# Strange doorbell wiring with 6 wires



## mjl3434 (Mar 16, 2013)

I recently purchased a house which has two doorbells, one in the front and one in the back. I would like to install a doorbell with two chimes. The instructions for the bell I have, and everything I've seen online seem to suggest there should be one low voltage AC wire, and another two wires, one for each bell coming into the box. 

My problem is I have 6 wires, not 3 coming out of the wall. One pair of wires puts out a constant 20V AC. The other two pairs of wires seem to do nothing when either of the door bells are pressed, although I haven't tried all 15 combinations.

Does anyone have any insight on what might be going on here and how to wire up the doorbell?


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## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

mjl3434 said:


> I recently purchased a house which has two doorbells, one in the front and one in the back. I would like to install a doorbell with two chimes. The instructions for the bell I have, and everything I've seen online seem to suggest there should be one low voltage AC wire, and another two wires, one for each bell coming into the box.
> 
> My problem is I have 6 wires, not 3 coming out of the wall. One pair of wires puts out a constant 20V AC. The other two pairs of wires seem to do nothing when either of the door bells are pressed, although I haven't tried all 15 combinations.
> 
> Does anyone have any insight on what might be going on here and how to wire up the doorbell?


 Intercom?


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## Jump-start (Sep 26, 2012)

mjl3434 said:


> I recently purchased a house which has two doorbells, one in the front and one in the back. I would like to install a doorbell with two chimes. The instructions for the bell I have, and everything I've seen online seem to suggest there should be one low voltage AC wire, and another two wires, one for each bell coming into the box.
> 
> My problem is I have 6 wires, not 3 coming out of the wall. One pair of wires puts out a constant 20V AC. The other two pairs of wires seem to do nothing when either of the door bells are pressed, although I haven't tried all 15 combinations.
> 
> Does anyone have any insight on what might be going on here and how to wire up the doorbell?


Are all 6 wires used in the old door bell? 

If only 3 are used don't worry about the other 3, just cap them off.


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

Robpo said:


> Intercom?


thermostat ?


was the wire always there? was there a chime?
What height is it at?


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

If actually bell.

whats there? is it a 6 wire cable and a 2 wire cable at front and back door?

3- 2 wire cables?
2- 3 wire cables?

6- 1 wire cables :huh: ?


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## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

Maybe 2 x wires are powet in ? 
2 x wires are to front bell. via switch ? 
2 x wires are to back bell via switch ?
Total = 6 x wires.
:thumbsup:


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

dmxtothemax said:


> Maybe 2 x wires are powet in ?
> 2 x wires are to front bell. via switch ?
> 2 x wires are to back bell via switch ?
> Total = 6 x wires.
> :thumbsup:


That would be correct.


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## Msradell (Sep 1, 2011)

dmxtothemax said:


> Maybe 2 x wires are powet in ?
> 2 x wires are to front bell. via switch ?
> 2 x wires are to back bell via switch ?
> Total = 6 x wires.
> :thumbsup:


My thoughts exactly! I've actually seen many doorbell circuits wired that way. Once you identify which appear brings the power from the transformer is very easy to wire. You connect one of the wires from the transformer to the chimes and you connect the other wire from the transformer to one of the wires to each doorbell button. You then attach the other wire from each button to the appropriate location on the chimes.


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## Jump-start (Sep 26, 2012)

dmxtothemax said:


> Maybe 2 x wires are powet in ?
> 2 x wires are to front bell. via switch ?
> 2 x wires are to back bell via switch ?
> Total = 6 x wires.
> :thumbsup:


Thinking about it that's the most likely scenario. My bets are on this now.


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## mjl3434 (Mar 16, 2013)

I've seen a few good theories. I just wanted to add some information to help narrow things down.

I don't know what the old doorbell looked like, when I bought it there were just six wires sticking out of the wall. Second each doorbell button is just a button, not a switch. The house is from 1958 so I'm not sure if intercoms were common then, but if it had one, it has since been removed.

I can take the buttons off tomorrow to get a look. I suppose I should check them for 20V AC as well.


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## k_buz (Mar 22, 2012)

A doorbell button is a momentary switch and you won't read 20V at the button.


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## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

k_buz said:


> A doorbell button is a momentary switch and you won't read 20V at the button.


I use to be a paper boy when I was a kid so I think that sorta makes me an expert on door bells. I would make peoples bells ring even if they didn't have one. I would touch the right two wires together and people would give me strange looks. Every once in a while I would see a little spark.


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