How to Fix a Doorbell Chime Box
These are some common ways to fix a doorbell chime. You need to follow the below steps one by one to fix any related issues with your doorbell chime
Step 1: Remove the cover
To check if your doorbell chime works or not, open the cover first. You can smoothly open some of the chime outlet covers by pulling only. On the other hand, some outlets are tightened up with screws. In this case, you will require a screwdriver. Carefully, use it to remove the screws one by one and open the cover.
Step 2: See if there are any broken parts
After opening the chime outlet cover, try to make sense between the wire connections, plungers, and other mechanisms. Look for any mistakes, broken things, or unusual things. Check whether the springs and the plungers are working correctly or not. If you find any wiring issues or other problems, you can just reinstall with a new wire. Otherwise, keep looking for more contemporary problems.
Step 3: Check the electrical screws
If you don’t see any noticeable errors inside your chime and it still doesn’t work, try tightening the electrical screws. Sometimes, these screws get loose due to electrical oversupply. But make sure you are careful while doing it. Though these wires possess not more than 24 volts of electricity, you still have a chance of having a shock hazard unless you are cautious.
Step 4: Press the button and observe
It is another way to check the problem with your doorbell chime. Tell someone to press the doorbell button at your door while you are in front of the exposed chime outlet. Notice any specific movement inside the box when the person presses the button. If you see a slight buzz or action, it will mean the power supply is fine, and the problem is inside the chime only. Usually, the movement will be like a vibration. So, get prepared early!
Step-5: Fix if you see any error
Notice significant things inside the chime box like terminal screws, circuit breakers, fuses, etc. If you see any broken or not tightened enough things, try to fix them with screws and tapes if required. Tell someone to press the button again. If it still doesn’t respond, you will need to go to the next step.
Step 6: Notice the plunger movement
At this point, your only option remains to check the plunger movement. If someone pushes the button, usually the plunger will click, and the bell will ring. Try to pull or push the plunger with your hand. If it doesn’t drive or doesn’t come back to its position, there is a chance of dirt getting stuck inside the plungers. Usually, specks of dust can prevent the plunger from clicking. In this case, you have to clean the whole compartment!
Step-7: Clean if you sense dirt
If you feel like there is dust, clean the whole box first. To clean, take a wet cloth and start cleaning the moving parts first. Do not use oil, silicon spray, powder, or other substances since these are sticky and will jam the plungers instead. Start slowly and be gentle with the wired doorbell chime box. Do not clean harshly, or else things might get worse.
Step 8: Spray the plunger
To clean the plungers accurately, you can use an electrical contact cleaner. Spray at the plunger while moving it up and down. It will rinse out the dirt or dust inside the plunger. Keep spraying and cleaning the water until the plunger movement is smooth. Use a cotton cloth to wipe out the contact cleaner later to finish cleaning the plunger.
Step-9: Reinstall the chime
Reconnect the plunger correctly now and make sure that every wire, fuse, and other mechanism is at its respective places. After that, re-install the chime box and press the button again to test if the chime rings or not. If it rings, you can finish your repairing, but if it doesn’t, you need to move on to the next step.
Step 10: Check the voltage rating again
Take a voltage meter to check the voltage of the chime outlet. Sometimes electrical oversupply can shift the voltage. So, try testing the voltage with the meter. Usually, the voltage will be 12-24 Volts. You can find the accurate voltage of your system in the written manual or on the back of the doorbell. After checking the voltage, if you see the number shown in the meter matches its actual voltage, your doorbell is fine. But, if it doesn’t show precise voltage, you will again have to change the wiring and re-install it to finish the repair process.
What does a doorbell chime box do?
A doorbell chime box is a unit that rings and notifies you whenever someone is at your door and has pressed the button. A doorbell mainly has two parts. The doorbell button and the doorbell chime box. When someone presses the button, the chime starts ringing. It has different types of ringtones. Plus, you can adjust its settings by increasing or decreasing the volume, setting timers, and by doing many more things!
How do I know if my doorbell chime is bad?
There are many ways to check if your doorbell chime is broken or not. The easiest way to determine this is by removing the cover of the chime and holding out the wires. Try to press the wires against each other. If it doesn’t ring, your doorbell is not in a good shape. But, if it rings, it means the doorbell chime is fine! However, you can also check the power supply with a tester. If the light turns on, then it’s fine. Otherwise, you need to fix your doorbell chime.
What to do if it still doesn’t work
If the doorbell chime still doesn’t work after repairing and following the above instructions, you can do only two things now. They are-
Call the service center
Calling the service center is the best option when your doorbell chime doesn’t work. They will advise you over a phone call and even send technical experts to repair the doorbell. So, don’t hesitate to make a call! You can also search on the internet by the name doorbell repair service near me to get the contact number.
Replace you doorbell
Why bother to waste time repairing a doorbell when you can just buy a new one? If you can’t fix the old doorbell chime box, you can always buy a new one to replace the old one. You can save the doorbell repair cost and add more money to buy a new one!
Conclusion
There are several other ways to fix the doorbell chime due to various technical problems. But, here we have covered as many details as possible to help you mend your doorbell chime box though you always need to know that you can’t fix everything! After reading this article, we hope you know How to fix a doorbell chime box now.
David Echols
I am David Echols working with doorbellgears.com. I and my team of experts have been working in the security industry for 10 years and have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to doorbells, security cameras, video doorbells, door chimes, intercom doorbells, and others. My team is confident in their ability to provide helpful reviews and blog content that will assist readers in resolving security issues in their homes and offices. Honestly speaking, they are passionate about helping people to find the right security solution for their home or office. In this blog article, we discuss some new gadgetry that can be used to improve indoor security. If you're looking for some new gadgetry to improve your home security, then David Echols is definitely the person to ask! Our Areas of Expertise Home security products, Smart home devices.