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Posted by on November 20, 2008, 4:20 pm
wrote:
>Vic Smith wrote:
>>> Congratulations, you've just saved yourself 25 cents a year in
>>> electricity.
>>> Not to mention it might not be safe if someone is standing on wet
>>> pavement and they gey shocked by 120V.
>> Geeze, I replaced the transformer powered doorbell in my house 10
>> years ago with a 15 buck wireless chimer. Couple screws and it's
>> done. Replaced the AAA batteries once in all that time.
>$15 at 25c/year means you'll recover your costs in 60 years. But the
>batteries cost, oh, $1.00 every ten years, so that's another six bucks which
>will take another 12 years to recover. But 12 years means one more set of
>batteries, which requires another four years. Let's see, now (mumble,
>mumble, carry-the-three), ah, yes.
>Your wireless solution will save you money after a mere 73 years of service.
>This does not count lost opportunity costs of the original $15.
Delete from that cost the cost of repairing/replacing whatever was
wrong with the original system (cost of transformer, button, chime and
wire plus labour to replace)
He might still be saving money.
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Posted by E Z Peaces on November 19, 2008, 10:59 pm
Vic Smith wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:44:47 -0800 (PST), Mikepier
>
>>> Wired doorbells have a transformer which is always on and always using
>>> electricity. This is yet one more thing in the house which does this like
>>> TV, microwave, remote control things, things with clocks, plug-in phones,
>>> etc.
>>> These things add up...
>>> I replaced/rewired my switch so the transformer is only on when the doorbell
>>> button is pressed! Thus the transformer is off most of the time now.
>>> I installed a regular electrical box at my front door, ran 14 ga. romex from
>>> this box to the doorbell transformer, then got a nice brass blank wall
>>> plate, drilled a hole in this plate, then installed a 120V momentary push
>>> switch in the plate. Then wired this to switch on the transformer when the
>>> button is pressed. Then connected the two wires which were going to the old
>>> button so the doorbell would ring as soon as it receives power from the
>>> transformer.
>> Congratulations, you've just saved yourself 25 cents a year in
>> electricity.
>> Not to mention it might not be safe if someone is standing on wet
>> pavement and they gey shocked by 120V.
>
> Geeze, I replaced the transformer powered doorbell in my house 10
> years ago with a 15 buck wireless chimer. Couple screws and it's
> done. Replaced the AAA batteries once in all that time.
>
> --Vic
Doorbells once used carbon-zinc batteries. Their shelf life wasn't
good. That explains the change to transformers.
I've tried battery-powered wireless door chimes. I used AA alkalines,
which have a much longer shelf life than conventional carbon-zinc. The
problem was the current draw of the receivers. A set of batteries would
last only a few months, and a lot of visitors might leave frustrated
before I realized my chime was out of service.
How about a wired chime using a lithium battery? The battery could
outlast a transformer and be cheaper to replace.
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Posted by Vic Smith on November 19, 2008, 11:16 pm
wrote:
>Vic Smith wrote:
>> On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:44:47 -0800 (PST), Mikepier
>>
>>>> Wired doorbells have a transformer which is always on and always using
>>>> electricity. This is yet one more thing in the house which does this like
>>>> TV, microwave, remote control things, things with clocks, plug-in phones,
>>>> etc.
>>>> These things add up...
>>>> I replaced/rewired my switch so the transformer is only on when the doorbell
>>>> button is pressed! Thus the transformer is off most of the time now.
>>>> I installed a regular electrical box at my front door, ran 14 ga. romex from
>>>> this box to the doorbell transformer, then got a nice brass blank wall
>>>> plate, drilled a hole in this plate, then installed a 120V momentary push
>>>> switch in the plate. Then wired this to switch on the transformer when the
>>>> button is pressed. Then connected the two wires which were going to the old
>>>> button so the doorbell would ring as soon as it receives power from the
>>>> transformer.
>>> Congratulations, you've just saved yourself 25 cents a year in
>>> electricity.
>>> Not to mention it might not be safe if someone is standing on wet
>>> pavement and they gey shocked by 120V.
>>
>> Geeze, I replaced the transformer powered doorbell in my house 10
>> years ago with a 15 buck wireless chimer. Couple screws and it's
>> done. Replaced the AAA batteries once in all that time.
>>
>> --Vic
>Doorbells once used carbon-zinc batteries. Their shelf life wasn't
>good. That explains the change to transformers.
>I've tried battery-powered wireless door chimes. I used AA alkalines,
>which have a much longer shelf life than conventional carbon-zinc. The
>problem was the current draw of the receivers. A set of batteries would
>last only a few months, and a lot of visitors might leave frustrated
>before I realized my chime was out of service.
>How about a wired chime using a lithium battery? The battery could
>outlast a transformer and be cheaper to replace.
Haven't had that problem like that. Just checked to see if it worked,
since I don't get a lot of visitors. It works.
The receiver uses 2 C's, so I was wrong on that. The pushbutton is
unlighted. You can hear the chimes from outside, so you know it's
working. But there's a knocker on the door too, just in case.
Ending my part in doorbells and knockers discussion. That's all I
know. Carry on.
--Vic
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Posted by Dave Garland on November 20, 2008, 12:00 am
E Z Peaces wrote:
> I've tried battery-powered wireless door chimes. I used AA alkalines,
> which have a much longer shelf life than conventional carbon-zinc. The
> problem was the current draw of the receivers. A set of batteries would
> last only a few months, and a lot of visitors might leave frustrated
> before I realized my chime was out of service.
Why use battery-powered chimes (as opposed to transmitters)? My
wireless chimes plug into outlets (upstairs and downstairs chimes).
Being as they make noise, it's not like precise location is critical.
The transmitters use a "N" battery every 3-4 years. You do have to
check occasionally to make sure it's still working.
The operating cost (75 cents per year for batteries, and whatever the
line draw is) is probably more than a transformer-operated bell but
we're way down in the noise range of expense.
Dave
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Posted by E Z Peaces on November 20, 2008, 1:23 pm
Dave Garland wrote:
> E Z Peaces wrote:
>> I've tried battery-powered wireless door chimes. I used AA alkalines,
>> which have a much longer shelf life than conventional carbon-zinc. The
>> problem was the current draw of the receivers. A set of batteries would
>> last only a few months, and a lot of visitors might leave frustrated
>> before I realized my chime was out of service.
>
> Why use battery-powered chimes (as opposed to transmitters)? My
> wireless chimes plug into outlets (upstairs and downstairs chimes).
> Being as they make noise, it's not like precise location is critical.
> The transmitters use a "N" battery every 3-4 years. You do have to
> check occasionally to make sure it's still working.
>
> The operating cost (75 cents per year for batteries, and whatever the
> line draw is) is probably more than a transformer-operated bell but
> we're way down in the noise range of expense.
>
> Dave
If I went wireless again, I use an outlet-powered receiver. I'd be
concerned about its service life and how much power it sucked.
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