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WOStantonCS100
01-02-2011, 22:35
"Don't turn up the volume. Turn down the world."

I just made one of the most significant upgrades to my audio gear. Yes... I disconnected my doorbell !!! I'm not joking. My late night listening sessions were always fraught with this underlying hum. :steam: Where is it coming from!? I looked everywhere. And, the hum seemed to come from everywhere; but, from nowhere. I put my ear to every component. I could hear the hum; but, it didn't seem to be coming from any of the components. Was it the refrigerator off in the kitchen; a light fixture?? Was the it the flippin' transformer outside!! It was getting pretty stupid. I was beginning to feel pretty stupid! :scratch: Then I looked up and lo and behold I saw it! It was the doorbell mounted to the wall. That's the source of the hum!!!!!!!! :doh: You've got to be kidding!!!

So, today I took the box off the wall. The electronic bell part came off pretty easily. BEHIND IT WAS A POWER TRANSFORMER LAYING UNATTACHED IN THE GANG BOX, HUMMING, RATTLING AROUND WHILE THE HUM WAS BEING AMPLIFIED BY THE HOLLOW WALL!!! To make matters worse, the transformer was on the same circuit that fed my audio gear!! Incredible. I'll have to post pictures later.

Now, needless to say, if you come by chez moi, be prepared to knock on the door.

HighFidelityGuy
01-02-2011, 22:50
Sounds like one seriously knackered doorbell. :lol: Congrats on tracking down the problem. You've got me wondering if my doorbell might be causing the slight hum I get through my right speaker. :scratch: I shall go and stick my ear next to it....

HighFidelityGuy
01-02-2011, 23:50
My doorbell does make a very slight hum. I might try disconnecting it at the weekend to see if that makes any difference.

WOStantonCS100
02-02-2011, 04:17
I say, "Go for it!"

I knew I wasn't nuts! If it smells like AC hum, looks like AC hum and tastes like AC hum, it IS AC hum. Hunt it down, and kill it!

Here's the nasty bugger before:

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz80/TCKA1ESa/Projects/IMG_7590.jpg

Note the nasty tranny wired directly in the wall.

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz80/TCKA1ESa/Projects/IMG_7592.jpg

and after :)

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz80/TCKA1ESa/Projects/IMG_7593.jpg

Now all we need is a bit of paint.

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz80/TCKA1ESa/Projects/IMG_7594.jpg

I can't wait to listen to some music tonight. It should be a revelation!

radio
02-02-2011, 08:21
job well done.sounds like youv got ears like me,hubby calls me supersonic lugs:lol:regards maria.

technobear
02-02-2011, 16:13
Why not replace it with a battery operated bell?

The batteries last for years so they're no trouble.

Mr Pig
05-02-2011, 11:06
We don't have a door bell. If they're not persistent enough to get our attention they don't deserve to get in! ;0)

Barry
05-02-2011, 11:09
We don't have a door bell. If they're not persistent enough to get our attention they don't deserve to get in! ;0)

Same here!

Reid Malenfant
05-02-2011, 11:13
Make that a third :eyebrows:

Mr Pig
05-02-2011, 11:19
Although parcels often fail to arrive and we found a dead Mormon in the front garden once.

Welder
05-02-2011, 12:20
Sorted! :lol:

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/053866972dc8b3fa9cdb8f99fcd0471304f39893e1a696f7bf ebd826131c1e8e2g.jpg (http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=1r9e3bp12p415o4&thumb=5)