You could be a professor at a renowned University because you explain things so well. Thank you for this video, really well done as are all your videos.
I have one of these. Purchased it in 1986….It intermittently work or had to hold the door bell button in. It was that metallic leaf arm stop arm was broken off. Repair. Emery cloth the mount and the leaf Then screw the mount back on the board…. Using a bent tip needle nose hold the leaf against the mount and solder. The repair is better than the original. No weak point anymore. Thanks again. It’s up and running like new
I hit you up a couple days ago. Thank you again for the response. My sister has a NuTone intercom system in their home. I’m going to make it a point to pass along your TH-cam channel to my brother-in-law. I think he’ll appreciate it as much as I do. My Pryanco 305 door chime project is progressing nicely. It’s not a NuTone product but your videos have been extremely helpful. The pencil eraser technique was one I was shown while in the USAF in the early 80s. Seeing you demonstrate it brought a huge smile to my face. 👍👍 Best regards, Doug
I love my door chime and thought is was done for. My unit looked identical (1986) to the unit in the video and my chime sounds great now, like new! My problem was sticky plungers. Thank you very much for the very helpful video.
One of the best DIY videos I've come across! This morning I followed each step of the video and now have all four chime tubes working on my 1960's version. Thanks Chris.
One of the best instructional videos I've ever seen!!! Only one note played for years. I was always thinking I could buy parts and rebuild - but (as you stated) I couldn't get parts gave up a few years ago. During a painting project I was thinking keep-or-toss? Then I found this video am very pleased. Everything was exactly as you said. One note you might add: A couple of the terminal screws had been over tightened. They are self-tapping screws that make the electrical connection by holding the wire against the circuit board contact. There is no nut or metal receptacle for the screws - just the circuit board material. I replaced the two that were stripped with the next size screw and it worked great. Don't go too big or you might crack the board. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE TERMINAL SCREWS!!!
Hi David: Well done in getting your Chime working again - You are correct about over tightening the screws. It is easy to strip out the holes and the screws won't tighten up. Another method is to use a machine screw with a star washer and nut on the back side of the board. - Chris
I have an early 70's version of this Door Chime. I followed your instructions to a tee and we now have our westminster chime back! You are a terrific teacher and I'm so grateful for your video. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Dude I have an old one, grandma's from 60s or 70s and it would mean the world to me to be able to hear it again. small wires broke of, one solenoid gone, never serviced. You are my tempting connection to my childhood. Will I embark on the journey or no? I don't yet know but you have shown me the first light. Thank you.
My grandmother has had this as long as I can remember. I always have dreaded having to fix it for her one of these days. Good to know I can come here if I ever need information. that 8 note tune is something I will never forget. I actually heard it in my head as it was firing :)
Our Nutone had not been working for months, and after many failed attempts to fix it, I was about ready to sadly just throw it away and buy a new one. My son discovered your video and spent several hours painstakingly following the video and - voila! The chimes are singing again, more beautiful than ever. I had no idea this was a vintage Nutone - circa sometime in the early 60's. Brings back memories of my childhood fascination with a friend's chimes - must have been a Nutone.
Hi Chris, what a great video. We bought this unit new in the 80's and took it to our new house when we moved in '94. It was down to only two plungers actually working. I was searching this morning for the solenoids and saw that just about all the parts for this have been discontinued. That's when I found your video. After watching your vid and taking notes I searched the house and found lighter fluid, got some q-tips and took it apart and cleaned the whole unit. Cleaned the carbon with the pencil eraser, took apart the solenoids and soaked and cleaned each piece. Cut up a piece of a foam paint brush for the cushions. Put it all back together - rewired it up on the wall and it is working like it was new! Thank you for taking the time to put this instructional video together - it was the only thing that saved the unit from being replaced.
Hey Chris - this was one of the best instructional videos that I have seen and the presentation was the superb. Unfortunately, one part of the door chime assembly was not addressed that being the coil above the motor. I have an 8 note long tube Nutone door chime purchased in 1982 that has worked flawlessly over the last 37 years, except for today. Today it started humming and this does not stop. In addition, today last chime started to play a couple of extra times at the end of the chime sequence. I suspect that since the chimes work properly, the coil above the motor may have become defective and cause the humming. Or perhaps cleaning the circuit board etc. may remedy the humming. Help, Chris or anybody. I welcome your comments? Gordon at mutte1@mts.net
Hi mutteone: Your chime needs to be cleaned and serviced like in the Video. If the plungers work alright - you can clean the contact board and armature under the motor first - it is likely the cause of the problem. Be careful when cleaning the small parts - don't break or lose them - replacement parts are very difficult to find The Motor and Motor coil are never a problem and it is not the source of the problem you are having - Chris
Chris, thank you so much for posting this outstanding comprehensive video. I was researching a replacement for my NuTone 8 note long tube doorbell chime when I stumbled across your video. It's not been working for a few months now. Your feedback and suggestions were spot on. I just restored my NuTone and we can't be happier, so much better to see this classic back working again and not replaced with a plastic electronic doorbell. Had I known this process was so easy (because of your video) I would have done it a few years ago. Thanks again for caring, much appreciated! Awesome video.
Chris, Thank you for posting this how-to. After years of staring at the doorbell with only 1 working chime, I restored and reinstalled my doorbell in under 2 hours. I never would have thought of lighter fluid as a cleaner/solvent. Works like new!
I'm so thankful!!!! I've been fighting this for a while thinking it was shorted out but after watching this video I cannot wait to follow your lead. I found this doorbell in a 1960's home I was repairing and they did not want it due to the non functionality. Thought I could just go buy a new new on.....yes around $500!!!!You did an excellent job with video and describing the process. Thanks!!!!
HiJerry: Thanks for the kind comments - Be sure to keep track of all of the parts as you disassemble the chime for servicing - I had 3 emails from other people recently about "somehow the springs went missing during servicing" - Chris
Excellent how to video!! Brought a late 70's model back to life. Followed each step and it's now good as new. Did install new transformer to make sure everything is perfect. Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise.
This was a great help. I was able to fix the frozen plungers (which I didn’t know were frozen) and get the chime working again. In case anyone wants to get the mini lights from a store, I found them at auto zone.
Hey amazing video saved me from replacing the unit. I moved into a new home and the bell wasnt working. the chimes would slightly ring but when i push the button a few times nothing happens. After seeing this video im guessing the solnoids dirty. THANK YOU.
Thank you for sharing this very informative video on how to do maintenance on these door chimes. I have one of the NuTone 8 Note Long tube Chimes with the yellow capped solenoids installed in my home. Probably purchased it in the late 1990's. Suddenly only two out of the four plungers are firing. Planning to take it down to clean and also check that the wiring from each coil is properly connected to the circuit board.
Hi Tharin: If your NuTone Chime was manufactured in the late 1990's - it probably has a fully electronic circuit board instead of the design shown in this Video. It is possible that the board will need to be rebuilt due to age related failures. It is not uncommon for the electronically controlled Chimes to need service after 20+ years - Chris
Yes, it is the fully electronic type. In case there is an issue with the components on the board do you know what voltage is good for these solenoids? I might replace the board altogether with a homebrew circuit. I assume that the potentiometer is meant to act as a voltage divider controlling slightly what is being delivered to the solenoid coils. Perhaps a 12V DC supply would be good enough?
Hi Tharin: It would far easier to just rebuild the board - I had someone else try to duplicate the board using modern design parameters - he spent months working on it before he realized that it was much more difficult than he had imagined and it had no real commercial value. - Chris
Great video, thank you. I have a Nutone LA58N, and almost exactly like this video however, the chimes are in front of the motor. Do you have an explanation on how to remove the chimes in order to access the motor?
Hi Debora: This Video: th-cam.com/video/K38kZ5ROLZU/w-d-xo.html features a NuTone Short Tube 8-Note Chime that's very much like yours - Your Chime has a Telechron Motor - the Chime in our Video has an Electronic Control Board - but disassembling the Tubes is the same on both models - Chris
Hi Chris, After taking off the motor I found a bent contact on the armature, when I touched it it broke off. Luckily when I put it back together the chimes worked fine. Thank you for your help. Steve
Thank you for this video, we have the variant of this chime without the lights, and with a clock that goes over it, and over the past few years, some of the chimes gradually stopped working. The foam pads had completely disintegrated and clogged up the solenoids. Your video helped me because it showed me what to expect, and what I did and didn't need to do to fix it. I didn't have anything to replace the foam pads, so I just left them out for now; when the solenoids deactivate, there's an audible kick now, so that must be what those pads are for. I'll try to replace them later, but in the meantime, thank you for helping me get my chimes working again. :D A fully working 8-note chime is wonderful because it's very easy to hear, and nobody else seems to have them anymore, making me appreciate them that much more.
Hi DragWX: I'm glad that our Video was helpful. Here's a link to another Chime rebuild Video: th-cam.com/video/QrnZ4_hILtU/w-d-xo.html At 2:10:00 I show how I make new cushions - Chris
What a great video. I stumbled upon it when my wife complained that we were down to one chime and I needed to get a new door chime. With the video I was able to fix it. The only things I did differently was insert the sand paper first with a small shaft screwdriver and then inserted the pencil. I also could not find the foam that I saw in the video. I ended up using the foam from a disposable paintbrush. Hope that's OK. Now I'm just sitting around waiting for someone to come to the door and ring the doorbell.
This is an amazing video. Thanks so much for the detailed explanations. I cleaned everything as described, and now I have something interesting happening! When I press my doorbell for the 8 note chime, it plays notes 2,3,5,6,7,and 8. It never plays notes 1 and 4! Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Thanks again for the great video- it’s had stopped playing completely, so this is still an improvement.
Hi myfavoriteddrumgear: I would suspect the 1 of the 2 very small wires that comes from the #1 Solenoid have broken loose from where it was solder to the circuit board. It is also important to make sure that the #1 Plunger moves freely inside the Solenoid and that the Spring is inplace. Lastly, it is possible that 1 of the wipers on the Contact Rotor is missing/broken off or misaligned (this is the least likley cause for the problem) - Chris
Hi JonThomme De Claydon: No. NuTone did make a 8-Note Door Chime with a Clock that Chimed the Hours in the late 1940's and early 1950's. These were not a very successful model, probably due to their high cost. In the 40 years I've been a NuTone Service Center, I've only ever seen one - Chris
I have a fasco cunsummer c8847r door chime with four rods and every once in a while there is a single chime from one of the rods any thought of what may cause this thanks
Hi John: Most Fasco Chimes are really Rittenhouse Chimes - Is your Chime fully mechanical (it has a motor that runs the chime) or is it fully electronic (has a circuit board)? A single note is typically a "Rear" or "Side" door chime - does your house a have Rear or Back door with a Button? - If it does, try disconnecting the pushbutton. - Chris
Thanks for the great video. I had one stuck plunger. I also found a manual online that says to apply non-flammable cleaner to the plunger hole and operate them. I had some CRC Brake Cleaner that seemed to work great, and did not have to take the unit off the wall but will try your method if they stick again.
Bought a 1959 home several months ago and the Nutone chimes seemed to work well. Recently it just stopped working! There's a transformer in the basement which measures 18V. The front door button seems to work.....i pulled it out and jumped across the screws and nothing except a little spark. this is an 4/8 tone with the 4 brass tubes. Has a GE Telechron 16V synchronous motor. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Update: i verified there's power to the TRANS/ COM and i can get it to chime, might just be dirty and now i can use your video to clean it if its still unreliable. thanks, Michael in CT
Hi nb3hk9uu3o: It sounds like your Chime is in need of some basic servcing at the least - it is also possible that it will require more repair. How you Service exactly depends on which Model you actually have (a 1959 Chime is different than a 1989 chime) So, identifying what you have is the first step - You can contact use directly for more specific help - Chris nscompany@msn.com
HI Chris, great video. I have a different problem. I purchased my 8 note NuTone in 1996, so I assume it is one of the newer models with the digital circuit board, as it doesn't look like the one in your video. It does have the 4 lightbulbs like your example, though. Periodically, I've had problems with the chime going off by itself. Frustratingly, this is usually in the middle of the night. Initially, I figured that it was a short in the doorbell button, which I had recently swapped out for an upgraded version that was a better fit for my 1885 house. I put the original button back, and that seemed to take care of it. Then after some time passed, it started going off by itself again, running through the full cycle of notes. It started happening more frequently, and stopped completely after each cycle was completed. Finally, I had to disconnect the power at the circuit board and put a note on the front door to use the knocker instead. I got on the ladder and gave the unit a thorough cleaning with Q tips, figuring that dust might be closing a circuit somehow. That worked for a while. Last week it started again, so I had to disconnect the power at the circuit board again (boy I wish that I had thought to take a picture of it with my phone because i ended up pulling wires right and left because I was on my way out of town and already late). I have since dusted everything again, but that didn't solve the problem. Do you have a video that deals with chimes that want to work too much? Also, I found a Jefferson style clock face to replace my '90's vintage amber plastic and wood case. It fits fine on the later bracket/housing, but I'd love to hook up the clock to the power that is now serving the lightbulbs. Do you have any recommendations on how to retrofit the older clock unit onto the newer base unit? Thanks so much.
Hi Colin: It is very likely that your 1996 NuTone Chime is a fully electronic version - keep in mind that your chime is now around 26 years old - that calculates out to around 227,776 hours of time that the Chime has been powered on. It is also very likely that it's time for your Chime to have its first rebuild. The erratic operation is often cause by the ongoing failure of components on the circuit board. This Video discusses your type of Chime: th-cam.com/video/NiGSevyzmJM/w-d-xo.html Adding a Clock Cover should be fairly simple - The Clock Motor can be wired to the same part of your Chime that powers the lamps ( I'm assuming the lamps will be removed). It would be best to either add some type of connector so the Clock can be unplugged - Chris
i'm in the process of repairing my nutone 64203. when i first bought the house, only 2 of the 4 hammers worked. after opening the cap on one of them and push the hammer up and down, i got the 3rd one working which made me happy but the 4th one, the last one on the right, has a wire disconnected to the circuit. i tried to shove the little wire into the hole, looking at the back on the right side area the left of the 2 holes below the upper 3 holes, but still not getting a reaction. i even shoved a chopped paperclip in there and wrapped the wire around that to help make the connection but no luck. next i'm going to try and open the metal hammer box to see how that looks inside and maybe shove some speaker wire down the circuit hole and try connecting to that. if that doesn't work, any other idea why the hammer isn't working?
Hi ztuber7763: First lets get some terminology straightened out: 1 - They are Solenoids, not "hammer boxes" 2 - They are Plungers not "hammers" - Now, Do Not Open The Solenoid, if it's bad (unlikely) you will not be able to repair it. If you want to evaluate the Solenoid, use an Ohm Meter and measure the resistance of the coil (using the meter probes on the end on the coil wires) All 4 coils should measure approximately the same amount. The Wire used in the Coil is referred to as "Magnet Wire" because the coil in the Solenoid is basically an Electromagnet. Magnet Wire has a clear (or reddish) coating on the copper wire, that acts as an insulator (keeps it from shorting out) You cannot "shove the wire in the hole" and "shove in a paperclip" and expect the wire to make a connection. You Must Solder the Wire into the connection - The heat from the soldering melts away the coating on the wire and allows the copper to be soldered. There can be many reasons why the Plungers are not working and if you follow the Video - Exactly - your Chime will likely work again. Cleaning the Plungers and Solenoid Bores - Using Lighter Fluid - as I show - is an important step in the Servicing - Do Not skip steps or substitute anything from what I show - Or - You risk ruining the Chime - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 turns out i was able to get the 4th one working. i sortof used my paperclip method. i didn't want to disconnect the whole unit from the wall to solder so i took off the spinning motor assembly(forget the name), cut down a thin hard metal wire, that came wrapped around my poultry netting, to an inch and used a wrench to bend one end into an L, shoved the straight part through the circuit hole then used scotch tape to hold the L in place, then wrapped the solenoid wire around the straight part completing the connection. the problem now is that i only have 2 of the 4 bells lol. not sure why the previous owner got rid of 2 so i'll either have to find replacement bells or rig something up like copper tubing.
@@ztuber7763 Well - Okay - As long as it works I guess. Different type of tubing will make different kinds of notes/sound - You may need to make up 4 new Bells to have it all sound even - Chris
Thanks for a very clear how to video. I have an older model, around 1970's series. It has nearly similar features as in your video. My door chimes had stopped working about 3 months ago. I did the cleaning and the 4 plungers are not stuck anymore. However when connected to power it does not move the plungers but I can hear the motor hissing inside. What could be the problem? I checked the transformer source and it had 16 volts, the same voltage showing at the board transformer. Thanks for your attention.
HI Oscar: It is of course difficult to say exactly why your Chime is not ringing - Is the motor running continuously or does it run only after the button has been pressed? - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Surprise, surprise. It is working really well now. Connected by the old wiring system and it started to chime but needed to press the button for about 3 seconds to trigger the chime. I then rearranged the wiring according to your video. It now requires about 1and 1/2 seconds of pressing the button to trigger it. I am very grateful for your fast reply and your videos. I am sure a lot of people have told you how sweet it is and happy they are to hear the winchester chime again, as I was and am.
Excellent video! Thanks for posting! My chime has similar plungers and cleaning them like this fixed it. One thing I didn't do is add the foam bits. Do you think this will cause any problems?
Hi robert: The foam cushions are there to reduce any noise that is made when the plungers are pushed back into the solenoids. This is a less issue on modern Chiem Bases with plastic solenoid caps. - Chris
Hi Abraham: eBay is probably the only source for Chime Tubes - There are many different versions of NuTone Tubes that were made over the decades - You need to know the age of the Chime Base (or model number) to knw which tubes you will need. Look carefully before buying Tube for broken/missing Tube Hangers or cracks in the Tubes - Chris
Great video! You're the Door Chime expert. I was searching for a video like this to see if I can help my neighbor with her two tube Pryne & Co. chime that isnt working. This makes it hard for her because she is 92 years old and her hearing is pretty bad so she doesnt hear when someone is at the front door and rings the door bell. She and her husband bought the home in 1964 so she has lived in her home about 60 years. Her hysband passed away lat last so she doesnt anyone to help her any longer with Honey Do projects...thats where I cone in. I'm going to try cleaning everything as you suggested in your great video. Can I send you photos of her chime in case you have any other suggestions? Thanks, Rob. Wish me luck!
Hi rgucci: It's very nice that you're helping your neighbor. Be very careful with her Pryne Door Chime - There are no parts for these somewhat obscure Chimes. You are certainly welcome to send me pictures - Chris nscompany@msn.com
I have a Nutone Jefferson L series long bell chime. The seller told me that it "worked when it was disconnected" and I believe him, but when I had it installed in my house, it didn't work. One of the solenoids does move a little, but it doesn't ring the chime. It probably needs servicing. Would you do it for me, and how much would it cost? Many thanks.
Hi Chris I have an LB38K72A short tube Nutone. Your video is great, I've got everything cleaned up and reassembled. My problem i get one chime when I press the doorbell. The video shows the motor armature freely spinning when you pulled it, my armature does not spin. Is that my problem? Is the motor repairable?
Hi Flipper: I have questions: Is the LB38 new to your home or has it been there since 1972? - If it's new to the home, are your replacing a standard mechanical 2-Note Door Bell (the kind that goes ding-dong)? If it's been there since 1972 - what was its condition before you worked on it? Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Chris, The house was built in 53 so the chime was added at some point. I bought the place 7 years ago and the chime worked. During the remodel it was taken down and not used for 4 years. It was really filthy! I cleaned the circuit board including under the screws, cleaned & lubed the solenoids, realigned the tubes. I've been fiddling with the doorbell button. The original is lost. The new one was partially shorted by faulty wiring, I get one chime per push sometimes repeated sometimes a different note, and then it stops. So I just got another button a Hampton Bay to test. Or should i order a Nutone specific button? Restoring the chime has been a fun project, great videos and instruction. Thanks so much for the effort and skill you put in your tutorials.
@@flipper9770 As few things: 1. It's not the button,. unless the button is mechanically broken, the brand of button doesn't matter - 2. I would say that in the past 20 years, I haven't seen a Motor on a modern NuTone Chime fail (yes, 1972 is modern) To test just the Motor, use the 16 2-wires that come from the Transformer for power, connecting them directly to the terminals on the Motor Coil, the Motor should run (removing the motor from the base to see the rotor turn is a good idea) 3. Inspect the contacts on the end of the 3-arm Rotor, look for bent or missing contacts. These contacts make the necessary connections to keep the Motor turning once the Button has been released - 4. Is the Springy Metal Tab is in place and it rests against the Top of the Post - Chris
I have an old nutone clock/door chime that was left in a house I moved into and the people I bought the house from said “it’s junk” when I asked if it worked lol. Anyways I took it all down and stored it in the closet. So the wife an I split an I decided to drag that thing out and look at it. Cleaned up the springs an plungers an all an they seem to pop out pretty good only thing is I don’t know if they come out far enough? Looking at this video at the end when you run this one they seem to come out about as far but unless I put the tubes all the way against the plunger opening most of them do not hit the tubes. Could it be a power issue? Is it possible to check with a multimeter? If so (being completely new to the nutone/chime club an how they function) what is the best way to test it? Such as where do I put the negative post? An I’m assuming the transformer is only dropping the voltage? Or are we transforming from AC to DC? Sorry for being so completely stupid in this area an asking so many questions but I’d just really like to get this thing going good. I was going to send a picture but don’t guess TH-cam has that option. Thanks a lot man, sorry for the long post! Josh
Hi Josh: Do you have the "volume" adjustment set high enough (that's the little round control in the upper right -hand corner)? - This controls adjusts the voltage to the solenoids - less voltage is softer - more voltage is louder - Start with it at full volume - then adjust accordingly. Typically the Tubes will be sent in the center of the Hanger Arms or perhaps 1 notch closer to the strikers - Chris
Great video ... it gave me the courage to tackle my unit, circa 1975 (model 64892B I hope), with black stoppers in the back of each chamber. Mine was only working on 2 of 4 chimes. I decided to just work on the 4 solenoid valves, never detaching the motor. I got all 4 chimes to strike - success I thought. But it kept cycling and cycling ( ringing non-stop). So, now, for the first time I removed the motor assembly. Both the metal piece and the plastic tab on one of the 3 armature contacts look completely intact. (I still haven’t cleaned the circuit board - my bad). Is the plastic tab lifting the metal piece the only way it stops? Any ideas?
Hi John: Ideas? Sure - Finish the servicing and clean the Circuit Board and Armature - Yes, the plastic tab on the armature is what makes the Chime stop - by lifting the Metal Contact from the Post - Chris
How much of this would pertain to my Edwards Claridge model C-50, 8 tone long tube chimes. I believe this has been in my home since 1960. I seem to get a single chime from the front, the rear and side doors have been disconnected. The front doorbell has been replaced. I would like to find a wiring diagram. Thankyou.
HI jddeefo: The basic Servicing would be done in the same way - The Specifics may be somewhat different - All of these types of Chimes are every similar, so the techniques crossover well. I would also suspect that the wiring would be done in the same way - Chris
Thank you for the reply. I just started looking at my unit and it is extremely dusty and dirty. I will proceed with cleaning as shown inyour terrific video. Thanks Again.
Excellent video. I have this same model from sometime in the 70's or 80's. It stopped working 20 years ago so I put it in a box where it has been ever since. When I found your video, I thought I'd see if I could get it to work again. I removed the motor and used my eraser to clean under the armatures. What I noticed is that the armatures do not easily move as it appears in your video. They certainly did not glide to a stop. I almost had to use pressure to get them to move. I removed the plungers and inspected them. I didn't clean them with my lighter fluid at this time because they didn't seem very dirty. So I wired the doorbell to test it but it still doesn't work. Any suggestions? Thanks, Mike
Thanks for the tip Chris which proved that the motor works. Cleaned the plungers which were much dirtier than thought. Finally determined that the button wiring was the final problem. Good to hear those chimes again after about 20 years. @@northsideservicecompany3567
Hi. I just moved an 8 Tone chime from my parents house. I am not sure if it is a Nutone. It is from the 1970's and is working perfectly, but when I reinstalled it in another place, if I pushed the button and when I released it the motor stopped working immediately and the chime stopped working. What am I doing wrong. The board just have letters A,B,C,D and E. What I think is that C and D are for the motor, being C the common , and A, B and E for the buttons being B the front one. Please help me
Hi Ricardo, Since you don't have a NuTone Chime - I can't tell you what wires get connected to the A,B,C,D, and E connections. Here's a link to our Video that explains how most of these types of Chimes need to be wired: th-cam.com/video/TjKUx18TEvc/w-d-xo.html Chris
We have one from 1963 with a clock and I dread taking it down to clean. Well looks like I have to buy lighter fluid. And we have a Nutone intercom same year with tubes, hasn't been used in years.
Hi John D II: Make sure you label the wires before disconnecting them - take a few pictures as well. Care must be taken when working on the Chime Base - Don't lose any parts (springs) What Model Intercom do you have? - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Thank you for the hint but this isn't my first time. I have been repairing electronics for many years. It says use lighter fluid but I don't have any so I was looking to see if I could cheat with something else. I guess not. Lighter fluid is on my list to buy. Thanks again.
I know this is an old video but I just bought a house with a NuTone LB-42 8 chime long tube. I figured out that the doorbell buttons outside were both broken and adjusted the tube position and got it working. It seems like the tubes are cracked at the top. Is there anything I can do to fix it to make the chime sound better?
Hi SMAForce1: Cracked Tubes are a common problem, and there's no repair solution for the cracks - There is a "work-around" that is fairly simple and easy to do. Your Tubes have plastic Tube Hangers clipped into the top of the Tubes - These are clipped into recessed "caps" that are pressed into the top of the Tubes (this is often why they crack) You can use a long (48") wooden dowel - placed into the bottom opening of the Tube - to carefully drive the cap out - The flip the Tube over, and put the cap into the bottom end of the Tube - Try to do this so the crack will be facing the wall when you hang the Tube. PLEASE NOTE: The Plastic Tube Hangers are NO LONGER AVAILBLE - You must be careful not to break them off when working on the Tubes - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Thank you for the information. I’m definitely worried about damaging things forever. I think it sounds good enough even with the cracks after hearing the danger of not having it work at all. Haha
If the metal tab tells the motor when to stop, how does the motor start again when the button is pressed? In other words, how does the motor wheel get beyond the sticking out tab that is now physically in the way? Of there is no contact, how can the motor move before you have re-established contact? I hope this makes sense.
Hi Sam: When someone presses the button at the front door - it begins the motor turning - the button press is long enough to have the motor turn past the Start Position - this means that the arm on the armature that has the tab on it, has moved past the springy metal tab and it is now resting on the metal post, essentially closing the switch connection - once the motor has made its full cycle - the tab on the arm of the armature pushes the springy metal tab off the metal post - opening the switch - turning off the motor - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 so the button supplies the starting power, and the tab close provides the running power? One or the other is hot at any given time? Like a tag team? Thanks for the super quick response ! 🙂
Do you still service these? I’m Working on a home that has a Jefferson doorbell and it doesn’t appear to be working. My client would likely be interested in paying for it to get repaired.
I own a NuTone 8 note chime with 4 lit bulbs. I removed the far left bulb. All lights went off, like you described. When I immediately put the bulb back in, all 4 bulbs stayed off. Any suggestions? I can't get them to come back on. I am sorry I took 1 out. Should I attempt 4 new bulbs? Is there a reset button?
Hi Judy, The bulb probably went out when you removed it - You will need to replace all 4 bulbs - The Bulbs are all #259 Lamps - Here's a link to our Video about the Lamps: th-cam.com/video/liun9S5QbMo/w-d-xo.html There is no Reset Button - Chris
I just installed one of these into my house. It didn't come with the transformer. I have to hold the doorbell button to get it to go all the way through the ring cycle. Is the correct transformer what I need?
Hi Tanner: If the Chime you installed was made after 1960 - it requires a 16 Volt AC Transformer rated at 30 Watts (VA) - The Transformer is not the reason your Chime is not playing through the entire cycle - you don't have it wired correctly - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 ok well I watched your tutorial, I've got 4 wires coming out of the wall. 2 that were hooked up to the regular 2 chime bell and 2 black ones twisted together. I hooked trans from the old one to trans to the new one and front from the old one to front for the new one but I'm having the problem that I stated. Are one of the black ones supposed to be connected to comm?
Hi Tony: If your Chime is Exactly like the one in the Video (with a Telechron Motor) - the no - it will not work with with any WiFi Door Camera - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Looks same except ours don't have light bulbs. Wonder if you can recommend a best similar mechanical chime to go with video doorbell then? Or I'll have to install free standing video doorbell I guess. Much appreciated for your time presenting easy to understand tutorials. I am 80 yo retiree, still learning things.
@@tonyhwang3888 You can use an standard mechanical 2-note door bell (the type that goes "ding-dong") I wouldn't do this - I'd just use the WiFi camera as a standalone item - Chris
Hello. I followed your easy instructions (thank you!) and now the chimes work.......but won’t sop. It still has the little metal tab which is resting on the post, so I am stuck on what to do next.
The metal tab is the "Start - Stop" Switch. When the rotor comes to the end of the cycle - it lifts the metal tab from the post - breaking the connection and the motor stops turning. You either have the metal tab misaligned or you have the Chime wired incorrectly. Here's a link to our Video that shows how the Chime needs to be wired: th-cam.com/video/TjKUx18TEvc/w-d-xo.html Chris
Well, had I truly listened to your video, I would have taken a photo before dismantling. I thought I knew it all because I had written stuff down. Had I taken a photo, as you suggested, I would have seen that I I connected one small wire wrong. I figured it out after lots of trial and error. But now, it works fantastically and it feels so nice to hear those doorbell chimes ring like they are brand new. Thanks again.
I have a long 4 chime door bell. It’s missing a plunger and spring. Cant find any actual name on it. I can see it has a synchron motor in it. Would you know the name and where I can get parts. ? I have a couple pictures.
Hi Chris, Thanks for the video it is a great help I have done everything you have shown. Mine would not stop playing the chimes once you hit the button that was the stop spring loose. My problem know is when it is set for 8 strikes the first strike does not activate number 2 and 3 strikes but number 4 does not. On the way back they all strike do you have any ideas to help me? Thanks Steve
Hi Steve: Based on your description of the problem - it's a mechanical issue, probably with the contact on the armature or on the circuit board. - Chris
Thanks for your response I will try that this weekend and let you know. I bought this new in or about 1988 to put in my new how in Fairfax Virginia since then I have moved it with me through three new homes now in Bradenton Fl still in great shape.
Hi chips1972: The low-voltage to most NuTone Chimes made between 1965 and 2010 is 16 Volts AC - The transformer should be rated at 30 Watts minimum - Chris
10:40 Contacts maybe sulfurized bronze which is more elastic so less likely to loose tension. Aka spring tension bronze. I will defer to any machinist or metallurgist on this.
Hi Andy: It is unknown what type of material was used on the original Springs - Our replacement Springs are made from "Music Wire" or 302 Stainless Steel - Chris
Great video. I did so well following the video, I went from no chimes on my Nu Tone 8 Note to a Nu Tone 9 Note. It seems to ring an extra chime 6 seconds after it is suppose to stop. Can you help? Thank you!
Hi Steve: Is your Chime Base exactly like the Base in this Video, or is it similar but different? For the Base shown in this Video - there isn't anything that I can think of that would case a single note to chime, 6 seconds after a full cycle. What happens when you activate the Chime again, after the 9th note? - Chris
Thank you for this! It may be common sense, but does the power need to be shut off? I will in order to be on the safe side, but you never state that before removal or re-installation. Looking forward to our chimes again. It's been a year :(
Hi skrubud: The NuTone Chime is a 16 volt chime - so there's no danger form leaving it powered up when you remove the chime base. Make sure that you label the wires (so you know how to reconnect them) and don't let the bare ends of the wires touch together - Chris
Hi Sandbag1300: The contact points on the armature were never parts that could be ordered separately. You will need to replace the complete armature - Chris
Hi Patrick: Here's a link to our Video that explains the concept of connecting a WiFi Video Door Bell to an Intercom System Chime - In your case, you can substitute the "intercom chime" for a "8-'Note Chime" as the device you're activating. The rest of the installation idea is the same - Chris Video: th-cam.com/video/HgpiZCPSbTA/w-d-xo.html
Hi Chris - I salvaged a K46 Jefferson Clock door chime from my mother-in-laws house over six years ago, prior to selling it. We plan to install it in our new home which was just completed a month ago. Thanks to your excellent video, I have no doubt that I'll be able to bring the chime mechanism back to life. However, the clock is another story. It does not work, nor did I remember to have a receptacle run to the location where we planned to install it. My fallback is to research replacing the clock mechanism with a battery powered unit, but keep the original clock face. Do you know of any resources where folks are dealing successfully with this issue? Thank you, and thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Hi Timmyneal - The clock works off the same 20 Volt Transformer that runs the Chime - You will need a 20 Volt AC Transformer rated at 30 Watts - I haven't seen any clock motors fails in years and years (and I actually have some) Mostly both the clock motor and chime motor will need to be serviced (see this Video - th-cam.com/video/yK4XUGujZrM/w-d-xo.html Replacing the clock motor with a quartz movement is heresy - Don't Do it !!!! - Chris
OK...I wont but here's the deal with my unit that you may not have seen before. I already viewed the clock motor refurbishing video, which was also excellent...thank you! The chime and clock are powered by separate transformer/motor assemblies. The chime has a model 35180600G, 16V, 5W, 3.6 rpm, Type H18 unit. The clock is driven by a Type A1-G4, 20V, 60cycle, 2W unit, it has a plug for standard 115v socket. I checked to entry closet which is near where I intend to mount the K46, the builder installed wiring to power a transformer, and the lv wires for the front and rear doorbell buttons exit in the same location. Given all of this info, how would you recommend I proceed with getting both the clock and chime portions powered? Thank you. -Tim
Hi timmyneal: Something is up with the Chime Base, "K" Model Chimes all have 20 Volt Motors - I think you should email me pictures of the Chime Base and the Clock so I can see what you really have - Chris nscompany@msn.com
Hi Luis; Here's a link to my explanation about setting the Volume Adjustment on Long Tube Chimes - northsideforyourhome.squarespace.com/vintage-nutone-door-chime-adve/2016/7/26/how-the-volume-adjustment-effects-the-sound-of-the-chime.html I have never been sure why the foam cushion were necessary in the plunger assembly, but since it had always been done that way, I think it's best to just replace them - Chris
Hi, I just bought a house that has the 4 note long chime, it still works but I found that the number 3 chime tube is cracked, do you know where I might find a replacement tube for it? Thank you
Hi Clayton: Finding replacement tubes can be difficult - Different Series of NuTone 8-Note Long Tube Chimes use different tubes - They can be divided up into 2 basic groups: Group #1 are the tubes that hang by cords that are tied through holes in the tops of the tubes - Groups #2 are the tubes that have a plastic hanger that is inserted into the top of the tube. Of course there are the 4 different lengths of each tube The best source for tubes is eBay - patience is the key - looking everyday for what you need - you will likely have to buy a complete set of tubes - Often the tubes will also be cracked like yours, the older style of tubes (in group #1) tend to crack more often than later tubes. There are 2 possible work around's for your cracked tube - Try turning the crack away from the plunger to see if it sounds better - If your tube is from Group #2, you can remove the insert from the top of tube (that part that holds the plastic hanger) and put it in the bottom of the tube (you're essentially flipping the tube over) with the crack at the bottom, it probably won't effect the sound - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 thanks Chris! I have the second group of tubes with the plastic hangers. Do you have a suggestion for removing the plastic hanger without damaging it?
Hi Clayton: If you can wait to do anything until next week - I will make a Video that shows how to remove the Plastic Hanger and the retaining plug inside the end of the tube - Chris
Hi Chris, That would be just fine. i'm not in much of a hurry. I'm going to get some lighter fluid next week to give mine a good cleaning too. (Sorry I just found your reply today)
It's basically the same process, except you have just 1 plunger to clean. Do not attempt to disassemble the solenoid assembly or remove the plunger. Use lighter fluid (Ronson or similar - NOT DW40!!!) squirt a little in each end of the solenoid tube and shake the chime base back-and-forth to make the plunger move left and right. Continue cleaning until the plunger moves freely. I have seen cases where the plunger has corrosion or rust on its surface, in those case the solenoid needs to be disassemble - I don't advise you try this unless you're 100% confidant you can put it back together - Chris
Thanks! I was confused by what ours looks like. It's DIRTY, but wow, I love that thing. Once I put the new one up, I started looking for options. Looks like I'm heading to the store for lighter fluid!
I think my electrician busted the striker pins when he through it in the trash. I see an orange piece of wood down in the plunger and I found a busted piece in the trash. I gave the lighter fluid a try too and didn't get any movement. Any thoughts?
Hi Brian; The only thing I can think of is for you to send it to me and I'll see if I can repair it for you You will need to contact me directly before sending it Thanks Chris 925-743-8236
You could be a professor at a renowned University because you explain things so well. Thank you for this video, really well done as are all your videos.
Hi patrick: Thanks for the kind words - Chris
I have one of these. Purchased it in 1986….It intermittently work or had to hold the door bell button in. It was that metallic leaf arm stop arm was broken off. Repair. Emery cloth the mount and the leaf Then screw the mount back on the board…. Using a bent tip needle nose hold the leaf against the mount and solder. The repair is better than the original. No weak point anymore. Thanks again. It’s up and running like new
Hi Cyrys: Good to know that the Video helped you repair your Chime - Chris
Absolute legend for posting this. Was able to get my 8 note chime working like new again.
Hi sunnysharma1701: Thanks! - Glad the Video helped you get your Chime working again - Chris
I hit you up a couple days ago. Thank you again for the response. My sister has a NuTone intercom system in their home. I’m going to make it a point to pass along your TH-cam channel to my brother-in-law. I think he’ll appreciate it as much as I do. My Pryanco 305 door chime project is progressing nicely. It’s not a NuTone product but your videos have been extremely helpful. The pencil eraser technique was one I was shown while in the USAF in the early 80s. Seeing you demonstrate it brought a huge smile to my face. 👍👍
Best regards, Doug
Hi doug: Very good and Thanks - Chris
I love my door chime and thought is was done for. My unit looked identical (1986) to the unit in the video and my chime sounds great now, like new! My problem was sticky plungers. Thank you very much for the very helpful video.
Hi CharlieW: Well Done! - Glad to know that the Video helped you get your NuTone Chime working again - Chris
Glad I came across this! My NuTone is newer but the tubes and plungers were the same and now it works like new!
Hi chris - Well Done! - Chris
One of the best DIY videos I've come across! This morning I followed each step of the video and now have all four chime tubes working on my 1960's version. Thanks Chris.
One of the best instructional videos I've ever seen!!! Only one note played for years. I was always thinking I could buy parts and rebuild - but (as you stated) I couldn't get parts gave up a few years ago. During a painting project I was thinking keep-or-toss? Then I found this video am very pleased. Everything was exactly as you said.
One note you might add: A couple of the terminal screws had been over tightened. They are self-tapping screws that make the electrical connection by holding the wire against the circuit board contact. There is no nut or metal receptacle for the screws - just the circuit board material. I replaced the two that were stripped with the next size screw and it worked great. Don't go too big or you might crack the board. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE TERMINAL SCREWS!!!
Hi David: Well done in getting your Chime working again - You are correct about over tightening the screws. It is easy to strip out the holes and the screws won't tighten up. Another method is to use a machine screw with a star washer and nut on the back side of the board. - Chris
Did the full service as you explained, everything is working fine again, for model Nutone 8 chime A-67278. Thank you very much
HI Eric: Well Done! - Chris
I have an early 70's version of this Door Chime. I followed your instructions to a tee and we now have our westminster chime back! You are a terrific teacher and I'm so grateful for your video. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Hi Icamp62558a: Well Done - Glad to know that the Video helped - Chris
Dude I have an old one, grandma's from 60s or 70s and it would mean the world to me to be able to hear it again. small wires broke of, one solenoid gone, never serviced. You are my tempting connection to my childhood. Will I embark on the journey or no? I don't yet know but you have shown me the first light. Thank you.
Hi Claude: Good Luck on your project - if you take it on - Chris
My grandmother has had this as long as I can remember. I always have dreaded having to fix it for her one of these days. Good to know I can come here if I ever need information. that 8 note tune is something I will never forget. I actually heard it in my head as it was firing :)
Hi Joshua: It sounds like you need to visit your Grandmother and get her Chime working - I bet she'll make you some cookies :) - Chris
:-) @@northsideservicecompany3567
Our Nutone had not been working for months, and after many failed attempts to fix it, I was about ready to sadly just throw it away and buy a new one. My son discovered your video and spent several hours painstakingly following the video and - voila! The chimes are singing again, more beautiful than ever. I had no idea this was a vintage Nutone - circa sometime in the early 60's. Brings back memories of my childhood fascination with a friend's chimes - must have been a Nutone.
Hi Jane: I'm glad to hear that your NuTone Chime is working again - Well Done - Chris
Excellent video!
We called a Phoenix area door bell company, they wouldn't touch it.
Followed your instructions and it works like new!
Thanks.
Hi mikesheldonaz: I'm glad to hear that you were able to get your Chime working again - well done - Chris
Hi Chris, what a great video. We bought this unit new in the 80's and took it to our new house when we moved in '94. It was down to only two plungers actually working. I was searching this morning for the solenoids and saw that just about all the parts for this have been discontinued. That's when I found your video.
After watching your vid and taking notes I searched the house and found lighter fluid, got some q-tips and took it apart and cleaned the whole unit. Cleaned the carbon with the pencil eraser, took apart the solenoids and soaked and cleaned each piece. Cut up a piece of a foam paint brush for the cushions. Put it all back together - rewired it up on the wall and it is working like it was new!
Thank you for taking the time to put this instructional video together - it was the only thing that saved the unit from being replaced.
Hi Ultra0161: I'm happy to have been able to help and save another NuTone Chime - Chris
Hey Chris - this was one of the best instructional videos that I have seen and the presentation was the superb. Unfortunately, one part of the door chime assembly was not addressed that being the coil above the motor. I have an 8 note long tube Nutone door chime purchased in 1982 that has worked flawlessly over the last 37 years, except for today. Today it started humming and this does not stop. In addition, today last chime started to play a couple of extra times at the end of the chime sequence. I suspect that since the chimes work properly, the coil above the motor may have become defective and cause the humming. Or perhaps cleaning the circuit board etc. may remedy the humming. Help, Chris or anybody. I welcome your comments? Gordon at mutte1@mts.net
Hi mutteone: Your chime needs to be cleaned and serviced like in the Video. If the plungers work alright - you can clean the contact board and armature under the motor first - it is likely the cause of the problem. Be careful when cleaning the small parts - don't break or lose them - replacement parts are very difficult to find
The Motor and Motor coil are never a problem and it is not the source of the problem you are having - Chris
Chris, thank you so much for posting this outstanding comprehensive video. I was researching a replacement for my NuTone 8 note long tube doorbell chime when I stumbled across your video. It's not been working for a few months now. Your feedback and suggestions were spot on. I just restored my NuTone and we can't be happier, so much better to see this classic back working again and not replaced with a plastic electronic doorbell. Had I known this process was so easy (because of your video) I would have done it a few years ago. Thanks again for caring, much appreciated! Awesome video.
Hi Ted: Thanks for the kind comments - I'm glad to hear that you were able to get your NuTone Chime working again - Bravo - Chris
Chris, Thank you for posting this how-to. After years of staring at the doorbell with only 1 working chime, I restored and reinstalled my doorbell in under 2 hours. I never would have thought of lighter fluid as a cleaner/solvent. Works like new!
Hi Mark: Very Cool - I'm glad that you have your NuTone Chime working again - Chris
I'm so thankful!!!! I've been fighting this for a while thinking it was shorted out but after watching this video I cannot wait to follow your lead. I found this doorbell in a 1960's home I was repairing and they did not want it due to the non functionality. Thought I could just go buy a new new on.....yes around $500!!!!You did an excellent job with video and describing the process. Thanks!!!!
HiJerry: Thanks for the kind comments - Be sure to keep track of all of the parts as you disassemble the chime for servicing - I had 3 emails from other people recently about "somehow the springs went missing during servicing" - Chris
Excellent how to video!! Brought a late 70's model back to life. Followed each step and it's now good as new. Did install new transformer to make sure everything is perfect. Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise.
Hi Carl: Thanks, good to hear that you have your Chime working again - Chris
This was a great help. I was able to fix the frozen plungers (which I didn’t know were frozen) and get the chime working again. In case anyone wants to get the mini lights from a store, I found them at auto zone.
Hi Rocket Man: I'm glad to hear that you got your NuTone Chime working again - Auto Parts Stores are a great place to find miniature lamps - Chris
Hey amazing video saved me from replacing the unit. I moved into a new home and the bell wasnt working. the chimes would slightly ring but when i push the button a few times nothing happens. After seeing this video im guessing the solnoids dirty. THANK YOU.
Hi Zaen: Make sure you get the correct Lighter Fluid and don't lose the Springs!!!! - Chris
Thank you for sharing this very informative video on how to do maintenance on these door chimes.
I have one of the NuTone 8 Note Long tube Chimes with the yellow capped solenoids installed in my home. Probably purchased it in the late 1990's. Suddenly only two out of the four plungers are firing. Planning to take it down to clean and also check that the wiring from each coil is properly connected to the circuit board.
Hi Tharin: If your NuTone Chime was manufactured in the late 1990's - it probably has a fully electronic circuit board instead of the design shown in this Video. It is possible that the board will need to be rebuilt due to age related failures. It is not uncommon for the electronically controlled Chimes to need service after 20+ years - Chris
Yes, it is the fully electronic type. In case there is an issue with the components on the board do you know what voltage is good for these solenoids? I might replace the board altogether with a homebrew circuit. I assume that the potentiometer is meant to act as a voltage divider controlling slightly what is being delivered to the solenoid coils. Perhaps a 12V DC supply would be good enough?
Hi Tharin: It would far easier to just rebuild the board - I had someone else try to duplicate the board using modern design parameters - he spent months working on it before he realized that it was much more difficult than he had imagined and it had no real commercial value. - Chris
Great video, thank you. I have a Nutone LA58N, and almost exactly like this video however, the chimes are in front of the motor. Do you have an explanation on how to remove the chimes in order to access the motor?
Hi Debora: This Video: th-cam.com/video/K38kZ5ROLZU/w-d-xo.html features a NuTone Short Tube 8-Note Chime that's very much like yours - Your Chime has a Telechron Motor - the Chime in our Video has an Electronic Control Board - but disassembling the Tubes is the same on both models - Chris
Thank You Very Much...You are "A Very Good Teacher"...My "Door Chime" works perfectly again...I Really Appreciate your video...God Bless...
Hi John36915: Glad to hear that the Video helped you get your NuTone Chime working again - Chris
Hi Chris, After taking off the motor I found a bent contact on the armature, when I touched it it broke off. Luckily when I put it back together the chimes worked fine. Thank you for your help. Steve
Hi Steve: Glad you got it figured out - Chris
Thank you for this video, we have the variant of this chime without the lights, and with a clock that goes over it, and over the past few years, some of the chimes gradually stopped working. The foam pads had completely disintegrated and clogged up the solenoids. Your video helped me because it showed me what to expect, and what I did and didn't need to do to fix it. I didn't have anything to replace the foam pads, so I just left them out for now; when the solenoids deactivate, there's an audible kick now, so that must be what those pads are for. I'll try to replace them later, but in the meantime, thank you for helping me get my chimes working again. :D A fully working 8-note chime is wonderful because it's very easy to hear, and nobody else seems to have them anymore, making me appreciate them that much more.
Hi DragWX: I'm glad that our Video was helpful.
Here's a link to another Chime rebuild Video: th-cam.com/video/QrnZ4_hILtU/w-d-xo.html
At 2:10:00 I show how I make new cushions - Chris
What a great video. I stumbled upon it when my wife complained that we were down to one chime and I needed to get a new door chime. With the video I was able to fix it. The only things I did differently was insert the sand paper first with a small shaft screwdriver and then inserted the pencil. I also could not find the foam that I saw in the video. I ended up using the foam from a disposable paintbrush. Hope that's OK. Now I'm just sitting around waiting for someone to come to the door and ring the doorbell.
Hi Andrew: Cool - The foam from the paint brush will be fine - Well done - Chris
This is an amazing video. Thanks so much for the detailed explanations. I cleaned everything as described, and now I have something interesting happening! When I press my doorbell for the 8 note chime, it plays notes 2,3,5,6,7,and 8. It never plays notes 1 and 4! Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Thanks again for the great video- it’s had stopped playing completely, so this is still an improvement.
Hi myfavoriteddrumgear: I would suspect the 1 of the 2 very small wires that comes from the #1 Solenoid have broken loose from where it was solder to the circuit board. It is also important to make sure that the #1 Plunger moves freely inside the Solenoid and that the Spring is inplace. Lastly, it is possible that 1 of the wipers on the Contact Rotor is missing/broken off or misaligned (this is the least likley cause for the problem) - Chris
Do the door chimes with the clock 4 long tube. Also chime the hour?
Hi JonThomme De Claydon: No. NuTone did make a 8-Note Door Chime with a Clock that Chimed the Hours in the late 1940's and early 1950's. These were not a very successful model, probably due to their high cost. In the 40 years I've been a NuTone Service Center, I've only ever seen one - Chris
I have a fasco cunsummer c8847r door chime with four rods and every once in a while there is a single chime from one of the rods any thought of what may cause this thanks
Hi John: Most Fasco Chimes are really Rittenhouse Chimes - Is your Chime fully mechanical (it has a motor that runs the chime) or is it fully electronic (has a circuit board)?
A single note is typically a "Rear" or "Side" door chime - does your house a have Rear or Back door with a Button? - If it does, try disconnecting the pushbutton. - Chris
Thanks for the great video. I had one stuck plunger. I also found a manual online that says to apply non-flammable cleaner to the plunger hole and operate them. I had some CRC Brake Cleaner that seemed to work great, and did not have to take the unit off the wall but will try your method if they stick again.
Hi Bob: Brake Cleaner is very harsh - not recommended - it also can/will melt plastic parts (like cushions, end caps and plunger tips) - Chris
Bought a 1959 home several months ago and the Nutone chimes seemed to work well. Recently it just stopped working! There's a transformer in the basement which measures 18V. The front door button seems to work.....i pulled it out and jumped across the screws and nothing except a little spark. this is an 4/8 tone with the 4 brass tubes. Has a GE Telechron 16V synchronous motor. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Update: i verified there's power to the TRANS/ COM and i can get it to chime, might just be dirty and now i can use your video to clean it if its still unreliable. thanks, Michael in CT
Hi nb3hk9uu3o: It sounds like your Chime is in need of some basic servcing at the least - it is also possible that it will require more repair. How you Service exactly depends on which Model you actually have (a 1959 Chime is different than a 1989 chime) So, identifying what you have is the first step - You can contact use directly for more specific help - Chris nscompany@msn.com
HI Chris, great video. I have a different problem. I purchased my 8 note NuTone in 1996, so I assume it is one of the newer models with the digital circuit board, as it doesn't look like the one in your video. It does have the 4 lightbulbs like your example, though. Periodically, I've had problems with the chime going off by itself. Frustratingly, this is usually in the middle of the night. Initially, I figured that it was a short in the doorbell button, which I had recently swapped out for an upgraded version that was a better fit for my 1885 house. I put the original button back, and that seemed to take care of it. Then after some time passed, it started going off by itself again, running through the full cycle of notes. It started happening more frequently, and stopped completely after each cycle was completed. Finally, I had to disconnect the power at the circuit board and put a note on the front door to use the knocker instead. I got on the ladder and gave the unit a thorough cleaning with Q tips, figuring that dust might be closing a circuit somehow. That worked for a while. Last week it started again, so I had to disconnect the power at the circuit board again (boy I wish that I had thought to take a picture of it with my phone because i ended up pulling wires right and left because I was on my way out of town and already late). I have since dusted everything again, but that didn't solve the problem. Do you have a video that deals with chimes that want to work too much? Also, I found a Jefferson style clock face to replace my '90's vintage amber plastic and wood case. It fits fine on the later bracket/housing, but I'd love to hook up the clock to the power that is now serving the lightbulbs. Do you have any recommendations on how to retrofit the older clock unit onto the newer base unit? Thanks so much.
Hi Colin: It is very likely that your 1996 NuTone Chime is a fully electronic version - keep in mind that your chime is now around 26 years old - that calculates out to around 227,776 hours of time that the Chime has been powered on.
It is also very likely that it's time for your Chime to have its first rebuild. The erratic operation is often cause by the ongoing failure of components on the circuit board. This Video discusses your type of Chime: th-cam.com/video/NiGSevyzmJM/w-d-xo.html
Adding a Clock Cover should be fairly simple - The Clock Motor can be wired to the same part of your Chime that powers the lamps ( I'm assuming the lamps will be removed). It would be best to either add some type of connector so the Clock can be unplugged - Chris
i'm in the process of repairing my nutone 64203. when i first bought the house, only 2 of the 4 hammers worked. after opening the cap on one of them and push the hammer up and down, i got the 3rd one working which made me happy but the 4th one, the last one on the right, has a wire disconnected to the circuit. i tried to shove the little wire into the hole, looking at the back on the right side area the left of the 2 holes below the upper 3 holes, but still not getting a reaction. i even shoved a chopped paperclip in there and wrapped the wire around that to help make the connection but no luck. next i'm going to try and open the metal hammer box to see how that looks inside and maybe shove some speaker wire down the circuit hole and try connecting to that. if that doesn't work, any other idea why the hammer isn't working?
Hi ztuber7763: First lets get some terminology straightened out: 1 - They are Solenoids, not "hammer boxes" 2 - They are Plungers not "hammers" - Now, Do Not Open The Solenoid, if it's bad (unlikely) you will not be able to repair it. If you want to evaluate the Solenoid, use an Ohm Meter and measure the resistance of the coil (using the meter probes on the end on the coil wires) All 4 coils should measure approximately the same amount.
The Wire used in the Coil is referred to as "Magnet Wire" because the coil in the Solenoid is basically an Electromagnet. Magnet Wire has a clear (or reddish) coating on the copper wire, that acts as an insulator (keeps it from shorting out) You cannot "shove the wire in the hole" and "shove in a paperclip" and expect the wire to make a connection. You Must Solder the Wire into the connection - The heat from the soldering melts away the coating on the wire and allows the copper to be soldered.
There can be many reasons why the Plungers are not working and if you follow the Video - Exactly - your Chime will likely work again. Cleaning the Plungers and Solenoid Bores - Using Lighter Fluid - as I show - is an important step in the Servicing - Do Not skip steps or substitute anything from what I show - Or - You risk ruining the Chime - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 turns out i was able to get the 4th one working. i sortof used my paperclip method. i didn't want to disconnect the whole unit from the wall to solder so i took off the spinning motor assembly(forget the name), cut down a thin hard metal wire, that came wrapped around my poultry netting, to an inch and used a wrench to bend one end into an L, shoved the straight part through the circuit hole then used scotch tape to hold the L in place, then wrapped the solenoid wire around the straight part completing the connection. the problem now is that i only have 2 of the 4 bells lol. not sure why the previous owner got rid of 2 so i'll either have to find replacement bells or rig something up like copper tubing.
@@ztuber7763 Well - Okay - As long as it works I guess. Different type of tubing will make different kinds of notes/sound - You may need to make up 4 new Bells to have it all sound even - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 do you happen to know the lengths of each bell for the westminster chime?
Thank you so much. Excellent instructions. You saved my 1989 doorbell.
Hi Lori: Very Good - Happy to have been able to help out - Chris
Thanks for a very clear how to video. I have an older model, around 1970's series. It has nearly similar features as in your video. My door chimes had stopped working about 3 months ago. I did the cleaning and the 4 plungers are not stuck anymore. However when connected to power it does not move the plungers but I can hear the motor hissing inside. What could be the problem? I checked the transformer source and it had 16 volts, the same voltage showing at the board transformer. Thanks for your attention.
HI Oscar: It is of course difficult to say exactly why your Chime is not ringing - Is the motor running continuously or does it run only after the button has been pressed? - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Surprise, surprise. It is working really well now. Connected by the old wiring system and it started to chime but needed to press the button for about 3 seconds to trigger the chime. I then rearranged the wiring according to your video. It now requires about 1and 1/2 seconds of pressing the button to trigger it. I am very grateful for your fast reply and your videos. I am sure a lot of people have told you how sweet it is and happy they are to hear the winchester chime again, as I was and am.
Excellent video! Thanks for posting! My chime has similar plungers and cleaning them like this fixed it. One thing I didn't do is add the foam bits. Do you think this will cause any problems?
Hi robert: The foam cushions are there to reduce any noise that is made when the plungers are pushed back into the solenoids. This is a less issue on modern Chiem Bases with plastic solenoid caps. - Chris
This was great, thank you. Where can I get the tubes for these chimes?
Hi Abraham: eBay is probably the only source for Chime Tubes - There are many different versions of NuTone Tubes that were made over the decades - You need to know the age of the Chime Base (or model number) to knw which tubes you will need. Look carefully before buying Tube for broken/missing Tube Hangers or cracks in the Tubes - Chris
Great video! You're the Door Chime expert. I was searching for a video like this to see if I can help my neighbor with her two tube Pryne & Co. chime that isnt working. This makes it hard for her because she is 92 years old and her hearing is pretty bad so she doesnt hear when someone is at the front door and rings the door bell. She and her husband bought the home in 1964 so she has lived in her home about 60 years. Her hysband passed away lat last so she doesnt anyone to help her any longer with Honey Do projects...thats where I cone in. I'm going to try cleaning everything as you suggested in your great video. Can I send you photos of her chime in case you have any other suggestions? Thanks, Rob. Wish me luck!
Hi rgucci: It's very nice that you're helping your neighbor. Be very careful with her Pryne Door Chime - There are no parts for these somewhat obscure Chimes. You are certainly welcome to send me pictures - Chris nscompany@msn.com
I have a Nutone Jefferson L series long bell chime. The seller told me that it "worked when it was disconnected" and I believe him, but when I had it installed in my house, it didn't work. One of the solenoids does move a little, but it doesn't ring the chime. It probably needs servicing. Would you do it for me, and how much would it cost? Many thanks.
Hi Cynthia: It will be best if you contact us directly about your newly acquired "L" Model Jefferson Door Chime - Chris nscompany@msn.com
Hi Chris I have an LB38K72A short tube Nutone. Your video is great, I've got everything cleaned up and reassembled. My problem i get one chime when I press the doorbell. The video shows the motor armature freely spinning when you pulled it, my armature does not spin. Is that my problem? Is the motor repairable?
Hi Flipper: I have questions: Is the LB38 new to your home or has it been there since 1972? - If it's new to the home, are your replacing a standard mechanical 2-Note Door Bell (the kind that goes ding-dong)?
If it's been there since 1972 - what was its condition before you worked on it?
Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Chris, The house was built in 53 so the chime was added at some point. I bought the place 7 years ago and the chime worked. During the remodel it was taken down and not used for 4 years. It was really filthy! I cleaned the circuit board including under the screws, cleaned & lubed the solenoids, realigned the tubes. I've been fiddling with the doorbell button. The original is lost. The new one was partially shorted by faulty wiring, I get one chime per push sometimes repeated sometimes a different note, and then it stops. So I just got another button a Hampton Bay to test. Or should i order a Nutone specific button? Restoring the chime has been a fun project, great videos and instruction. Thanks so much for the effort and skill you put in your tutorials.
@@flipper9770 As few things: 1. It's not the button,. unless the button is mechanically broken, the brand of button doesn't matter - 2. I would say that in the past 20 years, I haven't seen a Motor on a modern NuTone Chime fail (yes, 1972 is modern) To test just the Motor, use the 16 2-wires that come from the Transformer for power, connecting them directly to the terminals on the Motor Coil, the Motor should run (removing the motor from the base to see the rotor turn is a good idea) 3. Inspect the contacts on the end of the 3-arm Rotor, look for bent or missing contacts. These contacts make the necessary connections to keep the Motor turning once the Button has been released - 4. Is the Springy Metal Tab is in place and it rests against the Top of the Post - Chris
I have an old nutone clock/door chime that was left in a house I moved into and the people I bought the house from said “it’s junk” when I asked if it worked lol. Anyways I took it all down and stored it in the closet. So the wife an I split an I decided to drag that thing out and look at it. Cleaned up the springs an plungers an all an they seem to pop out pretty good only thing is I don’t know if they come out far enough? Looking at this video at the end when you run this one they seem to come out about as far but unless I put the tubes all the way against the plunger opening most of them do not hit the tubes. Could it be a power issue? Is it possible to check with a multimeter? If so (being completely new to the nutone/chime club an how they function) what is the best way to test it? Such as where do I put the negative post? An I’m assuming the transformer is only dropping the voltage? Or are we transforming from AC to DC? Sorry for being so completely stupid in this area an asking so many questions but I’d just really like to get this thing going good. I was going to send a picture but don’t guess TH-cam has that option. Thanks a lot man, sorry for the long post!
Josh
Hi Josh: Do you have the "volume" adjustment set high enough (that's the little round control in the upper right -hand corner)? - This controls adjusts the voltage to the solenoids - less voltage is softer - more voltage is louder - Start with it at full volume - then adjust accordingly. Typically the Tubes will be sent in the center of the Hanger Arms or perhaps 1 notch closer to the strikers - Chris
Chris, thank you. I used cork gasketing for the plungers. Didn't have closed cell foam thin enough.
Hi wnypepa doe: I guess that would be fine - Chris
Great video. Thanks for your videos out here and the email support you gave me!
Hi rpaulpen: Thanks, Glad to hear your Chime is working again - Chris
Great video ... it gave me the courage to tackle my unit, circa 1975 (model 64892B I hope), with black stoppers in the back of each chamber. Mine was only working on 2 of 4 chimes.
I decided to just work on the 4 solenoid valves, never detaching the motor.
I got all 4 chimes to strike - success I thought. But it kept cycling and cycling ( ringing non-stop). So, now, for the first time I removed the motor assembly. Both the metal piece and the plastic tab on one of the 3 armature contacts look completely intact. (I still haven’t cleaned the circuit board - my bad). Is the plastic tab lifting the metal piece the only way it stops? Any ideas?
Hi John: Ideas? Sure - Finish the servicing and clean the Circuit Board and Armature - Yes, the plastic tab on the armature is what makes the Chime stop - by lifting the Metal Contact from the Post - Chris
How much of this would pertain to my Edwards Claridge model C-50, 8 tone long tube chimes. I believe this has been in my home since 1960. I seem to get a single chime from the front, the rear and side doors have been disconnected. The front doorbell has been replaced. I would like to find a wiring diagram. Thankyou.
HI jddeefo: The basic Servicing would be done in the same way - The Specifics may be somewhat different - All of these types of Chimes are every similar, so the techniques crossover well. I would also suspect that the wiring would be done in the same way - Chris
Thank you for the reply. I just started looking at my unit and it is extremely dusty and dirty. I will proceed with cleaning as shown inyour terrific video. Thanks Again.
Excellent video. I have this same model from sometime in the 70's or 80's. It stopped working 20 years ago so I put it in a box where it has been ever since. When I found your video, I thought I'd see if I could get it to work again. I removed the motor and used my eraser to clean under the armatures. What I noticed is that the armatures do not easily move as it appears in your video. They certainly did not glide to a stop. I almost had to use pressure to get them to move. I removed the plungers and inspected them. I didn't clean them with my lighter fluid at this time because they didn't seem very dirty. So I wired the doorbell to test it but it still doesn't work. Any suggestions? Thanks, Mike
Hi user-ne5wc9rj1i: You can try connecting 16 Volts AC directly to the Motor terminals and see if the Motor runs - Chris
Thanks for the tip Chris which proved that the motor works. Cleaned the plungers which were much dirtier than thought. Finally determined that the button wiring was the final problem. Good to hear those chimes again after about 20 years. @@northsideservicecompany3567
Hi. I just moved an 8 Tone chime from my parents house. I am not sure if it is a Nutone. It is from the 1970's and is working perfectly, but when I reinstalled it in another place, if I pushed the button and when I released it the motor stopped working immediately and the chime stopped working. What am I doing wrong. The board just have letters A,B,C,D and E. What I think is that C and D are for the motor, being C the common , and A, B and E for the buttons being B the front one. Please help me
Hi Ricardo, Since you don't have a NuTone Chime - I can't tell you what wires get connected to the A,B,C,D, and E connections. Here's a link to our Video that explains how most of these types of Chimes need to be wired: th-cam.com/video/TjKUx18TEvc/w-d-xo.html
Chris
We have one from 1963 with a clock and I dread taking it down to clean. Well looks like I have to buy lighter fluid. And we have a Nutone intercom same year with tubes, hasn't been used in years.
Hi John D II: Make sure you label the wires before disconnecting them - take a few pictures as well. Care must be taken when working on the Chime Base - Don't lose any parts (springs)
What Model Intercom do you have? - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Thank you for the hint but this isn't my first time. I have been repairing electronics for many years. It says use lighter fluid but I don't have any so I was looking to see if I could cheat with something else. I guess not. Lighter fluid is on my list to buy. Thanks again.
Great job on this video!
Hi Milton: Thanks - Chris
I know this is an old video but I just bought a house with a NuTone LB-42 8 chime long tube. I figured out that the doorbell buttons outside were both broken and adjusted the tube position and got it working. It seems like the tubes are cracked at the top. Is there anything I can do to fix it to make the chime sound better?
Hi SMAForce1: Cracked Tubes are a common problem, and there's no repair solution for the cracks - There is a "work-around" that is fairly simple and easy to do. Your Tubes have plastic Tube Hangers clipped into the top of the Tubes - These are clipped into recessed "caps" that are pressed into the top of the Tubes (this is often why they crack) You can use a long (48") wooden dowel - placed into the bottom opening of the Tube - to carefully drive the cap out - The flip the Tube over, and put the cap into the bottom end of the Tube - Try to do this so the crack will be facing the wall when you hang the Tube. PLEASE NOTE: The Plastic Tube Hangers are NO LONGER AVAILBLE - You must be careful not to break them off when working on the Tubes - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Thank you for the information. I’m definitely worried about damaging things forever. I think it sounds good enough even with the cracks after hearing the danger of not having it work at all. Haha
If the metal tab tells the motor when to stop, how does the motor start again when the button is pressed? In other words, how does the motor wheel get beyond the sticking out tab that is now physically in the way? Of there is no contact, how can the motor move before you have re-established contact? I hope this makes sense.
Hi Sam: When someone presses the button at the front door - it begins the motor turning - the button press is long enough to have the motor turn past the Start Position - this means that the arm on the armature that has the tab on it, has moved past the springy metal tab and it is now resting on the metal post, essentially closing the switch connection - once the motor has made its full cycle - the tab on the arm of the armature pushes the springy metal tab off the metal post - opening the switch - turning off the motor - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 so the button supplies the starting power, and the tab close provides the running power? One or the other is hot at any given time? Like a tag team? Thanks for the super quick response ! 🙂
@@realSamAndrew Exactly - You're welcome - Chris
Do you still service these? I’m Working on a home that has a Jefferson doorbell and it doesn’t appear to be working. My client would likely be interested in paying for it to get repaired.
Hi Matt: Yes, we service all NuTone Chimes - It would be best to contact us directly about your customers Chime - Chris nscompany@msn.com
@@northsideservicecompany3567 thanks. I will let my client know.
Great informational video.
Hi Patrick: Thanks. I hope the Video helped you with your Chime - Chris
I own a NuTone 8 note chime with 4 lit bulbs. I removed the far left bulb. All lights went off, like you described. When I immediately put the bulb back in, all 4 bulbs stayed off. Any suggestions? I can't get them to come back on. I am sorry I took 1 out. Should I attempt 4 new bulbs? Is there a reset button?
Hi Judy, The bulb probably went out when you removed it - You will need to replace all 4 bulbs - The Bulbs are all #259 Lamps - Here's a link to our Video about the Lamps: th-cam.com/video/liun9S5QbMo/w-d-xo.html
There is no Reset Button - Chris
Awesome. Thank you so much.
Muchas gracias desde México, gracias a ti pude darle nueva vida a mi timbre
Hi oscar: De nada. Me alegra que el video te haya ayudado. - Chris
Very well done! The process worked great for me!
Hi Fiks: Glad to hear that the Video helped you out - Chris
I just installed one of these into my house. It didn't come with the transformer. I have to hold the doorbell button to get it to go all the way through the ring cycle. Is the correct transformer what I need?
Hi Tanner: If the Chime you installed was made after 1960 - it requires a 16 Volt AC Transformer rated at 30 Watts (VA) - The Transformer is not the reason your Chime is not playing through the entire cycle - you don't have it wired correctly - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 ok well I watched your tutorial, I've got 4 wires coming out of the wall. 2 that were hooked up to the regular 2 chime bell and 2 black ones twisted together. I hooked trans from the old one to trans to the new one and front from the old one to front for the new one but I'm having the problem that I stated. Are one of the black ones supposed to be connected to comm?
I have a 4 tube chime like this. Can it be used with today's video doorbell ? Unit is still working very well.
Hi Tony: If your Chime is Exactly like the one in the Video (with a Telechron Motor) - the no - it will not work with with any WiFi Door Camera - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Looks same except ours don't have light bulbs. Wonder if you can recommend a best similar mechanical chime
to go with video doorbell then? Or I'll have to install free standing video doorbell I guess. Much appreciated for your time presenting easy to understand tutorials. I am 80 yo retiree, still learning things.
@@tonyhwang3888 You can use an standard mechanical 2-note door bell (the type that goes "ding-dong") I wouldn't do this - I'd just use the WiFi camera as a standalone item - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 Wife won't part with Nutone chime. Settled on eufy
Cam E kit. Thanks again.
Hello. I followed your easy instructions (thank you!) and now the chimes work.......but won’t sop. It still has the little metal tab which is resting on the post, so I am stuck on what to do next.
The metal tab is the "Start - Stop" Switch. When the rotor comes to the end of the cycle - it lifts the metal tab from the post - breaking the connection and the motor stops turning. You either have the metal tab misaligned or you have the Chime wired incorrectly. Here's a link to our Video that shows how the Chime needs to be wired: th-cam.com/video/TjKUx18TEvc/w-d-xo.html
Chris
Well, had I truly listened to your video, I would have taken a photo before dismantling. I thought I knew it all because I had written stuff down. Had I taken a photo, as you suggested, I would have seen that I I connected one small wire wrong. I figured it out after lots of trial and error. But now, it works fantastically and it feels so nice to hear those doorbell chimes ring like they are brand new. Thanks again.
@@rejeanmayer5541 Well Done! - It's always very satisfying to find a mistake that was made and solve the problem - Chris
I have a long 4 chime door bell. It’s missing a plunger and spring. Cant find any actual name on it. I can see it has a synchron motor in it.
Would you know the name and where I can get parts. ?
I have a couple pictures.
Hi KL: If you want to send me some pictures - I'll have a look and see if I know what Chime you have - Chris nscompany@msn.com
Hi Chris, Thanks for the video it is a great help I have done everything you have shown. Mine would not stop playing the chimes once you hit the button that was the stop spring loose. My problem know is when it is set for 8 strikes the first strike does not activate number 2 and 3 strikes but number 4 does not. On the way back they all strike do you have any ideas to help me?
Thanks Steve
Hi Steve: Based on your description of the problem - it's a mechanical issue, probably with the contact on the armature or on the circuit board. - Chris
Thanks for your response I will try that this weekend and let you know. I bought this new in or about 1988 to put in my new how in Fairfax Virginia since then I have moved it with me through three new homes now in Bradenton Fl still in great shape.
Trying to install my door chime. I have a basic question. What are the voltages for hook up, and activation. AC and or DC ?
Hi chips1972: The low-voltage to most NuTone Chimes made between 1965 and 2010 is 16 Volts AC - The transformer should be rated at 30 Watts minimum - Chris
Excellent! Great ideas and solutions!
Hi Peter: Thanks - I hope the Video helped you with your NuTone Chime - Chris
10:40 Contacts maybe sulfurized bronze which is more elastic so less likely to loose tension. Aka spring tension bronze. I will defer to any machinist or metallurgist on this.
Hi Andy: It is unknown what type of material was used on the original Springs - Our replacement Springs are made from "Music Wire" or 302 Stainless Steel - Chris
Great video. I did so well following the video, I went from no chimes on my Nu Tone 8 Note to a Nu Tone 9 Note. It seems to ring an extra chime 6 seconds after it is suppose to stop. Can you help? Thank you!
Hi Steve: Is your Chime Base exactly like the Base in this Video, or is it similar but different? For the Base shown in this Video - there isn't anything that I can think of that would case a single note to chime, 6 seconds after a full cycle.
What happens when you activate the Chime again, after the 9th note? - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 When I activate it after the 9th note,it does the same thing .
@@stevetarpey9230 Did you remove of bend the "Start - Stop" metal tab that goes under the motor base? - Chris
Thank you for this! It may be common sense, but does the power need to be shut off? I will in order to be on the safe side, but you never state that before removal or re-installation. Looking forward to our chimes again. It's been a year :(
Hi skrubud: The NuTone Chime is a 16 volt chime - so there's no danger form leaving it powered up when you remove the chime base. Make sure that you label the wires (so you know how to reconnect them) and don't let the bare ends of the wires touch together - Chris
Need to order the armature copper contacts seen at 21:25 in the video. Do you know where I can find at least one and possibly all three? ~ Robert
Hi Sandbag1300: The contact points on the armature were never parts that could be ordered separately. You will need to replace the complete armature - Chris
Is it possible to hook these chimes up to a Ring Doorbell? I've been searching for hours and can't find a way to do it.
Hi Patrick: Here's a link to our Video that explains the concept of connecting a WiFi Video Door Bell to an Intercom System Chime - In your case, you can substitute the "intercom chime" for a "8-'Note Chime" as the device you're activating. The rest of the installation idea is the same - Chris
Video: th-cam.com/video/HgpiZCPSbTA/w-d-xo.html
Hi Chris - I salvaged a K46 Jefferson Clock door chime from my mother-in-laws house over six years ago, prior to selling it. We plan to install it in our new home which was just completed a month ago. Thanks to your excellent video, I have no doubt that I'll be able to bring the chime mechanism back to life.
However, the clock is another story. It does not work, nor did I remember to have a receptacle run to the location where we planned to install it. My fallback is to research replacing the clock mechanism with a battery powered unit, but keep the original clock face. Do you know of any resources where folks are dealing successfully with this issue? Thank you, and thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Hi Timmyneal - The clock works off the same 20 Volt Transformer that runs the Chime - You will need a 20 Volt AC Transformer rated at 30 Watts - I haven't seen any clock motors fails in years and years (and I actually have some) Mostly both the clock motor and chime motor will need to be serviced (see this Video - th-cam.com/video/yK4XUGujZrM/w-d-xo.html
Replacing the clock motor with a quartz movement is heresy - Don't Do it !!!! - Chris
OK...I wont but here's the deal with my unit that you may not have seen before. I already viewed the clock motor refurbishing video, which was also excellent...thank you! The chime and clock are powered by separate transformer/motor assemblies. The chime has a model 35180600G, 16V, 5W, 3.6 rpm, Type H18 unit. The clock is driven by a Type A1-G4, 20V, 60cycle, 2W unit, it has a plug for standard 115v socket.
I checked to entry closet which is near where I intend to mount the K46, the builder installed wiring to power a transformer, and the lv wires for the front and rear doorbell buttons exit in the same location.
Given all of this info, how would you recommend I proceed with getting both the clock and chime portions powered? Thank you.
-Tim
Hi timmyneal: Something is up with the Chime Base, "K" Model Chimes all have 20 Volt Motors -
I think you should email me pictures of the Chime Base and the Clock so I can see what you really have - Chris
nscompany@msn.com
Done!
Hi Chris, thanks for your great instructions! So...what if I already sprayed the plungers with WD40, can they still be cleaned off with lighter fluid?
Hi Cheri: Yes - Just disassemble the solenoids and clean all of the parts with lighter fluid. - Chris
Thanks so much 😀
Brilliant ! Two questions: Is it really necessary to add new foam ? What is wrong by setting the volume to the highest level ? Thanks, nice work !
Hi Luis; Here's a link to my explanation about setting the Volume Adjustment on Long Tube Chimes - northsideforyourhome.squarespace.com/vintage-nutone-door-chime-adve/2016/7/26/how-the-volume-adjustment-effects-the-sound-of-the-chime.html
I have never been sure why the foam cushion were necessary in the plunger assembly, but since it had always been done that way, I think it's best to just replace them - Chris
you are the BEST I love you thank you for sharing your knowledge
Hi Erasmo, Thanks - Chris
Hi, I just bought a house that has the 4 note long chime, it still works but I found that the number 3 chime tube is cracked, do you know where I might find a replacement tube for it? Thank you
Hi Clayton: Finding replacement tubes can be difficult - Different Series of NuTone 8-Note Long Tube Chimes use different tubes - They can be divided up into 2 basic groups: Group #1 are the tubes that hang by cords that are tied through holes in the tops of the tubes - Groups #2 are the tubes that have a plastic hanger that is inserted into the top of the tube. Of course there are the 4 different lengths of each tube
The best source for tubes is eBay - patience is the key - looking everyday for what you need - you will likely have to buy a complete set of tubes - Often the tubes will also be cracked like yours, the older style of tubes (in group #1) tend to crack more often than later tubes.
There are 2 possible work around's for your cracked tube - Try turning the crack away from the plunger to see if it sounds better - If your tube is from Group #2, you can remove the insert from the top of tube (that part that holds the plastic hanger) and put it in the bottom of the tube (you're essentially flipping the tube over) with the crack at the bottom, it probably won't effect the sound - Chris
@@northsideservicecompany3567 thanks Chris! I have the second group of tubes with the plastic hangers. Do you have a suggestion for removing the plastic hanger without damaging it?
Hi Clayton: If you can wait to do anything until next week - I will make a Video that shows how to remove the Plastic Hanger and the retaining plug inside the end of the tube - Chris
Hi Chris, That would be just fine. i'm not in much of a hurry. I'm going to get some lighter fluid next week to give mine a good cleaning too. (Sorry I just found your reply today)
Hi Clayton: I've got the Video shot and I'll be posting it later this week - Chris
Hi Chris, The circuit board is a different color in fact it is exactly like the one in the large screw video.
Hi Steve: After going over the work you did, if you still can;t find the problem - Contact me - Chris 925-743-8236
If you put each spring in it's own bowl, there is no danger of stretching or breaking them to get them apart. Simple.
Hi cynthia: Sounds good - Anything that is done to keep the springs safe, is a good idea - Chris
Any advice on a 1950s K27 Regal? seems like the plunger is clogged or dirty.
It's basically the same process, except you have just 1 plunger to clean. Do not attempt to disassemble the solenoid assembly or remove the plunger. Use lighter fluid (Ronson or similar - NOT DW40!!!) squirt a little in each end of the solenoid tube and shake the chime base back-and-forth to make the plunger move left and right. Continue cleaning until the plunger moves freely. I have seen cases where the plunger has corrosion or rust on its surface, in those case the solenoid needs to be disassemble - I don't advise you try this unless you're 100% confidant you can put it back together - Chris
Thanks! I was confused by what ours looks like. It's DIRTY, but wow, I love that thing. Once I put the new one up, I started looking for options.
Looks like I'm heading to the store for lighter fluid!
I think my electrician busted the striker pins when he through it in the trash. I see an orange piece of wood down in the plunger and I found a busted piece in the trash. I gave the lighter fluid a try too and didn't get any movement. Any thoughts?
Hi Brian; The only thing I can think of is for you to send it to me and I'll see if I can repair it for you
You will need to contact me directly before sending it
Thanks
Chris
925-743-8236
I have had this chime for 35 years. The plastic case has fallen apart and I made a wooden case for it.
Hi Christopher: Sounds good - If you want to email me a short 30 second Video of the Chime ringing - I'll post it in our Playlist - Chris