Mechanical doorbell chimes produce sound by striking a bell, gong, or bar with a magnetic pin. When electricity is introduced to the magnetic doorbell chime during a doorbell press, the magnetic pin moves and strikes the doorbell chime, causing a sound to be produced.
Does Ring Doorbell Work with Mechanical Chime? Yes, the ring doorbell works with many Mechanical Chimes. The Ring Doorbell is compatible with a wide range of mechanical door chimes that operate between 8VAC and 24VAC.
When hardwired, the LED lights on the front of the Ring Doorbell should shine with a soft white light. The connection will also trickle charge your Ring Doorbell, avoiding the need to recharge the battery.
In addition to receiving a phone notification and hearing the doorbell ring within your home, the hardwired Ring Doorbell can be linked to the existing mechanical doorbell chime in your home.
An AC doorbell transformer is required to connect your Ring Doorbell and your home’s mechanical chime so that when someone pushes the doorbell, the mechanical chime will sound.
Mechanical Chimes will make the “ding-dong” sound that most people associate with doorbells by using a genuine bell and mechanical hammer.
To ensure your safety, turn off the circuit breaker for your doorbell before you begin checking the wiring.
Make sure that the hardwired Ring Doorbell installation is done correctly. The wiring behind the doorbell can be seen by removing the doorbell from the mounting bracket.
The two screws on the Ring Doorbell installation bracket should have the wires snugly wrapped around them. It makes no difference which wire is attached to which screw when using this method. Verify that none of the screws are loosened.
The doorbell transformer and chime box wiring should also be checked for any loose connections. The connection between the Ring Doorbell and mechanical chime can be disrupted if the wires or terminals have residue or corrosion. If necessary, conduct a thorough cleaning of the cables.
It is necessary to replace any wires that have been broken or corroded beyond repair. If you’re not sure you can handle it, call in a professional electrician.
List of Mechanical Chimes That Work With Ring Doorbell
There are many Mechanical Chimes that are compatible with the Ring Doorbell, and they come in a variety of styles. We strongly recommend the Heath Zenith Chimes since they are dependable and work nicely with the Ring Doorbell. These are simple chimes that will go nicely with most house decors and are not overly intricate. The various Ring Compatible doorbell chime models are shown below.
- Health Zenith Doorbell Chime SL-2735 Sleek modern design
- Heath Zenith Doorbell Doorbell 96 M/B
- Boran Two Tone Chime – This mechanical chime is simple and works with Ring Doorbell. It includes a new 16V transformer.
- NuTone BK131LRBZ Builder Chimes Kit
- NuTone LA70MA Traditional Wired Musical Doorbell, Maple
- NuTone LA140WH Classic Curved Top Design Decorative Two Nut Wired Doorbell, White
The Ring is the leader in home security solutions. Here’s how to use your Ring doorbell with a mechanical chime, and what to do when you get a false alarm.
How to connect your Ring Doorbell to a Mechanical Chime
- Disconnect the power to your existing doorbell.
- Remove your doorbell and then the screws that hold the real wires in place.
- We recommend filling the hole created by the doorbell wiring with caulking (not included).
- Place the mounting bracket and accompanying level against the wall and mark the screw holes.
- After screwing in the mounting bracket, remove the level and check that the terminal screws are slightly backed out.
- Loop your doorbell wires around the terminals, then tighten each screw to secure the wires to the mounting bracket. A diode should NOT be used.
- Place the Ring Doorbell on the bracket and tighten each of the screws on the underside of the device with the provided Ring screwdriver. It’s critical not to overtighten those screws; they should be flush with the unit.
You should double-check that the voltage coming from the transformer matches the voltage of the chime kit (e.g. 16V chime should be wired to a 16V transformer).
It’s extremely cool that a smart Ring Doorbell can link to an old-school mechanical doorbell chime, but getting the devices to operate together can be difficult. The wiring connecting the doorbell, transformer, and chime must be in good working order and correctly linked.
If your Ring Doorbell isn’t ringing the mechanical chime or not working properly, you can replace it with a Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro.
These devices are simple to set up and can be used to replace your home’s mechanical doorbell chime. It’s also a good choice for folks whose mechanical chime is incompatible with their Ring Doorbell.
Another advantage of the digital Ring Chime gadget is that it is compatible with battery-operated Ring Doorbells. It communicates with your doorbell through Wi-Fi and includes a variety of electronic chime sounds to select from!
