WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HOME TODAY?

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Maybe - or the wire from the button to the chime is bad/broken.

If it's any of the wires, then that's gonna suck.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Hey guys, need some troubleshooting help. Our doorbell stopped working, specifically the chime. The doorbell button works. It's a Nest doorbell, and I'm still getting video as well as notifications. Put the multi-meter to the original transformer, and it read ~17 volts. So I'm guessing it's okay (got a 16V 30vA transformer thinking the original one died). When I put the multi-meter on the chime and had someone press the doorbell button, the voltage only read 1-2 volts. Does that mean the chime is bad?

Lots of issues lately with everyone converting to video doorbells

I just had a customer a few months ago with a nest doorbell that wouldn't activate their mechanical doorbell as well. Taking off the nest, I could touch the wires together and make the doorbell work(this is what the doorbell button does in a safer mechanical method, also the best way to test for operation), but despite all the configuration settings within the nest app being correct for a mechanical doorbell, I couldn't get it to work.

Yes, you need the 16v 30va transformer size for a video doorbell. Most are 10-15va, and it will burn out given half a chance installing a video doorbell. It was actually part of Rings official response when I called them after burning out 3 ring units at another customer house in 1 month... They asked if I changed the transformer size as it was required, despite nothing in any literature in the box or online stating that...


My suggestion to you as it was to the customer I had with the nest doorbell is to contact nest about it, after you take the nest off and touch the 2 wires together to verify the chime operates correctly. I haven't been back to that house since, so I don't know if they resolved it...

Ring includes a little 'power pack' module that gets wired into the chime to help everything work that nest doesn't

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Maybe - or the wire from the button to the chime is bad/broken.

Nah, if that was the case, the nest wouldn't work.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by soundman98

Lots of issues lately with everyone converting to video doorbells

I just had a customer a few months ago with a nest doorbell that wouldn't activate their mechanical doorbell as well. Taking off the nest, I could touch the wires together and make the doorbell work(this is what the doorbell button does in a safer mechanical method, also the best way to test for operation), but despite all the configuration settings within the nest app being correct for a mechanical doorbell, I couldn't get it to work.

Yes, you need the 16v 30va transformer size for a video doorbell. Most are 10-15va, and it will burn out given half a chance installing a video doorbell. It was actually part of Rings official response when I called them after burning out 3 ring units at another customer house in 1 month... They asked if I changed the transformer size as it was required, despite nothing in any literature in the box or online stating that...


My suggestion to you as it was to the customer I had with the nest doorbell is to contact nest about it, after you take the nest off and touch the 2 wires together to verify the chime operates correctly. I haven't been back to that house since, so I don't know if they resolved it...

Ring includes a little 'power pack' module that gets wired into the chime to help everything work that nest doesn't

I forgot to mention that we had this issue prior to installing the Nest Hello doorbell. I actually replaced the chime then. Things worked again. Installed the Nest Hello, and things remained working up until a week or two ago.

The Nest Hello has a chime connector module, could that be affecting anything? I get the same 2 volts or so reading at the wires connecting to that module from the house.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

I popped off the Nest Hello and took the multi-meter to the set screws. It gave a 16-17v reading. Didn't try removing the wires and touching them together tho.

[soundman98]

I'm not familiar with that module. Best recommendation is to take off the module and check the doorbell for standard/typical operation, and then work the new parts back in

[soundman98]

yup, my garage workbench is now nicer than my kitchen.

old setup-- they were 50-ish year old spec-grade cabinets that i had gotten overly-enthusiastic on project yanking and cranking a few months ago and managed to pull the cabinet backs away from the wall. they were held onto the wall then with only about 6 trim nails.



planning


electrical, the easy part


final layout



i set up for a 1/2-switched outlet in the cabinet, and will be doing some led undercabinet lights for the working surface, whenever i get the motivation to deal with it.

[Jacky Smith]

The other day ordered a security camera to watch what is going on around my house when I am not at home. Also I read a lot of such articles on recfaces to be in the know of what is going on in this industry.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Well, update on my doorbell situation. After a few people telling me it won't be the transformer that's causing my issue, I went ahead and got a new chime. Didn't work. Found and ordered a new Nest Chime Connector. Didn't work. Got fed up and installed the transformer I got before replacing everything else. Chime works!

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Well, update on my doorbell situation. After a few people telling me it won't be the transformer that's causing my issue, I went ahead and got a new chime. Didn't work. Found and ordered a new Nest Chime Connector. Didn't work. Got fed up and installed the transformer I got before replacing everything else. Chime works!

interesting, so the old nest chime connector works fine, the lower power transformer was what was preventing everything from working?

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by soundman98

interesting, so the old nest chime connector works fine, the lower power transformer was what was preventing everything from working?

I didn't check the original Chime Connector with the new transformer. I had other stuff to do, so I just wanted to get it over with. I'm guessing it still works. I kept it as a back up. LOL. Had the new Chime Connector solved the issue, I was going to cut up the original one to see if the fuse inside blew (it's a solder on/SMD kind).

I honestly don't know what's wrong with the original transformer. It was giving me a 16/17v reading on the set screws on it, as well as at the wires right before the Chime Connector. Same with the new one. Oh well. haha

[cjd]

Today: tearing out failing grout from the shower. Plan to let it sit for a week before I try my hand at regrouting... Maybe get a little more time before having to tear the whole shower out and have a new one made. Signs of shoddy work but so far nothing points to a mold problem or leaking...

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by cjd

Today: tearing out failing grout from the shower. Plan to let it sit for a week before I try my hand at regrouting... Maybe get a little more time before having to tear the whole shower out and have a new one made. Signs of shoddy work but so far nothing points to a mold problem or leaking...

Last shower I had torn out had a window in it facing the backyard. Workers started on the demo when I went to work. When I came home, about 15 feet of wall was gone. It's amazing how much damage a little leak can do over the years.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Last shower I had torn out had a window in it facing the backyard. Workers started on the demo when I went to work. When I came home, about 15 feet of wall was gone. It's amazing how much damage a little leak can do over the years.

I know. It's question of not using the shower till we can gut/replace or good 'nuff. Only signs of water were outside the shower pan where wood baseboard was run up right against the tile, hinge side of the door. It'll be a mess when we get there I am sure. Finding quality contractors right now...