire going from the transformer to the door. I guess I'll just have to cut it right before it goes down into the wall and test it there to see if the break is before or after that point. I have no idea how I would be able to run a new piece of wire from the attic to the hole outside by the door. I don't have one of those nice flexible things I could feed up from the hole into the attic like the professionals do.

I'm not giving up just yet!!!


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

Just to make sure I'm doing it right since I've never used a volt meter before. When I test the wires at the switch. I should just hold one probe to the red wire and the other to the white wire, correct? I assume I should see a reading between 10-18v. 

I was getting a reading of 0.00 when I held the probes to both wires.


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## RichyL (Nov 17, 2007)

does your meter have different volt ranges or functions? Make sure its on voltage, try testing on a receptacle first to veryify its working. Put one probe into the grounded slot of the receptacle then one in the small slot. Keep your fingers away from the leads. Verify power at your power source using AC voltage. Might be labeled as a V with a squiggly line over it. To test the transformer try the same thing as before or you might have to switch the meter to DC current, lemme know how it goes 
RIch


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## RichyL (Nov 17, 2007)

Sorry didnt read your previous post.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You don't need to cut the wire to test it. Just strip a small section on each wire and then short it together. Listen if the chime rings. Before you do that go to the chime unit and test it there. The button wires should run to the chime unit. 
The power wires should run to the chime unit not the button. See if you have voltage at the chime.


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## ConstantChange (Apr 21, 2006)

I was able to get it working today. I had a broken wire in behind the button at the door. I was able to pull on the wire enough to get past the break and reconnect the wires.

Thanks for all the help. You guys are great!


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## RichyL (Nov 17, 2007)

hallelujah!! It is always the little things that can be the biggest pain in the arse. Congrats and happy thanksgiving:thumbup:


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