How to Wire a Doorbell

Doorbell wiring is easy and safe because it uses low voltage wiring. It's important to disconnect the house power before the doorbell transformer is installed.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Doorbell system
• 18-gauge cable
• wire strippers
• screwdriver

1. 

   The best time to do the installation for doorbell wiring is when the walls and ceilings are still open during new construction or remodeling. If you have to install a doorbell in a finished house, you may want to buy a wireless doorbell so you don’t have to cut into the walls to do the wiring.

2. 

   Wiring a doorbell in a new home is very easy and safe. Doorbell wiring is low voltage wiring which uses around 12-volts. The wire size is a small 18-guage wire. It’s actually called doorbell wire, so you can’t go wrong with that.

3. You will need to run the low voltage wire from each doorbell back to the doorbell transformer. Doorbell wiring requires a transformer that connects to a 120-volt circuit through the house power. It reduces the electric voltage to about 12-volts.
   
   Be sure to turn off the electricity before you start to wire the doorbell transformer to the house power. Turn off the breaker and tell other family members what you are doing.

4. 
   doorbell transformer

   The doorbell transformer will have a hot screw and a neutral screw. The black wire from the house power circuit will connect to the hot screw and the white wire from the house power will connect to the neutral screw. This will give the doorbell transformer its power. There will be one hot wire and one neutral wire that run from the transformer to the chime box.

5. 
   doorbell wiring diagram

   The doorbell wiring will use two hot wires that run from the chime box to the doorbell. If the doorbell is controlling two locations, then it will usually have two different chimes so you know which door to answer. The cable will connect to the transformer with two hot screws for each doorbell. The cable will also be connected to each doorbell with these two hot cables. When the doorbell button is pushed, the circuit will complete the electrical current and the doorbell will chime.

6. Once all the wires are connected, you can secure the doorbell, chime box, and transformer. Turn on the house power and test the doorbell to see if it works.
   
   To replace an existing doorbell, you will only need to detach the old doorbells and replace them with the newer bells. If you want a different chime, then you will need to replace the chime box by removing the old wires and connecting the newer wires.
   
   In some cases, you may have to replace the transformer for a new doorbell and chime if it requires a different voltage to function. This is done by first disconnecting the house power, then replacing the old transformer with the new transformer. After that you can turn the power on and test the new doorbell system.