door bell constact ringing [unless chime box switch is in OFF][

[varkpilot]

front & back doorbells. neither button sounded the chimes.

used multi-meter to check the 4 AA batteries. All four around 1.24v. Before put in fresh, I used a q-tip with vinegar to clean off a little blue/green corrosion. Another q-tip with water to wipe off the vinegar.

chime box has a choice of 15 or so musical verses and an OFF switch. when ON, it's a constant repeat of selected verse unless I switch to OFF. So I have a complete circuit somewhere.

The two buttons are free. I've pulled the wiring out as far as I can to check for bare wire and possible shorts.

On the back of the chime box, there are three red wires; two go to one contact screw and one to the other screw. Before the batteries died, the present wiring was fine. The transformer is attached to a floor joist above a finished basement ceiling. Haven't been near it in years. Not easy to get to but is doable. Have I exhausted all possibilities at the two door bells and the chime box? Outside of checking loose wires on the xformer, what else?

[GHR]

I would disconnect both buttons and see it that improves the situation.

That failing, I would disconnect the wires to the chime.

[CLETUS]

varkpilot said:

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The two buttons are free.

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Did you unhook the wires?

If not, I'd unhook the wires from the buttons just to make sure that isn't the problem.

[Cooler]

I screwed around with the wiring on my door bell for a few days and gave up. I installed a wireless remote door bell and was done. It had the advantage that I could install a bell in the basement and on the deck so I could hear the bell no matter where I was. Cheap too. The battery lasted 18 year and I replaced it before it died.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I don't get it. Where were the batteries.??? Is this a wireless system?? You talk about pulling wires out. What am I missing here???

[woodhead]

chime box is bad.

Al

[Mandrake]

Don't know if this applies to your situation, but I had a doorbell that played a tune. I replaced one of the push buttons and it acted weird. I don't recall if it repeated continuously, or only played the first note.

Someone told be that I had failed to replace the button resistor. I learned something new that day. Certain configurations have a resistor wired in parallel to the switch. Perhaps yours is broke or loose. It might be worth checking.

[woodhead]

Are the buttons the lighted kind and not supposed to be?


Al