Locating a "buzz" in the house

[Duer 157099]

There's this low frequency "buzz" in the house that I'm trying to find. After shutting off various switches on the circuit breaker, it seems like it might be coming from the doorbell controller thingy.

I noticed that there are 4 wires going to this device, 2 red and 2 white. The 2 whites are both attached to one of the terminals, but only 1 of the red wires is attached to the second terminal. The second red wire has a looped end which looks like it used to be attached to the terminal but just got loose.

I'm not an electrician (lol, not by a LONG shot! -- all I know is that turning off the circuit breaker is a good idea before snooping around, that's my level of expertise) -- but should BOTH of the red wires be connected to the same terminal? If not, what is it for?

I doubt this has anything to do with the "buzzing" but now this is bugging me too.

Also, any ideas about diagnosing mysterious buzzing? There's another one that is intermittant that I also cannot locate.

Thanks for any advice.

[Duer 157099]

1. Correction to above post

The "doorbell controller thingy" referred to is actually the transformer. That's what is making a very slight hum and has one red wire not connected.

How can I just disconnect the power to this one device? The circuit breaker that shuts this off also shuts off other important things in the house. I don't really need the doorbell, and if there's a short, I'd rather have the power to it disconnected (if that's easy to do).

[Warpy]

3. Bite the bullet and shut the juice off

Nothing is going to die or get ruined if the power if off for five minutes.

Nothing will keep it safer, either.

[Jersey Devil]

2. 4 wires? Do you have 2 doorbells?

I am not an electrician but I've venture a few guesses. The "doorbell controller thingy" is a transformer that converts regular household current to low voltage for things like doorbells and low voltage outdoor lighting. One set of wires going into it (the supply side) should be normal household wire, either 12 or 14 guage from the electrical box, with a red and black wire attached to the supply side at separate terminals (some have plugs to plug them into an outlet). The wire coming from the transformer to the doorbell is bell wire, much thinner than regular household wire, probably 18 guage.

Based on what you posted I am guessing that you have both a front and back door bell and that would account for 2 reds and 2 whites on each poll on the low voltage side of the transformer, because the supply side would NEVER be wired together with the low voltage side.

And yes, certainly, anything you do should be with the circuit breaker off.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. If the transformer's buzzing, get a new doorbell ....

The doorbell's on death's door (baaaaad pun intended). The transofrmer will soon give up the ghost. No harm will befall you if it goes, but you won't have a doorbell.

I'd have to see the wores and the doorbell to know what goes where and will not even hazard a guess without seeing them. That said, the new doorbell will have instructions. This is easily a homeowner job; no need for an electrician.

Just be sure the breaker's off and you'll be fine.

[nedbal]

6. transformers & doorbells are usually 2 separate, but connected devices......

a buzzing transformer "could" simply need a mounting screw tightened, not a new doorbell unit/device

>>>>I'd have to see the wires and the doorbell to know what goes where and will not even hazard a guess without seeing them.

I agree, or more details

>>>>> This is easily a homeowner job; no need for an electrician.

true for most homeowners

[nedbal]

5. can you post a pic of the transformer?

as you are so new at wiring it's hard to give all the details possible on how and where to safely disconnect and terminate / insulate any remaining power feeds from the breaker box


do any doorbells work now w/o that red wire connected


is this transformer mounted on the side of a electrical box or

is it mounted on a beam or other surface and all wires run to it