Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

Select the location for your new doorbell chime. The chime should be located on a central wall in your house so you will be able to hear it no matter where you are. Use a drywall saw to cut a 1 inch-by-1 inch square. This is where your wiring will come out to attach to your new doorbell chime.
2

Locate the transformer. This will be located in either the basement or the attic, depending on where your breaker box is. Place the end of the black 18-gauge wire into the correct size hole in wire strippers. The wire should be sticking past the strippers by approximately 1/2-inch. Squeeze the handle of the strippers together and pull the stripper off the end of the wire to remove the plastic coating. Repeat with an 18-gauge white wire.
3

Bend both wires. Loosen the two screws on the front of the transformer. Wrap one wire around each screw. It does not matter which wire goes around which screw. In this example, the black wire will lead to the chime and the white wire will lead to the doorbell button.
4

Go to the opening you cut in Step 1. Send fish tape behind the drywall, towards the transformer. Most transformers will be in the basement. Turn the end of the fish tape so that it goes under the floor joists and over to the transformer. Go back to the transformer and wrap the black wire around the fish tape. Move back to the opening and reel the fish tape up until the wire comes through the hole.
5

Remove the cover from your new doorbell chime. Some covers have screws holding them in place while others have a locking tab. Underneath the cover you will see four clearly labeled screws.
6

Strip 1/2-inch off the end of the black wire. Loosen the screw labeled "transformer" on your chime. Wrap the black wire around this screw. Tighten the screw to secure the wire.
7

Strip 1/2-inch off the end of a new black wire. Loosen the screw labeled either "front" or "back" depending on which door the doorbell button will be associated with. Wrap the wire around the screw and tighten the screw.
8

Place the cover back on your chime box. The chime is now wired. The loose ends of both the white and black wire can be fished to the doorbell button.