Wired doorbell to wireless

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

A cousin of mine in Scotland has an old house, and the wiring is broken. She’d like to keep the original brass doorbell, and get it working.

When I visited, we traced the wires and, in recent construction, it seems like the wires were pinched. They do not want to go through the expense in getting the wires replaced.

The actual bell is one with two “D” cells in the kitchen area. It works. The pushbutton also works.

Now, I live in Canada, and we have different construction and systems, and their house is about 200 years older than mine.

Can someone on here lead me to some on-line info on how to replace the “wires” with wireless?

 

Thanks – JohnS, Canada.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Why complicate the simple?

Given that the bell is powered by just two D-cells, and it and the switch all work, re-wiring will be compatible, and the the easiest and cheapest option. They could carry it out themselves if reasonably practical: it doesn’t need an electrician.

With all other components still in place, it needs only low-voltage twin cable, e.g. loudspeaker or telephone-extension lead, and some way of fixing it in place.

Trying to convert the existing bell to wireless operation won’t be easy and likely cost a lot more than a reel of wire.

 

The age and design of the house are not really relevant. They didn’t have electric bells and dry-cells in the 1800s.

Strange that the original cable was “pinched”. Its scrap value would be tiny.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Curiously, enough, John … I have ben investigating a broadly similar requirement

Here is a snip from recent discussion with Google:

.

.

I have sourced some apparently suitable boards very cheaply, and am awaiting delivery

If you pursue a similar line of questioning, you should find either a pre-built unit, or  all the instructions you need.

The concept is very simple.

MichaelG.

[Nigel Graham 2]

On Nigel Graham 2 Said:

[…]

Strange that the original cable was “pinched”. Its scrap value would be tiny.

I suspect that John was using the word “pinched” more literally, Nigel

🙂

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Tell her to have a look at Friedland (now Honeywell). You can get a small sender unit that attaches to the existing bell push. Usually done by connecting the unit on the inside wall/doorframe behind the push button

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/DCP917S.html

I personally would mate that to one of their bells which has a built in reciever, you can get battery or plug in ones but as the existing is battery stick with that. In which case a kit like this is the best buy.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/DC915SCV.html

I’ve fitted several Friedland units over the years many with more than one bell unit and also more than one push button which can be set to a different ring so you know which door to go to.

 

Just be careful when using the term “wired” with doorbells as that can also refer to ones that are powered via a transformer from the mains. you only have a wire linking push to bell.

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

Thx all for the replies – appreciated.

Yes, “pinched” – forgot about the “stolen” meaning!

I did ask about simply running another wire, being from Canada I’m used to our construction, not Scottish 1700/1800s, and (for instance) there is no basement to easily run wires.

“Wired” – again, over here, all houses until fairly recently had a 110v to ?? step-down transformer permanently wired in to provide bell power. Mine is in my workshop, above a workbench. I was most certainly amazed to see that the bell unit in the kitchen had 2 “D” cells in it.

Great ideas. Sitting down with my morning coffee to look a lot more. JohnS.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

If you’d have used “nicked”, but literally, i.e. meaning partially cut, I’d still have jumped to the same wrong conclusion!

🙂

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

After navigating the differences between Canadian and British English, forwarded the (most welcome) thoughts to my cousin, and she and partner are most interested, especially in the Honeywell solution Jason pointed out.

Off topic, but language is really fun. Pinched, Nicked, of course generally mean different things over here, but growing up with Scottish parents and grandparents, lots of words are known but not used, or pronunciations of words have changed radically. Life is definitely fun. 🙂

Many thanks to all – JohnS.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Range may be an issue in an older house with thick walls.

I have the older Libre system with multiple pushes, one per door, and multiple receivers. Just post WW2 build with brick skin, cavity and breeze block for both inner wall and internal walls. Had to site the front door bell transmitter at the back of the house with a “clive conversion” to a standard wired push button to reach my workshop approaching 40 yards down the garden. Signal could punch through one exterior wall but an inner breeze block wall defeated it.

Libre spec was, I think, 100 yards range. 20 – 25 yards is more realistic estimate going from front to back of house and out into the garden. So about 1/4 book range. Might well do more as things are heavily dependent on layout and exactly what the walls are made of. Inside house coverage should be fine but reaching down the garden can be a bit of a lottery.

This elderly, rather deaf, penguin reckons having different tones for each door and multiple chime units scattered about the place is great!

Clive

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Some just post war breeze blocks used swarf in the aggregate!

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

the concrete common bricks used in the underground wall of my extension have small lumps of coal as aggregate

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I have a slightly similar requirement.  We often have solar energy spare when the battery and hot water cylinder are both “charged”.  I’d like to divert that into a room heater but the room in question is some way from where the solar diverter is.  The latter has a second output for another immersion heater which can be programmed to come on when the first is hot.  What I’d like to do is to run a heater in another room off a mains socket with a wireless switch activated from the second switched diverter output.  Any suggestions of a suitable product would be welcome – I could do it over WiFi using a couple of Arduinos but that sounds too hard!

[Adrian R2Participant @adrianr2]

John, have you looked at the Quinetic switch range? Mainly for wireless light switches but does include a transmitter and other load switching options, subject to how much current your heater will draw and that you are 100% confident that having it activated while unattended is a safe thing to do.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/QURFT.html

 

[renardiere7Participant @renardiere7]

Kinetic switch controlling a suitable AC relay will do the job. I think this is the set up my brother uses to control a large compressor installed in a garage remote from his workshop.

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