Wired Doorbell Ghost Rings
I just received a Ring Doorbell for my birthday and I installed it to an existing wired doorbell system. 2 days later, at around 3AM, I heard the doorbell ring...but, the Ring App didn't show any motion or send any alerts. Last night at around 6PM, our doorbell rang again, and like before, no alerts on the App (we were home and confirmed that no one was outside ringing our doorbell). 15m later, the same thing happened. So, I called Ring Support and after describing my setup (we have a Utilitech Digital Door Chime and 3 entry ways to our house, each with its own doorbell, and a 30VA Transformer), the tech indicated that I should replace the 30VA doorbell transformer with a 16-24VA, which I plan to do tomorrow. He said that in a wired system like I have, the battery in the Ring doorbell receives a trickle charge and that too much output may damage the battery over time. So for now, I turned the breaker off for my doorbells. However, he really didn't indicate that replacing the transformer will fix these "ghost rings" I am receiving. Again, the Ring Doorbell itself isn't "chiming" or sending alerts, it's just the Utilitech Digital Door Chime that is ringing. Could this be because I have the diode on backwards? Before securing the Ring doorbell to the installation plate, I verified that it along with my other 2 doorbells still worked and they did. I assumed at that point that I had the diode on correctly. Do you believe that the transformer may be causing this? Keep in mind that we had no ghost rings like that before I installed the Ring Doorbell and we built our house in 2012. I don't think I am buying that replacing the transformer is going to fix these false doorbells. If anyone in the community has any suggestions I welcome them. Thanks for your help!
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31-01-2020 06:31:15
Responses (5)
- F
Thank you for the reply. The main doorbell wire coming out of my brick is unfortunately too short to reach the connectors on the Ring doorbell panel, so when I first installed it, I extended them by twisting new leads around the main wires and then wrapping electrical tape around them, so today, I went back and removed the tape and this time used butt splice connectors. Per the advice of the Ring tech I called, I purchased a new 20VA transformer because he had said that the 30VA I currently have could damage the Ring doorbell battery. I was getting ready to replace the transformer but decided to call Ring back just to make sure. The instructions specifically state that for a 3 doorbell system (which is what I have), I need to use a 30VA transformer. A 1 doorbell system can be used with a 16VA, a 2 doorbell system can be used with a 24VA or a 30VA and a 3 doorbell system has to be used with a 30VA transformer: that is what the instructions on the transformer specifically state. This time, the guy I spoke with at Ring said that a 30VA won't hurt my Ring doorbell; he had me go into the Device Health on the App and the Power Status says "Very Good", so he said for me not to worry about it. So my question now is will a 30VA transformer damage the Ring doorbell? I've received 2 different answers from Ring phone support. Thanks for your assistance.
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01-02-2020 09:40:41
FHello again. Unfortunately, I am still getting ghost rings on my wired door chime (NOT on the Ring doorbell itself). I just got off the phone with the manufacturer of the wired door chime and she explained to me that a wired doorbell works on an open circuit, so the only way it will chime is if the button closes the circuit or triggers the circuit somehow to close. If I take the Ring doorbell off of the wired base, I am not getting these chimes. But if I put the Ring doorbell back on the base, I get the false chimes. Again, when I get the false chimes, Ring does not even show motion at the door or that someone is at my door. Is there anything you can do to help me? I drilled 4 holes in our brick to support this device, but now I am regretting this decision because of the ghost chimes I am receiving. It’s not an overwhelming number (maybe 2 or 3 per day); but when they come at 3AM, it’s very aggravating. Please advise. Thank you
•2
05-02-2020 07:03:30
RI have faced the same problem for over 2 years; but it appears to be seasonal. Happens 3 months of the year (winter/ spring). If you find a solution, let me know!
•1
10-03-2020 06:38:09
FI bought a new chime that is on their compatibility list (Hampton Bay Model # HB-7621-02) and FINALLY, no more ghost rings. Here is a link to what I bought. [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Wireless-or-Wired-Door-Bell-White-Bead-Board-HB-7621-02/206135494?cm\_mmc=ecc-\_-THD\_SHIP\_CONFIRMATION\_\_V1\_M1\_CA-\_-Product\_URL](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Wireless-or-Wired-Door-Bell-White-Bead-Board-HB-7621-02/206135494?cm_mmc=ecc-_-THD_SHIP_CONFIRMATION__V1_M1_CA-_-Product_URL)
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10-03-2020 07:00:51
- U
I’m having ghost rings quite often. And it has gotten worse in the last couple of days. Like others mentioned, it appears to be seasonal, colder weather triggers it. But why does it have to be 3-4 or 5 am. I’m at my wits end. My original ring worked great until the nightvision quit. Replaced with a pro and I get ghost rings. Replaced a perfectly working doorbell with one on the compatibility list. Still get them. The company is full of crap on this issue. There is a hardware issue that they’re denying. I removed the white capacitor and it didn’t help. Now I’ll remove the ring unit
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23-01-2021 12:59:24
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- T
I too have purchased a RING doorbell Pro. I have received ghost doorbell rings with my hardwired doorbell. Ring originally exchanged units with me and I had the same ghost rings. I have a Nutone LA-58 model of doorbell. It is not on the list of approved or disapproved units. Called RING and they told me that it was OK? I seem to get the same results as the rest of you.
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05-03-2021 04:59:04
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- K
I had the problem a year ago. I later moved the Ring doorbell to my back door after installing a new one on the front door. It is now occasionally ringing the back door. It did notify Alexa that it rang one time and didn't twice. I am going to try cleaning the switch as suggested in another post and see if that works. It definitely is the Ring device because the one I installed on the front door does not do that. I did have to install a diode in both cases.
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07-03-2021 01:36:02
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- B
I've had this issue since my device was new. I believe the issue is my chimes are not a simple bell but rather a chime with low current requirements . given that when the Ring tries to charge its batteries it becomes a load low enough to ring the chimes. So I measure how low a resistance it took to ring the bell. In my case it was 68 Ohms . I simply tied a 47 ohm resistor in series with the Ring device . so far so good . Bell rings as it should when button is pushed . just need verify that the Ring battery charges and stays charged.
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11-06-2021 03:39:28
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Bayar
I would suggest that the cables might have insulation issue. could be old or exposed somewhere along. And when the cables have movement by something the exposed parts could touch each other and closes the ring bell circuit . so you should check the cables or any joining points (junction box) could have these issues. try to replace the cable between them and run them just loose and see if that changes the situation. regards
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01-02-2020 09:32:30
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