Comments on: HOWTO: make a bell-ringing Arduino doorbell

By: hadlock

hadlock — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This seems like a good “build a better mousetrap” challenge. How simple can you get while still maintaining functionality? It seems that you could attach two live wires to the door bell with a fuse and a 120v momentary solenoid attached to the hand bell (via a long stick). If you had a larger bell you could use the solenoid as a hammer and some old piano keyboard parts. A microcontroller is neat, but seems wasteful for this project.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My grandparents house had a wire sticking out through a hole next to the door. You pulled the wire that was connected to a bell inside, causing the bell to swing and ring. I guess I fail to see how an added microprocessor improves on their system in any way.

If you rigged a tesla coil into the system I would be more excited.

By: PaulR

PaulR — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Bonus: if the clapper falls out of the bell, the noisy servo motor still lets you know that there’s someone at the door.

/and that, y’know, the clapper fell out.

By: GraemeM

GraemeM — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t agree with the use of the work hacking in this context. The Arduino boards are “just” a processor and some IO connections, this is what it is built for. Hacking implies breaking something apart and rebuilding it to do something tit was not designed for.

By: GraemeM

GraemeM — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Why do I only spot my spelling mistakes just after I hit submit?

By: John Montgomery

John Montgomery — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

To address some of the feedback here.

@PaulR and @EH – yep servo is relatively loud. I plan on muffling it in the future, as the doorbell will eventually be covered/decorated/dressed.

@Anon, @hadlock, @Blinde Schildpad and @fantasygoat – Arduino/microprocessor is overkill, but this was the easiest option *for me* with relatively little electronics knowledge or having to put holes into the walls of rented accommodation.

@RedShirt77 – believe it or not that’s my kitchen.

@Digilante – that’s probably my arm.

By: fantasygoat

fantasygoat — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I would hardly classify anything involving an Arduino “cheap”. Also, major overkill – some discrete circuitry could easily replicate a single ring.

If he wanted the bell to play a little tune, I could see using the Arduino.

By: Blinde Schildpad

Blinde Schildpad — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’d use Ropeâ„¢.

By: Digilante

Digilante — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Is that a UFO in the blue monitor on the bottom right, or is the cameraman just really happy to see me?

By: RedShirt77

RedShirt77 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Why is he testing this in a bathroom?

By: cleek

cleek — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Honeywell wireless doorbell and chime: $11.47

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-RCWL105A1003-Plug–Wireless-Button/dp/B001G0MATM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1289407984&sr=8-3

By: EH

EH — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

REE-REE ding REE-REE ding REE-REE ding

By: Roy Trumbull

Roy Trumbull — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My favorite DIY project was made by a friend’s father. In their suburb there were lots of large dogs left free to roam. For some reason they all favored peeing on garbage cans. So they put their can up on a fork lift pallet to get it off the ground and wired an automotive spark coil between it and ground. Pavlov was right.