Installing a Doorbell

Replacing a doorbell is an easy project since the wiring is already intact. Doorbells are low voltage appliances, and require no special electrical knowledge or skill. If you are planning on installing a doorbell where none existed before, consider the new wireless variety. These new units can be installed easily without the need to run any wires, eliminating what would otherwise be an unpleasant task of fishing wires through previously existing walls. Since installation of the wireless units is so simple, this article will focus on the replacement of doorbells which use wires.

Doorbells are low-voltage appliances. They use "transformers" to convert house current to low voltage current. These transformers are located in the circuit which supplies power to the unit. If the doorbell you plan to replace is working, the transformer is functioning. It should not be necessary to replace the transformer during the replacement of your doorbell.

This article assumes that the transformer works and the existing wiring is intact for your doorbell. If you currently have a wired doorbell that does not work, the problem may be a bad transformer. In this case, the most convenient approach would be to simply replace the unit with a wireless doorbell. More detail about transformers and their installation should be included with your new doorbell's instructions.

1. 	Remove the old doorbell switch.

   Turn off the breaker that supplies power to the doorbell.



2. Carefully remove the doorbell switch from beside the door. Remove the mounting screws and gently pull the switch and wires away from the hole through which the wires exit the house. Use a circuit tester to ensure the power is off.



3. Secure the wires so they cannot accidentally slide back into the hole and disappear.



4. Disconnect the wires from the switch.



5. Connect the wires to the screw terminals on the new switch. You don't have to concern yourself about which wire goes to which terminal—it doesn't matter.



6. Remove the tape from the wires, and feed them back into the wall so the new switch sits against the area from which you removed the old one.



7. Mount the switch using the screws provided.



8. Locate the old chime unit inside the house and remove it by taking out the mounting screws. Again, pull the unit away from the wall and secure the wires to prevent them from sliding through and disappearing behind the wall.



9. Remove the wires one at a time. Apply a small piece of tape to each and label the screw terminal location from which it was removed. The terminals should already be labeled on the unit itself. Discard the old unit.



10. Remove the cover from the new chime unit. Thread the wires through the base of the unit and install the base against the wall using the mounting screws provided.



11. Connect the wires to the appropriate terminals using the labels as a guide.



12. Attach the cover to the chime unit and restore power to the circuit.