You could rectify the AC and regulate to 12VDC. Run that to the button and switch a relay (12VDC coil). Have the contacts switch the 20VAC to the doorbell. The relay and regulator don't need to go at the button. It would be much easier to put them at the doorbell if thats where the power and doorbell button wires come together and there would be more space.Lou,
What will I need to do with the 12VDC LED halo doorbell button mentioned above to work with the 20VAC doorbell power supply.
I've read the dual LED / resistor FAQ mentioned earlier.
Would this work and would changing the polarity of the methodology give me light when not pressed and off light when pressed?
What would I have to do to have the halo style LED 12VDC button always illuminated?
I have little space to work with as I carved a section of my door to fit the doorbell button flush.
getting it to light all the time would require you to disassemble the button. May be easy or hard - just depends on the button. Then you need a third wire to the button.
Ok so I use a rectifier to take the voltage from 20VAC to 12VDC and a relay for the doorbell.
Decided it was easier to buy a doorbell which would provide some statistics.
http://www.expressio...-pushbutton.htm
Lou,
Yes; I ordered a "halo" blue one yesterday. They make three voltage designs (DC) to work with a span of AC voltages. They are just like the old style AC type lamp buttons except that they are LED.
My issue is that I have a front door with two side glass panels. That said the doorbell wiring is inside of the wood frame between the glass and the door. I do not know if I could utilize the existing pair of wires to pull up any more wire. I also had to "carve" up a hole for the doorbell buttin in place today such that it would fit.
I don't even know why I am playing with this as I am also getting estimates to redo the front entrance with a new door and side panels and building a "gable" of sorts (roof and columns) over the front door entrance. (kind of a major project). This because the front door literally bakes in the sun in the afternoon and causing some issues.
Old Old house had a wood door that had to be finished every 2-3 years because it was wood and the sun would bake it. I have a metal composite door today (that looks like wood) and the sun has warped. Could be just a cheap composite door that the builder put in.
This is getting into an area I've never worked with before, but I do know relays, etc; how would one get the power from the 24VAC (or whatever it is) into 12VDC? I'd *love* to do that and just un-wire my doorbell for now - I already ran wires to the doorbell location for my zone connection. In the past I've taken apart the plungers and used an elk doorbell detector - and generally flip the doorbell to the other side of the wall - but this would be pretty simple and I could just leave the doorbell there instead of patching the wall.
Pete,
I must be missing something and excuse my lazyness, but this thread has gotten way to long for me to go back and figure it out. Why do you need a second set of wires? The buttons that you had the link to would indicate they get wired just like any doorbell button to the standard transformer. Is there something else going on?
There really wouldn't be any value in putting a second wire to the button unless you needed two separate switches, especially seeing that it sounds like it would be a PITA.
I used the MP3Trigger for this. It's not quite as flexible as an arduino, but well suited to the job. I had to use a relay to make a standard lighted button work with it.But then I am thinking of replacing mine with an arduino so I can have some custom sounds.