# Help me choose a doorbell **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2022, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459 "2022-07-23T23:02:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/1 "2022-07-23T23:02:48Z")
My old doorbell, which is probably original to the 60 year old house, stopped working. When did it stop working? I have no idea. I just realized a week ago. The ringer is the kind that has a big wound coil and two bars that bang into xylophone bars. I removed the button and connected the wires together and it didn’t ring. I don’t have any spare wire lying around so I put a nail across the two leads and it also didn’t ring so maybe that part has failed or the wiring somewhere else has decayed. Either way, I probably don’t have the ability to fix that. TLDR: I should probably get a batter powered bell. So, what do you recommend? I don’t want to pay a subscription fee for features. A camera would be cool. I have a Google thermostat and smoke/CO2 detector so it might make sense to stay in that universe but I don’t have one of their speakers to make a chime. Price isn’t too much of a factor. I haven’t seen one that would be out of my budget. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/2 "2022-07-23T23:24:16Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > TLDR: I should probably get a batter powered bell. - I like that. “Ring bell, receive cake.” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/3 "2022-07-24T00:09:25Z")
Those good old clapper/buzzers, with an electromagnet moving a clapper that repeatedly rings a metal bell, are plenty loud and super cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/4 "2022-07-24T01:24:01Z")
I’ve had a Ring doorbell for a couple years and have been very happy with it. Never had a problem. mmm ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/5 "2022-07-24T04:26:30Z")
🎶what do birds… suddenly appear…🎵 ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/6 "2022-07-24T09:42:01Z")
Avoid the cost of expensive doorbells by opening the door every few minutes to see if anyone is there. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/7 "2022-07-24T13:33:39Z")
Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/8 "2022-07-24T13:38:22Z")
This is where a $10 multimeter comes in handy. Disconnect the bell wire at both ends. Twist the wires together at one end. go to the other end and check the ohms. Should be really low to zero. Another thing to check is if the bell is getting voltage. Should be a low voltage like 16V or some such. (Ranges from 8 to 20 something basically.) Note that sometimes the transformer got disconnected because someone didn’t know what it was for. Sometimes just removing the wires and rescrewing them in will fix a dirty connection. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/9 "2022-07-25T15:26:43Z")
Around eight years ago my gf mentioned that our doorbell did not work. I guess she pushed it (but why?) and nothing happened. I told her I’d take care of it. I removed the button and put wood putty into the hole that was left. It has been 8 years and she hasn’t said anything. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/10 "2022-07-25T15:40:03Z")
This probably won’t answer the OP, but last night Retta’s show on HGTV _Ugly Houses_ had a house with a hang-on-the-wall rotary telephone. She asked if it worked, so the owner went to the front door and rang the doorbell. The telephone was the doorbell! My wife and I both said “Cool!” about the same time Retta did; I went one! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/11 "2022-07-25T15:44:52Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It has been 8 years and she hasn’t said anything. Because she’s intelligent and knows that you won’t give her a useful answer? 🙂 I am very much leaning towards a no doorbell solution given that I have no idea how long I have been without one. Now that I have removed the button, people know to knock. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/12 "2022-07-25T16:00:08Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I’ve had a Ring doorbell for a couple years and have been very happy with it. Same here but Ring requires a subscription and the OP evidently would prefer to go without. We had something like this before the Ring: [https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Extender-Replacement-Adjustable/dp/B00W0TZ3II/ref=asc\_df\_B00W0TZ3II/](https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Extender-Replacement-Adjustable/dp/B00W0TZ3II/ref=asc_df_B00W0TZ3II/) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/13 "2022-07-25T16:13:17Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Now that I have removed the button, people know to knock. Our dogs let us know if anyone comes anywhere near our home. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-doorbell/968459/14 "2022-07-25T18:21:30Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > > I’ve had a Ring doorbell for a couple years and have been very happy with it. > > Same here but Ring requires a subscription and the OP evidently would prefer to go without. We had something like this before the Ring: > > [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Extender-Replacement-Adjustable/dp/B00W0TZ3II/ref=asc_df_B00W0TZ3II/) You can use the Ring (and its camera) without a subscription. You do have to pay a fee if you want it to record, though. And the fee is only $3.99 / month. mmm