Doorbells as such are extremely durable and sturdy devices. They rarely develop glitches or go kaput. A good quality doorbell can very well last for 10 to 15 years without developing even a minute fault. However, even the best of electrical devices can fail at times and the doorbell is no exception. A doorbell that doesn’t ring? Spare a thought for the embarrassment. A visitor walks up to your door and rings the doorbell only to realize that it doesn’t ring. Not to mention the fact that you will no longer know when a new visitor turns up at your door unless you have one of those large door knockers. A doorbell that keeps ringing continually? Now that’s a real bummer. There is no reason that you have to settle with such a situation when you can easily troubleshoot and repair your doorbell. Wait Einstein, before you grab those screwdrivers and set out to repair it, there are a few things that you would like to know.
Points to remember
- The doorbell is one of the simplest devices that have ever been created. The circuitry is extremely simple but there are four different components that make it function. You need to identify the source of the glitch and then proceed accordingly.
- Troubleshooting is eliminating one step at a time in a precise and organized manner. The steps can vary from very easy to advanced. It all depends on your expertise with electrical devices and the kind of tools that you have with you. Do not attempt anything that you are uncomfortable with.
- You will need basic tools like screwdrivers, clamps and needle nose pliers. There are some other optional tools as well like a voltmeter, a continuity tester.
- Doorbells are low voltage electrical devices and you can troubleshoot them without shutting off the main electric supply or circuit breaker. However, if you are going to test the transformer (a component of the doorbell circuit that converts 110V electricity to 10 or 12 Volts), then it is recommended that you switch off the power before you begin. The irony of the situation though is that you need to have the power switched on to test most components. So you will have to keep switching it off and on after each step. Always respect electricity and you will avoid any unpleasant incidents.