# 2 Doorbells, 1 pushbutton



## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Im wiring up a big house, and 2 doorbells - 1 on each floor is what the customer wants. I have a 2 pair cable going from transformer to the doorbell, then over to the doorbell button on the 1st floor. Now, when I wire up the doorbell, can I just tap the 2 wires on the doorbell unit and bring them up to a second doorbell on the 2nd floor? I just want to make sure my thinking is correct.

~Matt


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> Im wiring up a big house, and 2 doorbells - 1 on each floor is what the customer wants. I have a 2 pair cable going from transformer to the doorbell, then over to the doorbell button on the 1st floor. Now, when I wire up the doorbell, can I just tap the 2 wires on the doorbell unit and bring them up to a second doorbell on the 2nd floor? I just want to make sure my thinking is correct.
> 
> ~Matt



Your just putting the bells in parallel right?
Should work as long as the transformer can handle the two bells.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Your just putting the bells in parallel right?
> Should work as long as the transformer can handle the two bells.


Yep, Just figured I should double check - Sometimes something sounds so easy, that it seems wrong. :thumbup:

~Matt


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I haven't done door bells in many moons.. So run them in parrallel. Got it.


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## JackClay (Aug 27, 2010)

*Re :*

HI,

For this you have to do parallel wiring with two bell and one switch. It is as same as two lights operates with one switch.


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## Voyager (Mar 4, 2010)

I have done this before. Two chimes with one button, but you must make sure the VA rating of the transformer will handle the two chimes. Try to find at least a 40VA transformer. Wire the chime units in parallel.


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

I had problems with voltage drop in my house.. Who ever ran the wire to the front door push button used 22 gauge so they could hide it easier...


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## Old Spark (Nov 18, 2008)

I've seen a two button door bell designed for front and rear doors. Each button rings different so the owner can tell which button was pushed. this comes with the correct transformer and buttons. Would this be a good way to solve her needs?
Old Spark


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Doorbell circuits are normally a series circuit. Adding a second chime is in parallel with the first chime. Everything else is in series.


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## Forrester28 (Sep 3, 2010)

Magnettica said:


> Doorbell circuits are normally a series circuit. Adding a second chime is in parallel with the first chime. Everything else is in series.


Is that really considered a series circuit? 

It's the same thing as a typical 120V lighting circuit. Adding a second bell is like adding a second high hat to a switch.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

Forrester28 said:


> Is that really considered a series circuit?
> 
> It's the same thing as a typical 120V lighting circuit. Adding a second bell is like adding a second high hat to a switch.


Parallel/series, it's not the same as adding another luminare on one switch.


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## Forrester28 (Sep 3, 2010)

76nemo said:


> it's not the same as adding another luminare on one switch.


Why not?


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

Forrester28 said:


> Why not?


 
My ignorance, or my bad, as some would say. I reread the thread. I was thinking two switches, not two _bells_*. *Sorry.


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## Forrester28 (Sep 3, 2010)

76nemo said:


> My ignorance, or my bad, as some would say. I reread the thread. I was thinking two switches, not two _bells_*. *Sorry.


You scared me for a second :thumbsup:


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

A doorbell ckt is a series ckt. When you push the button the circuit closes and is complete.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

Magnettica said:


> A doorbell ckt is a series ckt. When you push the button the circuit closes and is complete.


 
Not with two contacts, it's not.


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## Old Spark (Nov 18, 2008)

OK! So she wants to hear the door bell whether she is up stairs or down. Two bells, one button at the front door. I think you got more than enough suggestions by now. I thought it was two buttons, one bell? Oh Well!
Old Spark


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Old Spark said:


> OK! So she wants to hear the door bell whether she is up stairs or down. Two bells, one button at the front door. I think you got more than enough suggestions by now. I thought it was two buttons, one bell? Oh Well!
> Old Spark


You got it. Series circuit, except for the 2 bells - they are parallel.

Seems like a stupid question.. now that I think about it, it was a stupid question, but it just didnt seem right when i was planning it in my head. 

~Matt


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

wasn't there a video about this somewhere ? (two doorbells one switch, or something like that)


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## Wireless (Jan 22, 2007)

I looked at a similar job today; they have three chimes and want to a fourth! Distance from button to furthest chime is ~100'. Wired with Cat5. Any ideas?


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## Spannerz (Aug 13, 2011)

The answer is in your name. There are PLEANTY of 30m/100ft wireless recievers/doorbells, that work thru walls, thru steel around doors etc...


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## Wireless (Jan 22, 2007)

Spannerz said:


> The answer is in your name. There are PLEANTY of 30m/100ft wireless recievers/doorbells, that work thru walls, thru steel around doors etc...


Customer does not want wireless.


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## CraigV (May 12, 2011)

Wireless said:


> Customer does not want wireless.


If the Cat5 isn't being used for more than one circuit already, you could parallel 3 conductors to reduce voltage drop. Or if you're feeling exceptionally lucky, use the Cat5 to pull a lead so you can fish something more substantial for the long run.

Or if you're a gambler or approaching retirement, or you just hate humanity, put in wireless anyway...by the time the batteries die and the HO figures it out, your check has cleared and you're in Boca sipping martini's.:laughing:

j/k


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

18 Gauge (lvt) should more than capable of running two chimes, assuming there is not a mile of wire. They also make a wireless door bell extender that hears the wired chime and sends a wireless signal to the other chime..


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

:laughing:Most wired door bells have a double solenoid (one front door one rear door) They bring a common from both plus one for each solenoid. Transformer gets hooked to the common terminal and to one wire from each button , other wires from buttons go on the remaining terminals in the door bell.

To add second bell just run three wires from the terminals in one bell to the terminals in the other bell.. 

Keep in mind sometime they add a fourth terminal just as a tie point for the transformer and the common to the buttons. 

And as said before 40va minimum transformer.. (one transformer does both bells)

One button goes DING Other goes DING DONG choice is yours.. 

My door Bell has a mercury switch on the solenoid (yes it came that way) if someone holds the button it keeps going ding dong ding dong ding dong.. The Kids love it.. Dogs ? not so much...

My door bell is also battery powered so when I added one downstairs I took a pair of wires from the old one to power a little relay that is connected to a new wired door bell downstairs.. I don't like to keep things simple :laughing:


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