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Electric Door Bell

Hi all.

I have a Chrome Mechanical Door Bell. (https://www.houseofbrass.co.uk/bells/butlers-bells-pull-accessories/bp32-bp42-pc-butlers-bell-oblong-embossed-bell-pull-mechanical-polished-chrome). I'm still playing about running it flush in the walls with conduits and whatnot.

I am now planning for contingency in case of failure or disappointment with the results. I really like the idea of a modern having a call to the past. Adds character. I really like the idea of the pull knob. It reminds me of my childhood watching repeats of Carry On Screaming on VHS. However if I have to relent and use a push button then I will.

Does anyone know how I could possibly electrify this using a 230V/12V TX or Bell TX. Electronic isn't my area of competency. There is a site on the internet selling a "shaker" but speaking to the owner is costs a lot and has not adaptability and I've heard that the delivery isn't great. I thinking I will need some sort of solenoids.

Please help.

Cheers.

0 Chris Pearson over 5 years ago

Sparkingchip:

We have one of those. It may have been installed as late as the 1980s. It was previously powered by a small bell transformer in series with a 3 V bell, but there wasn't enough grunt to move the indicators far enough and the bell was too quiet. I reconfigured it and installed a fire alarm bell, which can be heard throughout the house.
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0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

Far too modern!

Years ago, I bought from a salvage yard a pneumatic "call point" complete with a short length of lead pipe. It consists of a cylinder about 12" (appropriate era units!) long and 3" diameter and to operate, you pull the porcelain knob out to reveal a plunger which when pushed sends a blast of air to the distant bell mechanism (which unfortunately wasn't available). I can only think that this was used on an remote entrance gate as creating a "wire and pulley" system wouldn't be practical, whereas lead pipe was an established medium.

Regards

BOD
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0 MHRestorations over 5 years ago

We have one of those. It may have been installed as late as the 1980s. It was previously powered by a small bell transformer in series with a 3 V bell, but there wasn't enough grunt to move the indicators far enough and the bell was too quiet. I reconfigured it and installed a fire alarm bell, which can be heard throughout the house.

Recently did this for a customer. She was having issues hearing the doorbell (friedland normal black gong type thing, run by 8v from a transformer). Was a matter of a half hour to install a 240v bell, proper industrial relay in an enclosure (3000v isolation pri/sec), and a few gubbins (bridge rectifier and 2 smoothing caps) on the coil side to turn 8vAC to approximately 11v DC which the 12v coil responds to quite happily.

Plus the obligatory light switch to turn OFF the 240v bell when her NON hearing-impaired son was home :)
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0 Sparkingchip over 5 years ago

The potential problem with mixing DC with AC is you may only get a ding rather than a ring.

Andy
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0 Zoomup over 5 years ago

Beware the Byron underdome bell that boats A.C. or D.C. operation on its card. It only works on A.C. and NOT D.C. as it has no operational contacts, only a diode in series with its coil.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Byron-1200-Wired-Wall-Mounted-Brass-Underdome-Doorbell/25027109280?iid=292845514182

Z.
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Electric Door Bell

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