Doorbell Wiring

Thread Starter

biferi

Joined Apr 14, 2017
516
I live in the USA and watched this video on Doorbell Wiring.

I understand verything but because of my Bad Eyes I can not see the part of the video at Time 1:53 when he shows the Black Wire going to the Chime.

I see the Hot Wire comes from the Transformer going to TRANS Screw.

Then I see the Wire coming from the Doorbell Switch goes to the Front Screw.

The Screw to the Left on TRANS Screw I can not see what is on it.

I may not be seeing the other Wires so can you tell me Wire by Wire there they are going?
 

Thread Starter

biferi

Joined Apr 14, 2017
516
Ok I just have one Front Door Chim and Switch.

On the Box that has TRANS in the center I see the one wire from the step down transformer goes here.

The screw to the Left is for what?
 

Thread Starter

biferi

Joined Apr 14, 2017
516
In the video you posted for me there is one Box with 3. screws Front Trans and I can not see what the other screw is for?

Also the Box in your video with the 3. screws is the chime in that I do not see it?
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
30,557
OK after noting the videos, it would appear that this is the design!
The two coils are the front/back solenoids.
Do you have the three terminal strips in yours? Or just two?

1774534453916.png
 

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Thread Starter

biferi

Joined Apr 14, 2017
516
I have just one switch and one Doorbell.

Let me ask this in the video I posted the Box to the far Left is the Chime Box.

When he pulls the wire out from the Top of the Chime Box are the two red wires or how many I can not see?
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,159
First, I do not waste my time on that cartoon channel.
The mechanism of a common door chime is a series circuit: The voltage source usually being the secondary of a transformer, mostly about 16 volts AC. Next in the circuit is the button, a normally open nomentary contact switch. Then thethird element is a electromagnet solenoid (coil) that pulls a steel core thru the center of the coil, against a small spring force after which the end of the steel core impacts the first chime, while being driven by the magnetic force. The core is carried a bit past the point where the magnetic force is balanced by the spring, and it hits the first chime. It then returns to the balanced force point until the button is released, which allows the spring to push it backtowards its rest position. INERTIA causes the core to continue pastthe rest position and strike the second chime. Then the spring returns it to the rest position.
There you have the detailed description of how a two-note doorbell chime functions. THose older door chimes that provide a more complex series of chime tones arequite a bit more complex.
 
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MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
30,557
I have just one switch and one Doorbell.
Let me ask this in the video I posted the Box to the far Left is the Chime Box.
When he pulls the wire out from the Top of the Chime Box are the two red wires or how many I can not see?
The one I see on the far left is the door PB?
The centre box is the chime?
Forget about wire colours, it is irelevant.
 

B-JoJo-S

Joined Jan 3, 2026
210
It doesn't get any easier than this: Wire color is a mere formality. They can be any color. It's common to see Red and Black or Red and White.

Screenshot 2026-03-26 at 12.17.27 PM.png
When you press the button the striker (thing in the center of the coil) will hit the high tone (Ding). When you let go of the button a spring (not shown) drives the striker down where it hits the low tone (Dong). It comes to rest in between the two bells.

Doorbells don't have "Bells" they have tone bars; one high tone and one low tone. They each have a resonator chamber adjacent to the bars. That's what makes it ring out.
 
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