# dopey doorbell **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732 "2007-12-04T00:59:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YPOD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e99b99/32.png) [@YPOD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YPOD)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/1 "2007-12-04T00:59:10Z")
I’m stumped. My door bell bell just dings, it doesn’t ding dong. I replaced the buttons, the transformer, and the bell itself, same problem. So I assume it is the wires (?) but if so, why would it ding and not dong if the current is getting through? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/2 "2007-12-04T01:04:22Z")
Assuming this is an older solenoid-operated chime, the “ding” occurs when the solenoid is energized, pulling the striker in to hit the high tone chime, while the “dong” happens when the solenoid is de-energized, and a return spring pulls the striker back to hit the low tone chime. Check and see if the striker slides freely and the return spring is intact and in place. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/3 "2007-12-04T01:42:22Z")
Many doorbells ring once for the back door, and twice for the front door. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/4 "2007-12-04T02:25:25Z")
Here you [go](http://www.electrical-online.com/Doorbellsystems.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/5 "2007-12-04T03:03:12Z")
What **Q.E.D.** said. Years ago, my parents had this problem at their house. When you stood next to the chime, you could hear a steady buzzing. In their particular case, it was only “donging” [insert joke of choice here], and was caused because the wires in the button itself were always touching, and were actually released when the button was pushed. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/6 "2007-12-04T17:56:33Z")
You’ve replaced everything but the wiring? If the new doorbell only dings, make sure you’ve got one that can do a ding-dong in the first place, and if you do have a ding-dong-able one, make sure you’ve got the wire from the door connected to the “front” terminal. That the bell can do a ding would indicate that the doorbell itself, the transformer, the pushbutton and the wiring are OK. My money’s on you either got a non-ding-dong doorbell, or it’s wired to the “back” terminal. Another possibility is a sticking button, but as **Santo Rugger** said, you’d be hearing DINGzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz until you went to the door and gave the button a smack to un-stick it. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/7 "2007-12-04T19:57:23Z")
I’ll bet **YPOD’s** been ringing the back door button along. :smack: Notice there have been no further replies? ---
**Author:** ![Solfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Solfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solfy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopey-doorbell/428732/8 "2007-12-04T22:14:45Z")
I am disappointed in this thread title. It should have been, “The search for the missing dong.”