mark32
Senior Member
- Location
- Currently in NJ
What is the purpose of the diode that comes with some chime kits. I know it is mounted on the button and it has something to do with the chime's musical notes but that's it.
Door Bells and Diodes
- Thread starter mark32
- Start date
- Status
electricguy61
Senior Member
I'm not an electrical engineer, but I know that without the diode, the doorbell only gives half a ring (ding, instead of ding-dong)
buddhakii
Senior Member
- Location
- Littleton, CO
Whithout any diodes it would chatter at 60 times per second.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
That's funny, but no. It's to allow the electronic chime to finish playing the song snippet.
mark32
Senior Member
- Location
- Currently in NJ
Larry, as you know, the diode is in parallel with the button, so I guess once the button is pushed, it initiates the electronics in the chime. Then when the button is released there is something about the diode that what, continues to allow enough voltage through to allow the chime to finish it's tune?
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Yes. The diode passes chopped (half-wave) DC, and the button bypasses the button with AC.
They make the circuit so AC is required to initiate the chime, but it will finish on chopped DC.
gar
Senior Member
- Location
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Occupation
- EE
090206-1946 EST
Never saw one, but my guess is that since it is in parallel with the button it charges a capacitor when the button is open. This charged capacitor then has the energy stored necessary to play the chime. When the button is pushed this shorts the diode, this is of no importance, but shorting the circuit at this point is a trigger to initiate the sound generator.
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Never saw one, but my guess is that since it is in parallel with the button it charges a capacitor when the button is open. This charged capacitor then has the energy stored necessary to play the chime. When the button is pushed this shorts the diode, this is of no importance, but shorting the circuit at this point is a trigger to initiate the sound generator.
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mark32
Senior Member
- Location
- Currently in NJ
Thanks again Larry, it's sounds magical.
gar
Senior Member
- Location
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Occupation
- EE
090207-1611 EST
Has anyone disassembled one of these chimes to determine how the circuit works?
I am much more inclined to believe that the continuous half wave rectifier input charges a capacitor for power, and that the AC signal initiates the complete chime cycle. I doubt that the reoccurrence of the half wave input following release of a button has anything to do with completion of the chime.
If the half wave signal has a trailing edge function with respect to the chime, then how does it not do something to the chime all the time the button is not pressed?
If the diode is not present, then the capacitor is not charged other than maybe a small amount when AC is applied. Thus, in this case an incomplete chime.
If the diode is present what happens if the button is held in for a substantial time? Does this change the chime operation vs a short push of the button?
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Has anyone disassembled one of these chimes to determine how the circuit works?
I am much more inclined to believe that the continuous half wave rectifier input charges a capacitor for power, and that the AC signal initiates the complete chime cycle. I doubt that the reoccurrence of the half wave input following release of a button has anything to do with completion of the chime.
If the half wave signal has a trailing edge function with respect to the chime, then how does it not do something to the chime all the time the button is not pressed?
If the diode is not present, then the capacitor is not charged other than maybe a small amount when AC is applied. Thus, in this case an incomplete chime.
If the diode is present what happens if the button is held in for a substantial time? Does this change the chime operation vs a short push of the button?
.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Gar, please let us know what you find out.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
ELA
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrical Test Engineer
I have never worked with these either but have heard of them.
heres something (at the bottom):
http://www.sporeinc.com/pdf/dbhelp.pdf
heres something (at the bottom):
http://www.sporeinc.com/pdf/dbhelp.pdf
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
You're mixing electronic chimes with electromagnetic ones.
Electronic chimes will finish the song if you hold down the button, even without the diode.
Electromagnetic chimes will hum and soon overheat with the button held continuously.
gar
Senior Member
- Location
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Occupation
- EE
090208-2029 EST
In post #5 mark32 indicated the diode was in parallel with the button. In post #13 ELH references a company that puts a diode in series with the button.
If a company has you put a diode in series with the button, then why didn't they put the diode in the chime.
If the diode needs to be in parallel, then there is a reason that it may need to be external to the chime for existing wiring. However, it might be in one central place rather than at the button(s). It would only be needed in one place for parallel buttons.
If you need more energy for the chime than can be obtained from a half wave rectified input while the button is being pushed, then the parallel means is a solution to such a problem. Otherwise it might mean a way to get around a patent.
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In post #5 mark32 indicated the diode was in parallel with the button. In post #13 ELH references a company that puts a diode in series with the button.
If a company has you put a diode in series with the button, then why didn't they put the diode in the chime.
If the diode needs to be in parallel, then there is a reason that it may need to be external to the chime for existing wiring. However, it might be in one central place rather than at the button(s). It would only be needed in one place for parallel buttons.
If you need more energy for the chime than can be obtained from a half wave rectified input while the button is being pushed, then the parallel means is a solution to such a problem. Otherwise it might mean a way to get around a patent.
.
lightspeed
Member
lightspeed
lightspeed
Hey Larry does the deer have a little doe?
lightspeed
Hey Larry does the deer have a little doe?
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
No, but I have a cabinet that does.
- Status