 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm planning on fitting a Ring Pro doorbell.
It requires a 24v AC power supply. Without going to a lot of trouble/mess/expense, I have no way of getting a separate feed to the doorbell.
I do have, on the interior wall directly behind where the doorbell will sit, an alarm keypad which is fed by an 8 core alarm cable. 6 of these wires are in use, two for the door contact and four for the keypad leaving two spare.
I'm hoping to wire the 24v transformer into the alarm mains supply at the alarm panel (coming from the fused spur) and send the 24v out the other side of the transformer required for the doorbell down the two spare cores of the alarm cable from the main panel and out the other end to the doorbell.
The cable run is around 5 or 6 meters. Will the alarm cable take 24v AC or will it all end in tears/fire? (It's running the current keypad at 14v DC).
I wouldn't, the electrical noise from the ac supply might cause problems with the data to the keypad,which could cause false alarms or have trouble turning your alarm on and off .
Bollocks.
Thanks gaze.
For what it's worth the transformer has an output of 15va. Would it be safe to give it a go and monitor the alarm or is it a definite no no?
I'll have another weigh up of getting a cable into the cavity.
Wireless doorbell instead?
I'm set on the wired version now, with the kids, family and friends a battery wouldn't last long and I prefer the idea of fit and forget.
Plus I'm stubborn and it's become a personal challenge.
I'm using 2pair phone cable (similar to alarm wire) from my transformer to my Ring doorbell, works fine.
The doorbell will draw very little current.
Have you tested the wifi yet? I've got the standard one (not the pro) and it has a range of about 2 inches. Had to buy a wifi repeater and situate it on the landing above the front door.
Not bought one yet, just weighing up how much of a ballache it would be to fit.
I get full wifi on my phone where the doorbell would sit so hopefully it should be ok.
Reading round it looks like the cable is rated to 50v, it's just now a question of will low voltage dc and ac behave down separate cores of the same cable? Probably not.
If I remember correctly it doesn't have to be 24v, I think it can be from about 8v to 24v if that's any help.
I suppose the AC could interfere as I don't think alarm cable is twisted pair inside. Pity it has to be AC as you could just go off the alarm keypad 12v DC supply. I wonder if the doorbell could be modified as I'm sure it only uses AC as that's what most people would have available there.
I'm not an electrician but I'd have thought that current would be more relevant than voltage.
Colp, that was my original plan to tap into the keypad supply but it is dc. I think the battery version can run between 8-24v as it just tops the battery up. The 'Pro' does need 24v.
Cougar, from memory it draws 0.6amps.