old fashioned servant bell box

Joannag_2

I have moved into a 1950's house with an old bell box. All the rooms have bell (push button types) but none of them work, some have obviously had the wires damaged. Has anyone heard of them being repaired before, who would you approach and would it be a waste of money for obviously a novelty item (ding dong my wine glass is empty darling, the novelty wouldn't wear off for me!)

Thanks Jo

mrs_baggins

cant help you at all I am afraid but I am sooo jealous. That would be fab! I guess it wouldnt be anything as simple as getting a competant electrician in or diy-er to re wire just one and see how it goes?

epz_2

arnt they just double core wires like speaker wire rigged in parallel, push switch closes the circuit and triggers a bell.

i would probably sort it myself as though i hate electrical probs its a nothing job to test.

1, i would short the point where they join the bell box, if it rings then it proves it is ok.

2, test the buttons with a multimeter, if they close the circuit then it isnt the switches,

3, its likely a break in the wire somewhere, unless the wireing is exposed or easy to get to i would give up at this point since its likely easyier to hack together a wireless system than rerunning the wireing after you factor in the hassle of digging into the walls and redecorating.

knightstyle

As a retired electrician I took out loads of these in the 60s and 70s.
Some only rang a bell usually with a 6v battery, but quite a few worked a box which had a battery, a bell and a relay system whereby the wire from the bellpush went to a coil which started a flag swinging back and forward in front of a little window in the front of the box and rang the bell. They came with various numbers of windows and each window had the relevent room written under it.
These bell pushes are easy to dismantle and clean but the wires have probably had it. Easy to rewire with bell wire.
I found an old book on home electrics in a jumble sale which explained the system but got rid of it when we moved. Might be worth looking in secondhand book shops etc.

andrew-b

...or if have multi-handset cordless telephones they usually have an intercom function..no need to even get up to go push the button then!

...or the true money saving way...shout?

Andy

Joannag_2

Ha ha Andy! Have tried shouting but proper walls (ie can't even hammer a picture hook in) mean seriously can't hear each other very well! Lol Mrs Baggins, agree they are fab. My inlaws have bells and they still let me marry their son despite my childish bell use on my first visits to their house!
Thanks epz and knightsyle will refer your answers to husband and various men I seem to have working in the house at any one time and will let you know how I get on!

Jo x