Ring Doorbell Wired

[dfwdude972]

Hey guys,

I recently bought and installed a Ring Doorbell Wired. I followed the instructions and installed it into my existing doorbell wiring.

Just a few days later I realized that it was “Offline”. There haven’t been any power outages, the wifi and pw are unchanged.

So I ran through the steps to get it set up again, I opened the face plate and pressed the button on the side to start the set up process but I didn’t get any response from the unit. The light is supposed to start spinning but I got no light, nothing.

I checked the wiring at the unit, everything looked fine, I checked the chime and the wiring in there looked fine. The existing wiring was still in place and the jumper cable included with the Ring doorbell was fine.

At that point I didn’t know what the issues was so I decided to do one more test. I put my old doorbell back in and wired it up. It’s not working now either. No chime or power.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? What am I looking at? Is it a transformer issue?

 

[dfwdude972]

Alright I got a multimeter so I’ll be able to test the voltage

 

[Dartlec]

Hey guys,

I recently bought and installed a Ring Doorbell Wired. I followed the instructions and installed it into my existing doorbell wiring.

Just a few days later I realized that it was “Offline”. There haven’t been any power outages, the wifi and pw are unchanged.

So I ran through the steps to get it set up again, I opened the face plate and pressed the button on the side to start the set up process but I didn’t get any response from the unit. The light is supposed to start spinning but I got no light, nothing.

I checked the wiring at the unit, everything looked fine, I checked the chime and the wiring in there looked fine. The existing wiring was still in place and the jumper cable included with the Ring doorbell was fine.

At that point I didn’t know what the issues was so I decided to do one more test. I put my old doorbell back in and wired it up. It’s not working now either. No chime or power.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? What am I looking at? Is it a transformer issue?

May need a bit more info to give full advice, but it's worth checking that a breaker/fuse hasn't blown/tripped at your fusebox/consumer unit.

If you have an existing doorbell chime, then there is probably a bell transformer somewhere, either in the consumer unit, or beside it - that will feed somewhere around 16-18V to the chime box - and then on to the Ring doorbell. You should be able to test at the chime box safely for DC voltage across the incoming contacts. If you're unsure, a picture of the chime or model number would help.

I get lost with the multitude of doorbells Ring have produced, but did this one came with a small resistor or similar that was installed across the chime as per the instructions when it was first working?

 

[dfwdude972]

May need a bit more info to give full advice, but it's worth checking that a breaker/fuse hasn't blown/tripped at your fusebox/consumer unit.

If you have an existing doorbell chime, then there is probably a bell transformer somewhere, either in the consumer unit, or beside it - that will feed somewhere around 16-18V to the chime box - and then on to the Ring doorbell. You should be able to test at the chime box safely for DV voltage across the incoming contacts. If you're unsure, a picture of the chime or model number would help.

I get lost with the multitude of doorbells Ring have produced, but did this one came with a small resistor or similar that was installed across the chime as per the instructions when it was first working?

Yeah it came with a little cable that connected to the chime. They called it a jumper. So when that cable was in the chime it basically made it so the chime didn’t make a sound when the ring was used

here are the exact instructions for installation

 

[Dartlec]

Yeah it came with a little cable that connected to the chime. They called it a jumper. So when that cable was in the chime it basically made it so the chime didn’t make a sound when the ring was used

here are the exact instructions for installation

The methodical method is best. Start at the doorbell and work upstream. check for DC voltage across the contacts at the bell- if nothing then move to the chime box, then if necessary to the transformer that supplies the chime box.

<edited since UK specific info not relevant to US>

If it was working originally and isn't now, even after putting the original doorbell back in, then sounds like transformer has failed or lost power...

 

[dfwdude972]

I just tested the voltage at the doorbell and there’s no power there

 

[dfwdude972]

The methodical method is best. Start at the doorbell and work upstream. check for DC voltage across the contacts at the bell- if nothing then move to the chime box, then if necessary to the transformer that supplies the chime box.

It's possible that the chime box has the transformer built in. If so it may have 240V AC at the incoming terminals, though they should be marked as such and not as accessible as the 12-30V ones. There might be a fused spur where the fuse has blown, or a separate MCB/breaker/fuse for the doorbell circuit, depending on the age of the installation and how it was done originally.

If it was working originally and isn't now, even after putting the original doorbell back in, then sounds like transformer has failed or lost power...

Yeah that’s what it sounds like to me. I wonder why it would fail like that. The ring doorbell was in for a few days. Is it possible that the ring doorbell made it fail? Also my house is less than a year old so it’s puzzling

 

[Dartlec]

Sorry - I'd not realised you were US based - that changes some things in relation to testing and the AC voltages, though the basic concept is the same....

Did you remove the jumper cable when you put things back as they were?

 

[Dartlec]

The low voltages used for doorbells are rather different in the US - and you get different devices to us I think too, but hopefully a more US-savvy member might be able to offer some advice.

A picture of the chime box may help,

If the house is new and had doorbell wiring, I'd guess there was a separate breaker installed for it, so definitely worth checking that hasn't just tripped in your main panel.

 

[dfwdude972]

Sorry - I'd not realised you were US based - that changes some things in relation to testing and the AC voltages, though the basic concept is the same....

Did you remove the jumper cable when you put things back as they were?

Yes I removed it

 

[Dartlec]

Yes I removed it

Then how to test whether the transformer is still working will depend on the wiring at the chime box - the original doorbell is probably just a 'switch' making temporary contact, so you may not get voltage across it, but should between two of the terminals at the chime box - but which terminals I couldn't say without seeing a wiring diagram/model number.

Hopefully someone else can fill in my lack of knowledge and advise further....

 

[Timbo]

We had better tag our American guru @Megawatt

 

[Megawatt]

Hey guys,

I recently bought and installed a Ring Doorbell Wired. I followed the instructions and installed it into my existing doorbell wiring.

Just a few days later I realized that it was “Offline”. There haven’t been any power outages, the wifi and pw are unchanged.

So I ran through the steps to get it set up again, I opened the face plate and pressed the button on the side to start the set up process but I didn’t get any response from the unit. The light is supposed to start spinning but I got no light, nothing.

I checked the wiring at the unit, everything looked fine, I checked the chime and the wiring in there looked fine. The existing wiring was still in place and the jumper cable included with the Ring doorbell was fine.

At that point I didn’t know what the issues was so I decided to do one more test. I put my old doorbell back in and wired it up. It’s not working now either. No chime or power.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? What am I looking at? Is it a transformer issue?

You need a meter and see if you are getting voltage. I’ve seen door bells that was 24vac, 16vac, and 12vac. If no power the it’s probably your transformer.

 

[Megawatt]

Hey guys,

I recently bought and installed a Ring Doorbell Wired. I followed the instructions and installed it into my existing doorbell wiring.

Just a few days later I realized that it was “Offline”. There haven’t been any power outages, the wifi and pw are unchanged.

So I ran through the steps to get it set up again, I opened the face plate and pressed the button on the side to start the set up process but I didn’t get any response from the unit. The light is supposed to start spinning but I got no light, nothing.

I checked the wiring at the unit, everything looked fine, I checked the chime and the wiring in there looked fine. The existing wiring was still in place and the jumper cable included with the Ring doorbell was fine.

At that point I didn’t know what the issues was so I decided to do one more test. I put my old doorbell back in and wired it up. It’s not working now either. No chime or power.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? What am I looking at? Is it a transformer issue?

A lot of people wire there door bells without turning off the power and if your 2 wires touch you probably shorted out your transformer

 

[ssmust5]

Were there any updates on this issue? I am facing the same problem.

 

[Megawatt]

Were there any updates on this issue? I am facing the same problem.

No updates but if you have no power on the secondary side of your transformer and have 120vac feeding it the transformer is bad

 

[GrinMerce]

Great information here !