Doorbells are simple electrical systems or a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed. A doorbell, chime, bell, or buzzer normally operates on low voltage.
Repairing a doorbell is quite easy. The buttons, buzzers, and transformers used in doorbells are relatively inexpensive and replacing these faulty doorbell parts and components is better than trying to repair them.
How Does a Doorbell Works
A doorbell, chime, or buzzer normally operates on low voltage. Most new doorbells use 12 to 14 volts for bells and buzzers and 16 volts for chimes. It has a transformer that converts 120-volt current into the lower voltage. It works on the principle of electromagnetism.
2 small-gauge wires run from the transformer to the bell or the buzzer. A push-button switch is used to interrupt one of these wires and break the circuit or wiring. When we push the button, it completes the circuit and delivers low-voltage electricity to the unit.
The bell unit has a piston with spring. The piston slide through the windings of an electromagnet. The magnet gets charged by the electrical surge sent from the transformer, pulling the pistons against their springs. As the charge stops, the springs thrust the pistons against the bell or chimes and a “ding-dong” sound is produced. This is how doorbells work.
Some doorbells even produce two sounds – one for the front door, the other for the back door so that you can understand if someone is at the front door or at the back door. These doorbells also use the principle of electromagnetism to produce sound.
The buzzing or “ding dong” sound of the bell which you hear is actually the sound made by the swiftly moving arm hitting the magnet along with the stationary.