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Question on Wiring a lighted Doorbell as a trigger


stachows

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So I want to use a cheap lighted doorbell to trigger a few sequences.  I have the doorbell working, and the interactive part all functioning,

 

My question is how do I get the doorbell to LIGHT UP?

There are only two connections on it.  The doorbell is N/O so I could connect the +9v to one and the Gnd to the other, and it will light up, but then which side gets the INPUT wire?

Or will this cause problems on the controller when the button is pushed (connecting the +9 and Gnd together.)  Any help is appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Scott

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I think your final statement settles it.  You could use a relay that way the button and light are independent of the LOR circuit.

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Take a look at this link to to see how he wired his interactive button.  He used a "microswith" with his button for some reason.  He also mention wiring if you want the button to stay lit.  If you have everything else working...good job.'

 

Interactive button

 

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You may have to use a relay and the light will turn off momentarily when the button is pressed. You won't be able to hook up directly because of the resistance across the light filament. Which brings me to the relay it will need to have less resistance than the light to keep the light going. Or as cheap as those doorbell buttons are buy one pull it apart and see if you can get some wires to the light. Even the relay could be problematic if you use an AC or DC circuit on it you may have spikes across the coil when the button is pressed which could interfere with the LOR circuit if the wires are close enough

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The way most doorbell buttons work, there is no way to have the light on all the time without modifying the button.  Voltage is app;lied which lights up the light.  The pushbutton is across the light, so when you push the button, the voltage is shorted out across the light - removing voltage from the light.  The current flowing through the light is not enough to get the bell to ring, but when the button is pressed, the current will be high enough to cause the bell to ring. 

You MAY be able to get the light to behave exactly like it normally would when running a doorbell, by replacing the light with a light that will operate at 5 volts and draws VERY little current (think LED).  Even that may not work with the LOR controller.  As was said above, a relay would be best.

 

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buy the  big red button it has a separate 12 volt led light in it .  Amazon has them.

Edited by Dennis Laff
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I think Dennis has the right idea unless you're really stuck with needing a doorbell button. The simpler you can keep this the better it will work and the less problems you'll have.  The only good way to make a doorbell button work like you want is hacking it with an LED to light It Up. The relay could work but it's complicated and messy for what you need. No reason to go Rube Goldberg with this project.

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Thank you everyone for your responses!

I do REQUIRE a small doorbell so I just ended up removing the existing bulb, and running an additional wire for the +5v to the LED. 

Works perfectly.

 

Thanks again!

Scott

 

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