Hard wired ring doorbells burning up transformers

So I’ve seen a lot of posts about people switching to hard wired ring doorbells and burning up transformers. If you have an existing chime and it’s wired a certain way if you install the jumper between the screws on the chime it will burn up the transformer because when you hook up the ring doorbell it completes the circuit and applies constant power to the chime. So if you hear a single ding and humming that’s your problem. The easiest way to fix it is to remove the two wires from the chime and wire them together which will send voltage to the chime button and not suck the plunger down on the chime and burn up your transformer. Of course since you have already burnt up the transformer you will have to replace it first.
I am an electrical contractor and been called to troubleshoot this specific issue and that has been the problem 100% of the 20 or so calls I’ve had.

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Hi @Sparky521. Thanks for sharing your feedback here, hopefully this will help some neighbors with this concern! :slight_smile:

Hi @Sparky521 thanks for posting this and wish I have read your tip before installing my hardwired ring doorbell two days ago… I wanted to seek your advice to verify that my issue is exactly what you’ve described. So I connected my hardwire ring doorbell on Sunday night 1/9; connected it to echo and worked fine all night as well as Monday 1/10 afternoon. When I checked the doorbell camera again Monday evening, I noticed it’s disconnected and later found out it’s not powered on at all. I removed the doorbell and noticed the two wires have no sparks anymore when I put them together so at that point I know the wires no longer have electric currents. I am just shocked (no pun intended) that the wired ring camera was working fine but then didn’t last 24 hours and seems like I got no power through those two wires anymore sticking outside on my wall.

Curious if my experience here is similar to the burnt transformer that you have described here? Would appreciate your kind advice. Thanks!

If your transformer appears to be burning after you install your Ring Video Doorbell, please immediately disconnect the Doorbell from power to ensure your safety before attempting any troubleshooting. The transformer burning or being damaged could be due to the Doorbell not being installed correctly. Different Doorbell models have different installation instructions and power requirements, so it’s important to refer to the manual included with your Doorbell.

If you’re unsure or uncomfortable working with the wiring, please consult a qualified electrician. If there is any damage to your Doorbell, please give our support team a call at one of the numbers available here. If you are outside of the US, please visit here to see how to contact support.

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