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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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5th Feb 2020, 3:12 pm | #1 |
Diode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Truro, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 1
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Gents doorbell.
I have a Gents door bell (picture below) that is connected to the front door bell push, and the rear door bell push. When the front door bell-push is pressed it makes a ring, but the back door bell-push makes more of a buzzing. How does this happen? is it possible to change the noise it makes?
many thanks for any insight |
5th Feb 2020, 4:18 pm | #2 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
Posts: 21,192
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Re: Gents doorbell.
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Has this suddenly started happening or has it always happened? Some doorbells emit different sounds so you know whether to answer the front or back door.
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Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
5th Feb 2020, 4:48 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 5,737
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Re: Gents doorbell.
It looks to be powered from one of those small Bakelite bell transformers which have several voltage settings, with the mains via an electric clock socket. If the bell works fine from the front door, the only thing that can stop it working from the back door is the voltage drop. Hence, it's my guess that the back door will be further away from the bell than the front door, and that the voltage drop from the transformer secondary caused by a long run of twin wire bell flex will lower the voltage to a point at which the bell solenoid is insufficiently energised. Worth checking if the bell is connected to correct tapping on the transformer - which I assume it will be, then cleaning all the connections to the bell push and the bell to reduce the resistance of the connections.
Hope that helps.
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5th Feb 2020, 5:33 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK.
Posts: 3,684
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Re: Gents doorbell.
That's an interesting bell. Where's the hammer on it? Or is it really two things in one? An underdome bell below for one door, and a Bakelite-encased buzzer above for another door, the whole arrangement being mounted to look like a 'traditional' electric bell?
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5th Feb 2020, 5:35 pm | #5 |
Moderator
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Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
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Re: Gents doorbell.
I was thinking on those lines too. The easy way for the OP to check it would be to swop over the wires leading to the front and back bell pushes.
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Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
5th Feb 2020, 5:43 pm | #6 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Gents doorbell.
Assuming that all contacts are clean as suggested above, the centre fixing of the dome is usually offset. Turning the dome alters the distance between the clapper and its inner surface. By trial and error it should be possible to establish a relationship between the two which produces a pleasing ringing sound when activated with either bell push.
Alan |
5th Feb 2020, 5:52 pm | #7 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
Posts: 21,192
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Re: Gents doorbell.
I'm leaning towards these being a separate bell and buzzer. The apparent absence of a clapper is the clue. The OP could visually observe what happens when each push is operated. They could also be activated simultaneously
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Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
5th Feb 2020, 6:38 pm | #8 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Gents doorbell.
On reflection I think the separate bell and buzzer theory may well be the arrangement. It'll be interesting to see whether or not the OP can confirm.
Alan |
5th Feb 2020, 7:04 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
Posts: 7,059
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Re: Gents doorbell.
The works that we can see looks like a buzzer. And the bell is an underdome bell, almost certainly.
Easiest way would be have someone operate the bell pushes in turn and observe what happens... no need to disconnect anything! * Typed this then noticed Graham had said virtually the same thing! * |
5th Feb 2020, 8:37 pm | #10 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 729
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Re: Gents doorbell.
I would think that it's very useful to have the two different sounds, to distinguish which door the caller is at.
I'd leave it as it is, if I were you!
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5th Feb 2020, 11:05 pm | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
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Re: Gents doorbell.
When I was at Technical College the lecturer advised us that the next week's subject would be a Gent's six inch trembler. Much mirth ensued.
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
5th Feb 2020, 11:31 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
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Re: Gents doorbell.
It's almost as if whoever installed this is having a joke with us.
Richard, if you could remove the "gong" and take another picture I think we will see the bell and buzzer are completely separate, but mounted to look like a traditional old electric bell. To add to the illusion, the wires to the bell appear to be hidden behind the buzzer.
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5th Feb 2020, 11:51 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
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Re: Gents doorbell.
looks obvious to me. Buzzer on top for the back door and underdome bell for the front door.
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Kevin |
6th Feb 2020, 7:30 am | #14 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Gents doorbell.
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6th Feb 2020, 9:25 am | #15 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: Gents doorbell.
The old Ding Dong ones "ding donged" for one door (front) and just "dinged" for the other (back) door.
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6th Feb 2020, 10:09 am | #16 | |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Co. Durham, UK.
Posts: 1,111
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Re: Gents doorbell.
Quote:
I don't think any trickery was involved. It just happens to look like a single trembler bell at first glance. |
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6th Feb 2020, 11:22 am | #17 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,675
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Re: Gents doorbell.
I don't mind admitting that I was fooled until I realised there was no external striker.
I think now that the buzzer was a later addition, and was mounted in the only space left on the board.
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