Door Bell Wire too Short---How do I fix it?

kennykenny

I am in the process of replacing my doorbell button. Upon taking the button off of my house, I have noticed that the wire has been cut too short and it makes it difficult to replace the wires on the back of the button. What is the best and easiest way of extending the wire to ease in hooking up? I am not looking to get a wireless unit if that is a suggestion. Just need to extend the wire. Thanks!

DannyT

you could get some wire the same size and solder longer pieces to it and then tape the connections or use heat shrink tubing to cover the solder joint. i assume there isnt enough room for small wire nuts behind the button.

kennykenny

no, no room for connectors. Is doorbell wire, the same as wire used for garage door buttons? With the heat shrink tubing, do you just put one wire in each end of the tube and heat the tube so they stay in the tube?

AllanJ

Simply putting one wire into each end of a piece of heat shrink tube and heating will shrink the tube but will not make an adequate connection.

You need solder or a wire nut. A soldered connection can be made quite thin with the wire ends coming together from opposite directions and twisted. Slide the tubing down one wire before twisting and soldering.

Suggest using a hair dryer to do the heating/shrinking with.

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The disadvantages of crab apple trees. In summer, the apples are too sour to pick and eat. In winter the birds come and leave dropping all over the place.

gregzoll

Usually #18 to #20 wire. Run down to Radio Shack, or local Ace or DIY center. Radio shack would have the soldier & iron & heat shrink.

dmxtothemax

You have to connect the wires together first,
Try twisting them together,
Then when thats done,
slip some heatshrink over it,
And heat it up, the tubing will shrink,
This will insulate the connections.
Soldering them together would be a better option,
But that might be harder in a confinded space.

AllanJ

Oops, forgot to mention that before you twist together the wire ends, sand or scrape them gently so they are nice and shiny first.

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The disadvantages of crab apple trees. In summer, the apples are too sour to pick and eat. In winter the birds come and leave dropping all over the place.

gregzoll

Actually incorrect. If you solder the wires together, or use solder tape, the flux will clean the wire properly. Otherwise, you tin the ends before twisting, then apply enough heat to make a proper connection.

n0c7

If you have limited room it may be easier to just use good quality butt connectors.