Changing DC Doorbell Chime to an AC Chime


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Old 07-19-19, 03:37 PM
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Changing DC Doorbell Chime to an AC Chime

I just moved into a new house and am trying to set up my video doorbell. The instructions say to add a power pack to the Front and Trans leads on the doorbell chime. My chime is a DC chime and the support for the doorbell says it will not work it needs to be AC with a transformer.

Could I just buy an AC chime from Home Depot (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-...B&gclsrc=aw.ds) and transformer?

My question would be, how to wire this up. Does the Black, green and white lines go to the transformer, then the transformer to the transformer line on the chime to provide power? Then the doorbell red and white to the Front/Trans leads on the chime. Then wire up the Power Box for the video doorbell per instructions?

Also, does this need to be mounted high up? My DC chime is recessed down low.
 
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Old 07-19-19, 10:08 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

How do you know your chime is DC ?
That would be extremely rare. Some use a diode on the push button and call that a DC chime.

If you do indeed have a true DC chime...... you cannot add an AC transformer to it.
Do you have a picture or link to your chime ?
A picture would be helpful. How-to-insert-pictures.
 
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Old 07-21-19, 12:29 PM
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The current chime is a Nicor PrimeChime 18888 (https://nicorlighting.com/product/18888-prime-chime/)

Hope this helps
 
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Old 07-21-19, 09:09 PM
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That is the first I've ever seen a kit like that.
Yes..... that is a DC chime system and no.... you cannot easily interface with it.

It can be done but is not easy. There is a two conductor cable between the button and that chime. You'd need to get to that. It may be run in the wall and then would be difficult to access or it could be run down from the button thru a basement ceiling and up to the chime.

Ultimately you would need an AC transformer and an AC relay. The camera would receive the AC from the transformer. When you pushed the button it would activate a relay to close the wires to the chime. This would isolate the AC from the DC.

If you are using a Ring,. You could remove the DC supply and chime from the wall unit. Install an AC transformer there and then use a remote wireless network Ring chime.
 
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Old 07-22-19, 04:53 AM
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This is what I was thinking. I went to Home Depot and got a wired doorbell with the 16v transformer, but you make a point that I just need the transformer and can use the ring chime. Not sure which chine would be better. Looks like the one I got from HD is a larger footprint than the current one in the wall
 
 

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