How do I wire an IO Linc + Door Bell?

[mrceolla]

Hi,

I know this isn't really HS related but I thought I'd ask this to the good folks here anyway.

I have an IO Linc that is currently only being used for the sense feature. It is detecting when my fireplace is hot via a thermal disc. The control or switch feature is not currently in use and I'd like to use it to control a door bell. This door bell will serve as a warning that another IO Linc is about to close the garage door.

Does anyone know exactly how I would wire the transformer, IO Linc, and door bell together? Or if the hardware even allows for this?

Thanks!

[DanITman]

I'm assuming you want to ring your existing doorbell?

Doorbells can be tough to interface with because they always pass power to the doorbell switch. This is why most doorbells stay lit at night and when press the voltage increases and makes the doorbell ring.

To monitor the doorbell you'll need to monitor the voltage. Elk has a great piece of hardware for this.

http://www.smarthome.com/elk-elk-930...h1KhoCI4fw_wcB

The get the doorbell to ring through an I/O linc might be a bit trickier. Without seeing how your doorbell is setup, I can't answer this fully. It might take a combination of devices or even locating your i/O linc near the actual doorbell.

Get your volt meter out and start taking some readings and figure out how power is run to your doorbell. This will give you a good idea on how the system works.

[mrceolla]

Sorry DanITman, I never got an email about your reply. To explain a few things further, I am talking about a 2nd doorbell, independent of the house doorbell. This doorbell will be placed next to the ioLinc and the transformer needed to power the doorbell. All wiring will be brand new and within inches/feet.

My main concern is, can the ioLinc handle the voltage and amps required to ring a standard doorbell?

Should the ioLinc serve as a switch on the positive or negative wire?

[Burrington]

You just need to wire the transformer output, door bell, and I/OLinc "C" and "NO" terminals all in series. Here is more detail:

1) Connect one transformer output terminal to the doorbell common terminal.
2) Connect the other transformer output to the I/OLinc "C" terminal.
3) Connect the I/OLinc "NO" terminal to the other doorbell terminal. There will be two if the doorbell has a single and double chime. Choose the one you want.
4) Connect the input side of the transformer to 110 VAC.

Typically this wiring would be done with solid conductor "Bell wire", but in this application, almost anything you have laying around will work fine.

Make sure you use the the momentary feature on the I/OLinc so it just activates the chime for a second or two. If it is activated continuously, you could burn out the door bell electromagnet.

[mrceolla]

Thanks so much for your reply Burrington, and sorry for my delay. I am no longer getting notifications for this forum for some reason. Checked spam folders and everything.

My transformer is a plugin type.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So, connecting to AC will be easy, but I'm a bit confused on which terminals to use on my transformer. The two outside terminals are labeled AC, and the middle one is labeled GND. Pardon my ignorance but which ones should I use, and if it matters, which should go to the IO Linc before the doorbell and which directly to the doorbell?

And, can I rest assured the amps/voltage flowing through the IO Linc will be well within the "5A @ 30 Volts (AC or DC)" limits?

Thanks so much!