The phantom doorbell!.......

[Gavin John Hyde]

Called to a small job this morning, woman in her mid 40's says her doorbell is not working properly...
says it keeps going off but nobody is at the door as she can see the front door from her kitchen window.
So I arrive and check it over. The switch is in good order and the wires go all way back to the consumer unit, however it then gets a bit weird the wires are not even connected into the consumer unit anymore and are tied up next to it. the transformer is sat on top the shelf next to Cu covered in dust and grime and has been for some considerable time looking at it.
No voltage at all on the bell wires.
She is adamant she can hear the doorbell going but how do you tell her its all in her head! there is no doorbell and the old one is not connected!
Not one to make light of peoples mental health issues but she is clearly not the full ticket. Charged £20 for my time rather than usual call out fee as I didnt do much apart from put a blank plate and membrane grommet in the CU to fill a gap, dont want her poking inside.
For some reason i keep getting calls that in all honesty should be going to social services.

 

[123]

I've had phone calls to advertise in magazines the fire brigade or police or local doctors are publishing as the electrician. Maybe you have taken out such an advert in such a publication that's at the asylum?

 

[littlespark]

"Who you gonna call?"

Yep... that's right, for bell ringing poltergeists... call your local sparky

 

[static zap]

As we live longer , the Internet / or causal drugs
is there to help us get more paranoid .
(Does it look like she gets enough sleep ?)

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

As we live longer , the Internet / or causal drugs
is there to help us get more paranoid .
(Does it look like she gets enough sleep ?)

Doubt it if she keeps hearing a doorbell at all hours! it is likely keeping her awake.

 

[123]

As it's not the door bell, did you have a look at what could be making the sound - smoke alarms chirping or a CO alarm at its end of life for example?

 

[UKMeterman]

Or even perhaps her mobile phone can have apps that make doorbell sounds...

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

As it's not the door bell, did you have a look at what could be making the sound - smoke alarms chirping or a CO alarm at its end of life for example?

no heat or smokes in the house, no co2 alarm either. she said its the doorbell sound and even chirped her interpretation of it... would be strangest alarm if it was an indicator sound... I checked every socket for a plugged in one and in any case the bell wires go to nowhere. i even did a continuity test to ensure they were the right ones at the cu end

 

[ferg]

Did you find the sounder / ringer and get a look at it?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Did you find the sounder / ringer and get a look at it?

The bell/sounder is on the same shelf as the removed transformer. Both under heavy dust. Not been moved in a very long time. The bell has no secondary battery either.
The button outside has 2 wires that go to Cu and are not connected Everything todo with the doorbell is dead and disconnected.

 

[ferg]

Well that's me out of ideas then.

 

[static zap]

===Going for the Tangent===
Has she had a death in family .
(secretly wanting to hear the doorbell ring-Go back to old-times)
... But actually its a recurring dream --better remembered ..
Due to the "warmer"(putting it politely) Nights !
--- getting Smart phone to Mute on Night charge---(was another fave.)

 

[LankyWill]

“Not the full ticket” never heard that one but it’s sort of a polite way to say it. You sure she’s not just lonely and making it up for some company?

 

[The Ghost]

Sounds like another spark has been called in for the same reason and decided to dis-connect the transformer and maybe left it at that, some time ago by your description. You do seem to have an over the odds colourful customers call out rate considering your Bristol call out for the distressed lady in stapleton was it?

 

[ruston]

Could it be that next door have had a doorbell fitted and it is that she is hearing?
Is she adamant that it is the bell in the house , or is it just a 'bell' noise she is hearing?

 

[telectrix]

could it be the town crier, walking past, ringing his bell and shouting "bring out your dead"? .

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Sounds like another spark has been called in for the same reason and decided to dis-connect the transformer and maybe left it at that, some time ago by your description. You do seem to have an over the odds colourful customers call out rate considering your Bristol call out for the distressed lady in stapleton was it?

yes, staple hill just off the high street. It seems to be my interesting customers are all over your way @Vortigerm I swear the ring road is becoming a line that you cross at your peril.... stick to gentile bath folk...
Something about this woman makes me think that shes got issues, just an instinctive feel. In anycase there is no doorbell, her neighbours have no doorbells. and there is only one property either side.

 

[Squid]

For some reason i keep getting calls that in all honesty should be going to social services.

Maybe you "think" that you got a call and went to work......... just saying ;o))))))

 

[xmetal]

I've woken up in the night and thought I've heard the doorbell but must have been dreaming.

 

[Intoelectrics]

“Not the full ticket” never heard that one but it’s sort of a polite way to say it. You sure she’s not just lonely and making it up for some company?

This reminded me about a job I went out to once a good while back. Turned out that I had been recommended to this lady through a friend of a friend... When I got there she said that she had got a leaky tap under her kitchen sink and asked if I wouldn't mind taking a look. I got down under the sink and couldn't find a single leak or even any evidence of there ever being one. She remained adamant that there was a leak, so I tried filling the sink, testing the overflow, the waste outlet... nothing, dry as a bone. So I just politely told her she might be mistaken and it must have been a spill, or leaky container and left.

I found out a few months later that she was a single lady who was lonely and she had a thing for "builders bums" apparently she may have tried to / or taken a picture of my backside while I was bent down with my head under the sink.