This is for my condo's doorbell. Right now, outside my door, there is a doorbell that looks like any other condo doorbell - a switch.
Inside, there is wiring to connect to the mechanical doorbell chime.

The problem is - I'd like to replace the switch outside with a different doorbell - the August Smart Doorbell



The problem is, the August doorbell needs to be wired to 16-24v. I believe this means that I would need to step down the voltage with a transformer as I believe the voltage to our condo doorbells are 240v? How would I be able to do that connection?

I've asked around with renovation electricians and it seems like nobody understands it technical enough to do it. Are there any recommendations to anyone that can help me with this, or if I could purchase a transformer and DIY this - where and how would I go about doing it?

Will something like this work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JCL-BT8-8-Brand-Be...ell+transformer ?

Thanks!

This is in the back of the doorbell unit:


This also came with it:


and the back of it:


I have no idea what that back piece (2nd and 3rd pic) is - for all I know it might be a transformer. But it isn't called that in the manual - just a back plate.

The unit itself is labeled 16-24V AC as you can see, so that's why I thought that's what's required

The instruction/manual is extremely bare and doesn't say anything except connect it. It's meant for the US market after all.


Already planning to pay to do hacking for this if required to. Been asking wireman around and no one would do it as they are unfamiliar.

Yes, kena import tax on the whole thing. I bought the set with the August Smart Lock, Doorbell Cam and Smart Keypad. Did not consider the Ring. Reason for it is for airbnb digital lock - so I can remotely deal with digital keys, unlock remotely and a physical keypad in case digital is not my guest's cup of tea.


I think that's right - the doorbell is just a switch. Again, my reason for using it is for Airbnb purposes - where it makes sense as my unit is in Cyberjaya and I'm located in KL. Remote unlock for guests, digital keys and keypad unlock all will make 24 hr check in useful.

Right now, I don't have an existing indoor chime unit. There are the wires:

but I've not bought a unit yet.

Are you saying that I can buy a unit that has a transformer built in and then the switch would be 16-24V as it is a loop with the wire there? Any idea what kind of chime unit has that in Malaysia?

Thanks all for your input!

Hmm, I would prefer it to be option #1. Let me search around then. The door chime isn't easy to look for online. A lot of the sellers in Malaysia seem to only sell the cap ayam ones without brand and there isn't a lot of technical information available online. I'll post what I can find if I find anything. So that means if I get a door chime that has the correct voltage then the door bell would be at that voltage? Isn't the wire already wired to be 240v in a loop to the mains?

Gotcha. This will be something I look at if the alternative below fails. Been searching all day for a mains power unit (with built in transformer) with 220-240v in and 16-24v out but failed to find any. The combinations are typically 220-240v in and 8-12v out, or 110-120v in and 16-24v out.


Will do - once I have a good run of it integrated with the Doorbell. The Smart Lock itself, for now is alright in reliability. I DIY'ed the deadbolt and idk if it's too tight or something but the smart lock fails sometimes in unlocking the unit. Then I'd take the handle of the door, pull it tighter, then it'll open. Like it doesn't have enough power, but this might be due to the tightness due to a DIY'ed deadbolt.

Duly noted, tried to get numerous wireman to take on this task actually but all rejected. Also, this is an indoor condo doorbell so should be better.

Oh - that simplifies the explanation a lot.
Does that mean by putting the transformer there, I do not need to buy the door chime anymore? (And thus no ding dong when the door bell is pressed)
As for the lelong transformer, would this one from Amazon UK work as well? It looks much more... professional and reliable.

This post has been edited by Hikaru: Jul 21 2017, 09:53 PM

I don't know if you read, but "Bro Ozak" recommended on the last post to just buy a transformer and use that, and not what you proposed.
Also, you don't seem to try and understand the requirements either, since like I said, there isn't a 240V main supply doorbell with built in transformer that has a secondary voltage between 16V - 24V. The two combinations that I can find upon hours of research were:
220V-240V main supply - 8V-12V secondary voltage
110-120V main supply - 16-24V secondary voltage
The combination that I need to make this work - seeing that we're in Malaysia, and our mains is 220V-240V, and the August Doorcam requiring 16V-24V does not exist as one of the combinations.
Hence I can't just "buy an AC doorbell" because the combination required does not seem to exist.
You're also spreading misinformation by saying that the switch voltage should be 24V or lower, AC or DC. Firstly, AC is required and DC does not work. Secondly, it clearly states 16V-24V, and anything lower than that will not power the doorbell up. That means I can't just "buy an AC doorbell" which secondary voltage is 8V-12V and use it since it won't be enough power for the doorbell.

Now, I am trying to get a feedback to see if the transformer I linked should work as well, based on Ozak's last post regarding the fact that I can just use a transformer at the end point instead of a AC doorbell with built in transformer.

Uh, okay. I'm sure you've tried explaining what's needed to the wireman and they have accepted the job before.
What arrogance in determining that I am paying less money. Before the money conversation even comes up, they already rejected saying they don't have the expertise to do it, or that it's hard to find a suitable transformer. Don't know what your comment serves other than to be negative when you know nothing of the facts.

As with your prior random "warning" about wiring up the doorbell at 230V outdoors when my entire circuit is indoors within a condo, it clearly shows that you do not read at all and just try to be a smartass here. You're contributing nothing and is spreading misinformation towards others that might be using this resource next time to wire up their own units.

Regarding the chime - most chimes that are sold here in Malaysia are 240v primary but their transformers seem to be 12v secondary. Hence the transformers don't seem like they would work with the doorbell. No luck on finding a 16-24v secondary chime yet. Thus, like you said if I buy the chime, probably for the box, and then discard the transformer (since I need to replace it with mine) and the chime itself wouldn't work since the voltage is different, right?

Also, after some research:
The spec sheet given here that I could find (http://august.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/August-DoorbellCamSpecSheet.pdf) shows Power Requirement 16-24VAC ~ 50-60Hz 0.2A, thus technically the Amazon transformer would be enough.

Right now though, trying to find something accessible locally, I have so far found a bunch of transformers that I think would fit the bill including this:
http://my.rs-online.com/web/p/din-rail-pan...ormers/7762966/ - 25VA
or
http://my.rs-online.com/web/p/din-rail-pan...ormers/8802618/ - 63VA
or
http://my.rs-online.com/web/p/din-rail-pan...ormers/8802609/ - 40VA

Out of the 3, I believe any of them would probably work fine based on the spec requirements. Schneider is the only brand I recognize between the 3 of them, but the price is also significantly higher, and for some reason the 63VA one is cheaper than 40VA one. My current plan is to order one of the 63VA one and use that. I will try and ask a wireman to install for me, or do you think I can probably connect it myself? I assume 'DIN rail mounting' means there is some way for it to be mounted onto the circuit breaker area.

Thanks for the info. Considering this but trying to figure out how to wire it as it's outdoors, with no sockets around.

I have 0 skills in electrical wiring. Trying to figure this out as I have tried reaching out to renovation contractors / electricians and all of them shrugged and said they don't do. If I could buy this transformer recommended by DecaPix and then pay an electrician to have it setup without the headache for me I would do it in a heartbeat.

The question to me is, since it's outdoors (the doorcam bell), like literally outside the door, that would mean I would need to get a contractor to hack the wall to put in this cable and somehow go through the wall towards a socket near the door?

Or do you mean I can literally splice open this transformer's end wire and use it to feed the 2 yellow wire of this part:

and somehow figure out how to use the other 3 wires to power up the UK plug adapter side as well?

This post has been edited by Hikaru: Jul 26 2017, 11:11 AM

To be honest, my plan is to basically come out with a plan then ask the electrician affliated with the renovation company I used (he installed a few power sockets for me just 2 weeks ago) to actually do it. I approached him with the problem and he just said he cannot do. I know my limits and live 240v isn't a joke, I understand that.

That diagram makes total sense.
Outside, indeed there's already a doorbell switch (which should be removed and replaced)


Will ask electrician about this.

Thanks!

OK - After a few weeks I finally got the thing done, pretty much DIY due to, again, lack of electrician wanting to pick up the job (Probably too small job and too far or something). One electrician quoted me, then after agreeing to a RM170 rate (his proposal), no-showed on the day itself.

Anyway, I ended up doing it DIY, although the current setup still needs to be improved. This is how it looks right now:
on the inside
on the outside

The current setup works. The wiring up of the socket inside and the wires is easy enough. Need to find a cover to cover it though. On the outside, it is a bit challenging because the existing doorbell's panel cannot be reused, and the power cable is inside it, so I had to buy a TV antenna panel, remove the socket so there's a small hole for me to pass through the power cable, and drill and lock the doorbell cam onto the TV antenna panel itself. The doorbell itself, as you can see from the photo, is smaller than a regular size panel, and the ledge behind it as well (used to angle the doorbell towards the door). The ledge's screws are not two on each side in the center like our panels, so I can't just screw it in directly, hence the need for the TV antenna panel so I can screw the ledge onto the panel board.

After the initial charging (takes awhile - I charged it for about an hour before it would work properly), connected it to WiFi, and it works great! Whenever the doorbell is pressed, I get a notification on my phone in around 5-6s, and can accept it to connect to the camera to see the video live. At any point I can also use the camera as a CCTV of sorts to see the video live through the app. There is a motion detection recording feature which is alright so far but seems not sensitive enough - sometimes it does not trigger. Videos viewed, auto motion detected and if doorbell is pressed are all recorded and can be downloaded, although it does not stream the video 24/7 to their server like Nest's Dropcam does. Of course it also makes the August Smart Lock WiFi enabled - I can now see the status of the lock, control it (lock/unlock), get notifications/updates on it being locked and unlocked even manually as long as my phone has internet. Amazingly, the feature which I thought would require it - adding a guest for a specific time period did not even require the doorbell installed - it can be done remotely with the August Smart Lock not needing internet or bluetooth connectivity at all - I was able to add guest passes any time without being at the unit even before installing the Doorbell Cam!

Overall, so far - so good. If there are any questions on the usage - do ask and I'll try and answer. I need to box up the internal side, and probably redo the doorbell side to make it look better, but for now it functions great.

Again, you didn't read and you continue to run your mouth.

Yep, finally got it done!


1. Actually it's pretty center of the plate. But perhaps the angle of that photo makes it look as if it's one sided, and the wedge which is installed to make the camera face towards the right. If I remove the plate entirely, the doorbell is too small for the box it's in, and can't mount it properly, as the mounting screws for the concealed box is horizontal in the center like this the wall conceal box in this photo:

while the August's wedge mounting is:

Not the red circled ones, but the two on the upper left and bottom right. Would be a bit weird and difficult to glue it fit.
Here's another angle of the doorbell cam installed:

Anyway, yes, once I have more time I'll go out and find more options to figure this out to make it neater.

2. Yes, even before I had the doorbell cam installed, and when I'm in KL (My property is in Cyberjaya), I was able to assign guests on the go. That means I'm out of reach to the Bluetooth, and the smart lock was not yet connected to the internet. I was surprised as well, as the main purpose I wanted to install the doorbell cam was to be the internet gateway for the smart lock.

3. I will do that on my next visit to my property and post an update.

Cheers!

No, this is not what I mean
1. I did not have August Smart Doorbell installed at that point (Smart Doorbell = Gateway), connects Smart Lock to the Internet
2. I was not in Bluetooth range
3. I can add a guest as long as I have internet connectivity to the user list for the lock
4. The guest will need the internet connection to receive the virtual key. This can be done way before the check in time, for example, or anywhere with internet basically.
5. After receiving the virtual key, let's say the guest goes to the door, via Bluetooth can unlock the door directly through the virtual key. The guest does NOT need internet connectivity to unlock the door.

I don't buy it through Amazon directly. Every month or so I've a shipment of items from the States, and it came in together. Don't think there was duty on it, maybe just GST 6%.

I highly doubt the outdoor unit is water proof. I would not recommend the door bell especially if you plan to put it outside - the reason being the connectivity to the WiFi and Bluetooth is extremely bad. Even when my smart lock is less than 1m away (seperated by the wall only) it constantly drops connectivity both to WiFi and bluetooth to the door bell. Also, seeing how it's mounted, I highly doubt it's waterproof (You install the bottom plate then after that snap on the top on it, and screw it locked under)