Having some voltage issues with my Google Nest Doorbell...

Thread Starter

Maxxon

Joined Jun 11, 2021
4
I installed a google nest doorbell and it mostly works. I am having some issues with the external digital chime I setup, so I tried to talk to tech support. However, they are very hard to talk to as they don't really know anything about electricity and how it works. They're just basically reading from a script and is hard to believe that they actually know what I am saying to them and reading out the actually relevant parts of the script, except the safest one where "you're going to have to get an electrocution in to replace the transformer". I do know how electricity works (for the most part) and am more than capable of replacing the transformer if it actually is the problem, but I'd like to rule everything else out before I go that route.

They say that the voltage needs to be 16V and that they are seeing it fluctuate between 12-13V. This info is coming from the doorbell, but they (the nest company) are unwilling to give me access to see that. I think that they are thinking that that data is proprietary or that the data is not verifiable and don't want to get in sh... trouble if it wasn't properly calibrated. I had the doorbell connected it to an old unused transformer that was already attached to my breaker box that is 16V and appropriate amperage (I don't remember atm what it was, but I do remember that the transformer was imprinted with the voltage and amperage that was requested by the doorbell). I was getting 16.5V off of the transformer without the doorbell connected, but when I connect it, it dropped to 15.5V. Someone on another forum said that transformer voltage will sag under load, but 1V seems excessive. Can anyone else corroborate this?

I've never seen the 12-13V that they are seeing, but from what I'm seeing, I'm still 0.5V below the spec, I'm wondering if I will actually have to replace the transformer.
 

drc_567

Joined Dec 29, 2008
1,156
Transformers are manufactured in different grades or ratings known as volts-amps, or VA.
It may be that the VA rating of the existing transformer is not sufficient to supply the momentary current which the chime requires. So if you can locate a 16 volt output transformer with two or three times the volts-amp rating of the original, then the temporary voltage sag due to the chime may be eliminated as a problem.
... Just speculation, but maybe worth a try.
 

Thread Starter

Maxxon

Joined Jun 11, 2021
4
Transformers are manufactured in different grades or ratings known as volts-amps, or VA.
It may be that the VA rating of the existing transformer is not sufficient to supply the momentary current which the chime requires. So if you can locate a 16 volt output transformer with two or three times the volts-amp rating of the original, then the temporary voltage sag due to the chime may be eliminated as a problem.
... Just speculation, but maybe worth a try.
Thanks, I'll give that a try.
 
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