Is this box my bell transformer?

[Deleted member 112675]

Hello All

Always risky posting a picture especially this one with the cables not clipped nicely etc. Can only assure its not my work and was done 20+ years ago.

Anyway, caveat out of the way ,is that black box the transformer for the bell? And is it being fed by that socket outlet plate?

Finally, I assume its not man enough to power a Ring Video Doorbell? Would something like this do the job?
Or maybe just buy a 2 way enclosure and transformer separately? Ring arrives tomorrow and not sure if it comes with a transformer or not.

 

[Deleted member 112675]

The bell Tx output will be AC, and I suspect your new device requires DC.

Thats what I thought but its actually writen as "8-24VAC 40VA maximum 50/60Hz" so its definitely AC.

Can I touch these damn bell wires ?

 

[brianmoooore]

I wouldn't touch the bare wires on my tongue, but apart from that they're safe to handle. Don't short them together.
If you do use this transformer and use circuitry to change it to DC, the DC voltage produced will be approximately 1.4 times the AC voltage.

 

[Deleted member 112675]

This is the existing bell box. There are two push switches (front and side door). I don't mind losing any of the existing functionality.

I assume the 3 bunched together are the neutrals* and the others are live (14V). Is the only/easiest way to tell which is which by turning the circuit off and running continuity checks with long leads or cable ? Or is there a better way?

Edit: (*) Hmm no I think these must be the lives from the transformer and 2 lives going out to the push switches. The other single wire terminals must be the switched lives and one must be the neutral. I dunno.,....----ing in the wind at the moment haha

 

[Deleted member 112675]

This is the existing bell box. There are two push switches (front and side door). I don't mind losing any of the existing functionality.

I assume the 3 bunched together are the neutrals* and the others are live (14V). Is the only/easiest way to tell which is which by turning the circuit off and running continuity checks with long leads or cable ? Or is there a better way?

Edit: (*) Hmm no I think these must be the lives from the transformer and 2 lives going out to the push switches. The other single wire terminals must be the switched lives and one must be the neutral. I dunno.,....----ing in the wind at the moment haha

Well I've figured out its a Friedland 954 so need to get the wiring diagram somehow....

 

[Deleted member 112675]

Well I've figured out its a Friedland 954 so need to get the wiring diagram somehow....

Well in case anyone else googles friedland 954 in the future I think I've got mine working - subject to test tomorrow.


I found two ways that I think are generic and helped me work out which wire does what. First was to disconnect the circuit, remove a bell switch and join the wires together in the switch. Then test back at the bell box (pic below) for continuity to see what had changed. In that way I determined my two bell switches. I did have to remove the single wire terminals below to prevent continuity passing through the bell chime.

That led me on to the frankly simpler way and that was to disconnect everything and have the power on. Obvisouly only the 2 wires from the transformer would have any juice in them.

Once I figured out which was the transformer, and where were the two bell switches, I simply connected any of the transformer wires to the front door bell switch and the other wire to the other one.

If I don't update this thread you can assume that I now have "live" and "neutral" at the bell. If the Ring complains there isn't enough power, I'll update the transformer in the garage but the work today was needed regardles.

 

[brianmoooore]

No lives or neutrals on the output from a bell Tx. It's a floating AC voltage.

 

[loz2754]

You're correct in saying that for the Ring Video Doorbell 2, the AC supply serves to trickle charge the inbuilt battery, and so the transformer you have should be adequate.