Hi all,
Any ideas on how to make it so I can disable my doorbell chime at certain times. I’d also like to get a txt message when the chime is disabled. I also do not have access to the transformer to wire anything at that point.
People keep ringing my doorbell and waking my toddler up from naps.
Here is what my doorbell looks like.
Probably go with something like a Ring and bypass your doorbell. You can short front to transformer and just power up the Ring doorbell. A normal doorbell works as a momentary switch to energize the coils. The Ring door bell draws power from the 16-24VAC transformer feeding the bell and then shorts its power terminals to cause the bell to ring. You do not need the doorbell mechanism and just send power to the Ring doorbell
The app will alert your phone when someone rings the bell or trips the motion and the sounds are different.
I would imagine if you got a separate Z-Wave or Zigbee door chime, you could schedule it ringing if you wanted a chime at times.
The best thing is that once your toddler no longer needs naps, you can unshort Front and Trans and go back to using your doorbell with the Ring doorbell.
My 2-cents.
So is Ring only the button or is it a chime also? I’ve seen the product but don’t know much about it.
Other option is Skybell it will also turn off chime.
Mike
The ring Pro replaces the doorbell button, with a button video camera combo. You also put small box to inside the door bell chime and wire it to the door bell transformer. It would connect to the wires marked front and trans. You could leave the wire marked Front off the doorbell, which would stop the normal door bell from chiming. When someone presses the Ring button only your phone would notify you. You can buy a external chime for ring that plugs into an outlet. With the app you could disable the chime whenever you wish.
It wont look pretty but you could add a dry contact relay into the white cable. you will need power but this is probably in the wall behind your doorbell. When the relay is on, the doorbell will ring and when off it wont.
Something like this:
or this:
TO also get notifications you will need another device like this one:
By code you should have access to the transformer given its 120v running into it. Are you sure its inaccessible? I found mine in a random spot in my crawlspace.
If you don’t have access to it, do you have access to the 120 wire running to the transformer? If so you could cut it and put in a relay or smart outlet to control it.
I had my basement finished and I know where it was, that area is now dry walled over on the ceiling. The inspector came through and approved it. They didn’t re-wire any of that area, so I am 90% sure it’s still there.
Unfortunately that would require me to cut the drywall as well I think. I am not opposed to doing it, it’s just a last resort.
Thanks for the suggestion, however!
Not sure if you got resolution on this project, but I would like to add my two cents and continue the conversation here.
Like pizzinini suggested, I got myself a Nexia Z-Wave doorbell sensor and it works great. I didn’t have to touch my original doorbell at the porch (which does have a light in it). It was super easy to install and configure. https://www.nexiahome.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Doorbell-Sensor-Installation-Guide.pdf
The one bit I need help figuring out is how to stop the chime from going off. I have had the ring pro at a previous house and that worked great. I saw the Firefly Electronix doorbell sensor and their documentation. I do have access to my transformer in the basement. Do you think this type of configuration would work with the Nexia doorbell? Right now I have some cardboard between the striker and the plates, but it still buzzes and the dogs have learned that equals doorbell.
