[dbailey60]

Hello everyone hope I never become a nuisance and I'll leave that at that. The reason I am here today is a question about a 16v transformer for a door bell and what voltage should I be reading on the output side ? I'm getting more than 16v it is reading around 19v and would this lead up to wearing out a door chime as our chime has grown dimmer in sound over say about 3yrs ?

 

[joecaption]

Nope, open up the cover on the bell and see if you see a plunger that moves back and forth inside a wire coil. Sometimes they get dirty and stick.
A bad connection in the door bell or bad contact inside of it could also be a cause I would think. Simple way to check would be to use a meter and see if your getting full voltage at the bell when the button is pushed .

 

[AllanJ]

For a 16 volt transformer you should measure approximately 16 volts across the two output terminals of the transformer when the button is pushed and held down. Maybe a few volts less if the chime unit is heavy duty. The voltage may be a few volts higher when you let go of the button. Make the measurement quickly; do not hold the button down for more than a few seconds or you could overheat the chime unit.

 

[dbailey60]

joecaption, AllanJ I want to thank you both for some very good Ideas which if I can get the wife to slow down abit and give me a hand will put them to use .

Will report back with my findings as soon as I can so we can mark this one solved.

 

[kreemoweet]

I have found that cheap Chinese doorbell transformers of the sort typically sold in the big box stores can be grossly
inaccurate as to their voltage markings. I have encountered several with a nominally correct voltage that caused
doorbell button lamps to overheat and cause damage, due to overvoltage.

 

[dmxtothemax]

It is perfectly normal for the unloaded voltage,
to be higher,then the rated voltage,
because transformers are rated at full load !
So if its a 16v 1 amp tranny,
then with a 1 amp load on it,
it will be 16v.
No load will be higher 19v is not unusual.