Skybell HD Chime Buzzing

Hi All,

Realize this isn’t strictly smartthings, but I’m not sure where else to look. Skybell support isn’t being terribly helpful.

My chime (analog, mechanical) recently started buzzing/humming. Doorbell transformer is fine (Skybell is trying to convince me that’s it), but it appears to be entirely the chime. Anyone had this before? Have a chime that they like and know works? Have a fix? I know Ring has a power board they supply with the Pro, and August seems to have some type of power unit they provide as well. Both jumper across the chime to resolve humming, but I can’t figure out what they actually are (maybe glorified resistors). One video doorbell manufacturer recommends just throwing a 10Ohm resistor in series (which Skybell also does if you don’t have a chime). I can certainly do that if we think it’ll fix the hum (which only bugs me when the house is empty).

Thanks all!

I started having the same problem about a week or two ago. When button is pushed chime acts as if button is being held down for about 10-15 sec then disengages. Thought it was my bell but maybe not.
Mike

Fixed mine. Skybell support basically told me to buy a new chime. Maybe I will down the road, but not without first fixing this one.

Dug through my resistors and found a 12ohm, 3W resistor. Given my measurements of current, and voltage drop, this was more than enough, Soldered some wires on it, and attached it across (in parallel) to the chime. Hum is gone, and chime still sounds the same when button is pushed. Prior to the resistor, the chime was dropping just over 2V across it (which apparently was enough to partially energize the coil). Now it’s dropping just over 1.1V (if memory serves) and it’s silent.

And no, it didn’t need to be a 3W resistor. A simple .5 or 1W would have been plenty, but I didn’t have any in that size and resistance.

Could you post a picture of the resistor installed?
Mike

Yup, here ya go. 12ohm, 3w (I think), old old old resistor. I soldered some wire to the leads, then crimped on the terminals.

But, eliminated buzzing.

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I appear to be having a similar problem and have a question.

I had a regular doorbell (not skybell) that has a light on the button. That works fine and the indoor bell (mechanical) chime does not buzz.
Before installing the skybell I measured the voltage at the doorbell wire and is 18.9 which is within their specs.
I installed the skybell and and it works (I was able to set it up and motion, etc works…but the whole time my indoor doorbell chime (Nutone looks like) buzzes or hums.

Skybell customer service is rather basic (I don’t want to complain…but it could be better). They tell me since my house is about 10 years old that the transformer is probably worn out and needs replacing. I disagree with this…it is putting 18.9 at the doorbell button which is well within specs.

My sense is you put a resistor to reduce voltage which helped your situation (if that is correct).
I guess my question is if 18.9volts works with just a normal doorbel…why would changing it to a skybell cause the doorbell chime to buzz. I assume the skybell probably consumes more voltage than a normal doorbell…so if anything less voltage would be getting to the doorbell chime (I may have the flow wrong?).

I feel like I have a very standard situation. House is just over 10 years old. Doorbell chime is mechanical. Voltage to doorbell button is 18.9 volts. Am I wrong to think that a $200 fancy doorbell should be able to handle this better. And am I wrong to think it odd that skybell customer service blames transformer and wiring before even looking at their device? Isn’t it possible that the issue is the device? And for $200 why doesn’t this smart doorbell have some configuration to handle small difference in voltage, etc?

I am somewhat regretting this purchase.

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So, it’s causing a buzzing because the skybell is constantly drawing power through the doorbell (it’s part of the loop). The doorbell is energizing the coil at a low level, and that causes the buzz/hum.

What you have to do is basically lower the voltage across the coil so it doesn’t try to ring. I did this with a resistor. Ring and August both have little “adapters” they include or sell to basically do this, but for whatever reason, Skybell doesn’t. a 10ohm or so resistor should be fine, but you’d want at least 0.5W.

They claimed the transformer for me too, and I got down into my crawlspace, and verified the transformer was putting out 18V+ with the skybell active. If you’re measuring with the skybell detached, that isn’t a very good test because you’re not loading down the transformer at all.

Hopefully that all makes sense. If I didn’t so dislike the sound of digital doorbell chimes, I’d just buy one of those and be done with it. But, sadly, they all sound terrible. =/ Another issue, I think, is Skybell engineers probably can’t hear the buzzing. I only hear it in my house when my 4yo son isn’t there, and the house is very quiet. But it is super annoying once you hear it, and can’t NOT hear it. =/

so theoretically even if we have skybell and its causing the hum, can’t we just use the chime power board from August to fix the issue? I noticed they send them to you for free from there website…

ill be the guinea pig, just ordered one

I tried this for my brother’s place not but a few days ago and no dice for me. It’s still buzzing. Only other option is to replace the doorbell, but those are cheap, so no sweat. I thought I’d try the free chime power board route first.

I just installed my new Skybell and got this annoying Hum coming from the Chime itself.
After looking up online, it seems that it’s because of the tiny current needed to power up the Doorbell, triggering, or half triggering the hammer inside the mechanical door bell.

I solved the issue by using the Digital Doorbell Adaptor (DDA) they provided.
In that case, just plug it as described in the manual but don’t set the DDA setting in the app.

I haven’t checked in detail how the DDA works, but I believe it acts as a sort of relay triggering the mechanical doorbell above certain threshold.
Works for me for now, let’s see how it behaves on the long run.

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That digital doorbell adapter looks different than on their site. Is that a skybell one?

Did you pay for it, or somehow get them to send you one?

Thanks!

It came with it, in a separate bag from the Skybell box.
I bought my SkyBell Trim Plus directly from Skybell during the Sale earlier this month.

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I think that’s the back of the adapter, which is never shown in pictures.

I just bought and installed one today, finding out that the button press doesn’t work whatsoever in smartthings, whether using webcore or smartlights to intercept it. That kind of sucks, and it looks like the built-in device handler that samsung is using hasn’t been updated for changes to Skybell’s API.

However, I am having issues with the chime making the DING…bzzzzzzzhummmmmm…dong taking 5-10 seconds. It doesn’t hum any other time, and this is in a house built this year. I’m going to try the digital doorbell adapter, and failing that I’ll just stick a resistor on it like you did.

awesome, let us know.

and yeah, my skybell webcore pistons don’t seem to have worked in the last few days. =/

You sir are a both a gentleman and a scholar. I salute you.

I just added a 10 ohm 0.5w resistor and walla! Buzz is gone. Thank you, thank you.

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Hi, I have the same issue After installing the skybell trim plus today. I have zero knowledge of electrical wiring, after buying the 10ohm resistor wire. What other wires do I need to buy additionally? I see 2 wires wrapped around by electrical tape on both sides of the resistor wire. Thank you!

@staze @Xealo , another noob question. Is there a reason why I can’t connect both ends of the resistor directly to the terminals ?

Nope, don’t have to buy any extra wiring if you already have some. You see that wire nut at the top of the picture? I literally cut the two white wires off of that and soldered each one to each end of the resistor. That’s it. So any scrap wire that will do except for some super thin gauge wire. And you don’t even have to solder it. You can wrap each wire around each connection. Just tape or heat shrink the connections on the resistor really well. I just soldered it because that makes it more permanent. The crimped on end that you see isn’t even necessary either. I tried to crimp the other one, but it fell off(I think it’s too big), so I just wrapped the bare wire around the connection. Good luck!

P.S. I see why not on just connecting the resistor directly. It’ll be more difficult because it’s short and both connections aren’t as flexible as a normal wire…

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Tried digital doorbell and resistor, neither worked.

After giving up for a few days, I was playing around in the app for it, and noticed the “digital doorbell” option had been enabled? I know I had set that to analog when I first installed the Skybell, so I have no idea how it was re-toggled. Maybe Smartthings re-enabled it when I first installed the smartapp? I didn’t test the doorbell until I had already added it to Smartthings. I could have just fat-fingered it on the phone as well.

Disabled digital doorbell, and now the stupid doorbell works fine. :upside_down_face:

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I try to help myself and found your post Staze. THANK YOU.