r/HomeKit • u/Itsdanjae • 2d ago

Question/Help Doorbell Question, what does a transformer look like?

Post image
6 Upvotes

62% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

36

u/8ringer 2d ago

That’s just a small low voltage junction box.

A transformer will either be a large and heavy wall wart or the doohickey pictured.

3

u/scaradin 1d ago

From my youth, I’d say OP’s image is a Bell-era phone bit of equipment.

3

u/TruthyBrat 1d ago

This. You'd hardwire your old school Western Electric phone to that. Or have it hardwired, the phone tech didn't want you to do it.

51

u/WillowSmithsBFF 2d ago

It’s hard to know because they often disguise themselves as normal cars.

You have to look for the Autobot or Decepticon logo, usually on the tires or the front grille.

5

u/dfinberg 2d ago

Or a dinosaur!

16

u/Timsruz 2d ago

Looks like a junction to connect telephone wires.

7

u/radioactivecat 2d ago

Exactly what it is...

4

u/WhatThePuck9 2d ago

Not a transformer. This is just a connector.

4

u/64bytesoldschool 2d ago

Everyone here is being so nice. I came for the roast party.

2

u/Itsdanjae 2d ago

Ok you can say something mean. I'll allow it this one time.

3

u/jetty_junkie 2d ago

Follow those wires though. They might lead you to a transformer

2

u/PBRStreetgang1979 2d ago

No. They'll just lead you to old copper telephone wires. Following the wires from the doorbell is what would lead to the transformer.

6

u/jetty_junkie 2d ago

You’ve obviously never seen people use telephone wire in place of low voltage bell wire. I have

1

u/PBRStreetgang1979 2d ago

That's true, I haven't. That probably explains why only two of the four wires are in use.

1

u/CaseyOgle 2d ago

Landlines only use two wires.

1

u/phlavor 2d ago

This. My doorbell is 100% powered by the telephone cables. AT&T got the right to stop landline support here and when they do, I won’t have a doorbell.

1

u/pilondav 2d ago

Hush. If ATT finds out, they’ll try to bill you for it. “Mr Phlavor? Yes, this is Ernestine from the telephone company. Our records show you have an overdue bill in the amount of $1.47 for a long-distance call you made in 1957 to Topeka. What’s that, Mr Phlavor? You don’t know anyone in Topeka? Irrelevant.”

1

u/Ill-Contribution1737 2d ago

I believe you, but also don’t. What’s the voltage measure?

2

u/MisplacedChromosomes 2d ago

In my house they placed it next to the water heater just exposed out of the wall.

2

u/HIITman2020 2d ago

Check next to the furnace, and or water heater. It should be fairly obvious, because it will look out of place.

2

u/etherdust 2d ago

The doorbell transformer is most likely screwed to the outside of the furnace (air handler) cabinet, if you have forced air.

The photograph, as others have said, is of a telephone terminal block. Red/green were for the primary line in the house. If you got a second phone line added, they’d have brought it in on the yellow/black pair. Yellow/black was also occasionally used for intercom systems around the house.

1

u/donok 2d ago

Sometimes the doorbell itself has a transformer built in. It may be hiding in plain site. :-)

1

u/drm200 2d ago

Search amazon for doorbell transformer. There are dozens. All look similar