Help wiring a new Wired Video Doorbell

[milleniumaire]

I’m in the UK and looking to install a Ring Video Doorbell at my in-laws to provide some additional security/surveillance.

So, I’ve read lots of help guides and watched lots of videos, but still not 100% sure that their existing setup will accommodate a hardwired Wired Video Doorbell i.e. the version without a battery.

They currently have the following setup:

• Transformer by the consumer unit: Terraneo 672 230V AC to 8V (from what I can gather). This web page appears to show the same transformer: BTicino | BTI-672

• Friedland 954 door chime. The house was built around 35 years ago and I believe this was installed as part of the build (possibly the same with the transformer), so quite old!

• The door bell itself seems to be a simple “contact” type, with 2 wires each connected to a contact, so no illumination or anything extra.

I have photos of the inside of the chime, but don’t see an option to include them in this post! I will therefore try to describe the wiring, which seems a little unusual.

There are 4 terminals inside the chime (nothing unusual about that), but only 3 of them appear to be used! The terminals are labelled 0, 1, 2 and 3. Two bell cables enter the chime, each with a pair of wires. I’ll call them cable 1 and 2, and wires A and B, so we have wires 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B. Here’s how they are connected:

Terminal 0: wire 1A and 2A i.e. a single wire from each cable is connected together on this terminal.
Terminal 1: no wires
Terminal 2: wire 2B
Terminal 3: wire 1B

At this point I haven’t determined which of the two cables runs from the transformer and which runs to the doorbell.

Based on all the information provided on the Ring website, this seems to be unusual as the door bell cable is expected to be connected to 2 different terminals and no examples show any of the doorbell wires being connected to the transformer wire!

Photos are much easier to understand, so if there’s a way I can upload the photo, please let me know.

Anyone understand how this chime wiring would be changed to accommodate the Wired Ring Doorbell?

Is the transformer compatible? It needs to be 8-24 VAC. The writing on the transformer suggests it is 8V AC, which I think is acceptable!

I’ve read of instances where the Ring doorbell has blown transformers, which is a little worrying!

I understand that when using the Wired Ring doorbell, the chime is bypassed, so it will be necessary for me to install a Ring Chime or Echo device to generate the doorbell sound, however, the wiring examples still show wires from the transformer connected to the chime. Why is that? Are they using some component of the chime in order to work?

An alternative install method seems to be to wire the transformer directly to the door bell, however I believe a resistor is required, although this may be the case when using a doorbell containing a battery, I can’t remember - two many options and variations to remember!

I would appreciate any advice/thoughts and answers to my questions. Thanks.

PS. Just realised I could upload the photos, but limited to one photo as a new user, so I’ve uploaded the insides of the chime.

[milleniumaire]

So, I’ve done a little more research into the wiring of a doorbell chime and transformer and think I now understand the existing chime wiring, even though it doesn’t match any of the Ring diagrams.

Essentially, one of the wires from the transformer is connected to one of the wires to the bell, so a current it sent from the transformer to the bell via the chime, which it also powers.

The 2nd bell wire is NOT connected to the 2nd transformer wire, except when the door bell is pressed and this therefore closes the circuit.

In the following Ring diagrams, terminals 1 and 2 are essentially connecting one of the transformer wires to one of the doorbell wires, which is what terminal 0 is doing in my chime, so this stays the same.

This therefore suggests that in my chime, terminals 2 and 3 cause the circuit to close, just like terminals 0 and 3 in the Ring diagrams. Therefore the wires on terminals 2 and 3 in my chime are the ones that need to be joined together, just as those from terminals 0 and 3 are in the Ring diagrams.

Does this make sense? If so, my only outstanding question is compatibility of my transformer.

[Justin_Ring]

Hi @milleniumaire. I’m glad you were able to resolve how to install the jumper cable in your chime in order to bypass it. If you are unsure about your current transformer, you can purchase one that is compatible with the Doorbell Wired on Ring.com here. Also, if you are wiring it directly to a transformer, the Doorbell Wired does not require a resistor; it will just be wired directly to the transformer. We also have a Plug-In Adapter you can use to power the Doorbell Wired. If you need further assistance with hardwiring your Doorbell, I strongly recommend consulting a qualified electrician.

[dabnc]

Hi @ milleniumaire, Seems like you have a pretty good understanding of electronics and your setup. From my understanding the Ring doorbell needs power of 8-12 VAC. You said yours has 8 volts so you should be good. Relating to one of your questions, all you need is power from a transformer. Justin_Ring basically says the same thing and is suggesting you can buy the Ring Plug-In Adapter if you want. You don’t need since you already have a suitable power source. In your case the transformer goes the chime and the doorbell button goes to the chime so you can’t get a direct connection to the Ring doorbell from your transformer because it is routed through the bell.

One end of the jumper needs to go on the 0 connecter and the other end needs to go on either 2 or 3. The easiest thing to do if you have a volt meter is to put it on the wires from 0 to 2 and 0 to 3 and see which one gives you a/c voltage. This would tell you which one is the transformer wire providing power. You would also know how much voltage it is putting out from this reading to ensure it is 8 VAC. At this point I think you would jumper the bell wire to the 0 terminal and you would be good to go.

[milleniumaire]

Thanks for the feedback.

Having setup a new 4G SIM router today, which works perfectly, I tried to complete the installation of the Ring doorbell wired.

Unfortunately, the app configuration tells me that the transformer is not compatible. On the doorbell itself, the bottom half of the circle is flashing white. This was also the case when I wired it up over the weekend, but I was unable to find ANY information on the Ring support website about what this meant and only now is the app explaining the reason for this flashing. If the Ring support website had included this information in the web page showing the different types of flashing, it would have saved me a lot of time.

So, I’m now starting to get a little frustrated about the lack of useful information provided by Ring on compatible transformers. I don’t understand why they don’t provide a database of compatible and incompatible transformers for users to search. It would make things so much easier. Not only that, but I now need a replacement transformer and Ring don’t appear to sell or recommend one!

Yes, Ring sell a plug in adapter - no good for my situation and a DIN rail transformer, also no good for my situation. I need to replace an existing transformer with a Ring doorbell compatible transformer, which appears to be a setup Ring don’t want me to use!

The existing transformer is positioned just above the Consumer Unit, which is installed in a utility room. The doorbell is wire to a chime unit near the door, so I need to use the existing “bell” type wiring.

Grrrrr!!! Come on Ring, I expected more from you and confess I’m now wishing I hadn’t bothered starting this installation.

[milleniumaire]

Looking at the details on the existing transformer, I don’t actually understand why it isn’t compatible:

240V
12V - 1A
8V / 0.2A

I’ve looked up details for this old Terraneo 672 transformer and they seem to confirm the requirements mentioned by Ring.

It would be good to get confirmation this is a transformer compatibility issue rather than a wiring issue.

[milleniumaire]

As you can see in the following photo, the kitchen fitters have kindly boxed in the existing doorbell transformer, so it’s going to be a real pain to replace it:

I’m probably going to purchase the following as this has been mentioned by others as a compatible replacement (but not confirmed by Ring), who obviously want customers to purchase their own products even thought they don’t appear to sell the product I require!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/YAYZA-Premium-Voltage-Transformer-Switching/dp/B07CW32SQ8

[dabnc]

Ring does provide a list of transformer compatibility. At lease here in the US:

Ring Video Doorbell Pro Chime Kit Compatibility List – Ring Help

Your transformer is not listed. However, the label on your transformer says it puts out 12V of alternating current (AC), and 8V of direct current. (DC). The doorbell uses alternating current and the 12V A/C output is in the operating range of the doorbell.

Do you have an amp meter? That would easily measure what is going on at the transformer to know which outputs on the transformer are putting out what kind of power and voltage? If not a new transformer would likely be cheaper than the meter to measure what you’ve got.

[dabnc]

Ring does have a list of what the blinking lights mean, although I don’t see something listed here for the bottom half blinking white, just the top half:

Understanding your Ring Video Doorbell Pro light patterns – Ring Help

Seems like you are really close to getting it working. Have you tried taking some spare wires to connect the doorbell directly to the transformer inside the house. That might save you trips back and forth to the front door to help troubleshoot more quickly.

[dabnc]

@milleniumaire, sorry for so many replies. I just looked at your pictures again. I didn’t realize that your transformer and your chime are two different things. I looked closer at the chime and can tell that it is DC powered because there are places to put batteries. This likely means your chime is hooked up to the DC output of your transformer. I couldn’t find any manuals for the Terraneo 672 and the bottom of your transformer picture is cut off so i don’t see the wires. I imagine there should be 6 screws.

2 for the 240 a/c input
2 for the 8V dc output and
2 for the 12V ac output

likely the wires for powering your doorbell are on the dc terminals?

[milleniumaire]

Thanks dabnc.

Aren’t they “chimes” i.e. the doorbell chime, and not transformers? I had seen this list, but it didn’t help me identify a compatible transformer, which I had assumed was working with the doorbell, since it made it flash when I installed it, plus the info on the transformer seems to match the limited info that Ring provide about compatibility.

I had also found the light patterns web page and as you say it neglects to mention the bottom half of the doorbell flashing white, which is a shame as I knew it was doing this last Sunday when I installed the doorbell itself (I didn’t have internet/wifi at that time) and assumed, through lack of information from Ring, that the flashing was probably related to wifi/internet setup rather than lack of a reliable power source. If the app can show this information (and a few other light patterns) I don’t understand why Ring don’t include it on their web pages for completeness, but I’m definitely getting the impression that Ring aren’t particularly good at providing full and structured information.

[milleniumaire]

@dabnc regarding the transformer, as you say it is separate to the chime unit and is positioned above the consumer unit. There are 4 wires to the transformer; positive and neutral power supply from the consumer unit and a 2 wire bell cable which runs to the chime. From the chime, an additional 2 wire bell cable runs to the doorbell.

So, I can’t install the transformer in the chime unit as I don’t believe the thin 2 wire bell cable will be rated to take the power source, which is on a 5amp lighting circuit, from the consumer unit. It feels safer to simply replace the existing transformer with the new one and keep it in its current location.

I have a replacement transformer on order and it should arrive today, so I’ll probably fit it over the weekend. Fingers crossed this will fix the power supply issue, and then I’ll be onto the next issue