RING DOORBELL PRO - can I use a plug? or need transformer?

Looney14

i have no existing doorbell....i want to get the pro cos its hardwired and my consumer unit it close to door.

but how easy is it to connect it all up? does anybody have any experience?

electricians are charging £200 !
the doorbell cost £140!!

so i want to see how easy it is.....

from what i understand the transformer goes in the consumer unit.....
and then i have to somehow join it to the bell.....

i cant find a video on YouTube showing setup without any doorbell in place...



also has anybody got any experience with the plug?

it would suggest no transformer or anything else is needed!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doorbell-Adapter-BECEMURU-Battery-Charging/dp/B07PDDMNML/ref=asc_df_B07PDDMNML/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309941771417&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2434409726396992250&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045888&hvtargid=pla-789018218049&psc=1

navarro67

Hi @Looney14 I put one in last year.  Presume you're in the UK like myself  as you're talking in £'s.  If you follow the manual it assumes you have an existing Chime local to your door, you have to replace the breaker at the Consumer Unit, re-wire the chime etc. etc.  It's a bit convoluted - and I'm an electrical engineer!.

Also be careful of the power rating of any plug you buy as  I believe the Pro has a different power consumption to the standard Ring Doorbell and the later Ring Doorbell 2 - so be wary of the plug in your Amazon link, I'm pretty sure they operate at different VA ratings.

I have a standard 3 pin socket outlet by my front door.  I found a plug in transformer rated to the same voltage and power as the Ring Pro - it was being sold as a replacement lighting connection, cut back the pre-terminated connection to expose the bare wires and connected those directly to the two pins at the back of the pro

navarro67

I wrote on this before actually, just dug that up -  the adapter I used, if of interest, is on the below link:
500ma 24v AC/AC (AC Output) Power Adaptor

Was quite hard to find one close to the correct rating as doesn't appear to be particularly common rating - Rating of Ring Pro transformer = 15VA / 24V = 625mA) .
I bought two adapters originally - 500mA and the next one up (700mA). Started with the 500mA (slightly lower rating than the suplied transformer) - worked perfectly - still owrking perfectly over a year later.

I connected the bare wires with spade terminals - I soldered mine, but you crimp them alternatively - you can get some crimped connectors complete with crimping tool pretty cheaply.

Looney14

Hi @navarro67 - yes i'm in UK London mate. the electrician's prices are just crazy and i'm hoping me and a friend who is fairly comfortable with electrics can do it this weekend.

i really want to use the bell but can't be paying £200 for install!

so hopefully we can do it!!

i don't have a plug near my door sadly.
but do have my fuse box (with 2 spare for ring transformer) nearby
as you say i have no existing doorbell.

so i really just want some brief guidance ideally on how to go about this.

the manual isnt fitting for my situation as you said.
i cant find a youtube video for my situation either

so any advice people can give on the install of transformer to CU or the actual wiring is much appreciated....

navarro67

Hi @Looney14 I believe the doorbell can be wired straight from the transformer - although Ring do reccomend using the 'pro-power unit' to 'protect' the pro doorbell (presumably it has a fuse or provides some level of fault protection - as the correct voltage/power output is being provided by the transformer unit)

The reason I guess they show the existing chime route, is that in that scenario most of the wiring is already done - ie already have cabling from the consumer unit to vicinity of the door.  But strange they don't include other options in the manual.  All you do with an existing chime is re-use the existing cable and end up bypassing the chime anyway!

If you don't have an existing chime you need to have the transformer installed in your consumer unit, cable out (pair / 2 core), wire through the 'pro-power' unit, and on into the Ring doorbell.

There is a youtube video which may help with the principles:
                               
The transformer installation should be by a qualified electrician though - I could never suggest anyone unqualified to do it.  Might be worth trying to find a 'friend of a friend' leccy who can give you a cheaper price.  It's probably a 15-20min job for them tops.

Looney14

thanks for that video it just gets annoying that they keep talking about existing doorbell!

i wish there was just instructions for people without anything in place!!

in any case - can i please ask what type of doorbell cable or maybe its another type of cable from:

transformer > ring pro power kit

and then from pro power kit > doorbell itself?

Looney14

also - does the transformer need a MCB itself?? so therefore need THREEE spare slots???

cos i only 2!!!

navarro67

Unfortunately I'm not sure on the cable type off hand, but you would want as a minimum to match the cable core size of the connectors included in the ring pack, I'd take it to an outlet that sells electrical accessories/cables and get them to suggest best match - or your electrician would be able to advise.

In terms of the MCB - yes you'd need circuit protection at the source of that circuit.

For the space issues you could mount the transformer in a seperate din rail box, outside of the consumer unit, theres loads of them out there - just check the dimensions are big enough for the transformer

ufo550

I'm an electrician. Whilst fitting a transformer inside a consumer unit (CU) seems a neat solution, there are some considerations.

I'm not aware of any manufactured CU transformers (might be wrong), that do not required to be fed by an over current device, e.g. mcb. You therefore need 3 spares ways, although it could be fed via an existing mcb. This removes scope should new circuits be required in the future.

The cable from the transformer to the Ring, would need to be suitable for low voltage (inside the CU), bell wire will not suffice. If the ring device is some distance, then cabling to factor in volt drop will need to be considered.

You should not be installing a different manufactured transformer in another manufacturers CU, i.e. if you have a Wylex CU, you must install a Wylex transformer.

All in all, I would be considering installing a stand alone transformer near the Ring device.

Do not try & install low voltage devices or equipment yourself; you need to be a competent electrician and have suitable test equipment. If its a new circuit, as your suggesting, it needs notifying to local building control (England & Wales). IMO £200 for the installation, testing, certification & notification for a new circuit is not excessively high (especially in London). Its not a days work, but doesn't leave a lot of the day left to do anything else.

Get some more quotes.

Looney14

hi UFO

- turns out i have 3 spare slots so can fit the transformer in the CU and have bought a 6amp breaker too. so these can be fitted into the CU...

- i have a wylex CU and bought a wylex breaker 6 amp breaker
HOWEVER the transformer itself is from RING however so cant help its different brand....

- it terms of what cabling to use - i am stuck on this too....what sort of bell wire is suffice i have no idea?

some cable will go from the transformer in the CU to the "pro power" kit they suggest to use - and then to the bell itself.....if you can advise or provide a link to some cable that would be great...