Reinstating servant's bells

[ireneadler101]

Hi all,

Has anyone had experience reinstating servant's bells in their house? We have no remaining bells or bell pulls, but the wiring is still there under floorboards and in pipes in the walls (as are holes in the plaster where the pulls went). We thought it would be nice to reinstate one but aren't really sure where to start...

 

[Me!]

There was this discussion about it last year which may help you -
https://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16111&p=219829&hilit=annunciator#p219829

 

[ireneadler101]

Thanks very much - the bell system that we had originally was the traditional bell and wires. Working out how to wire it up is proving tricky though!

 

[Westholme]

How do you summon your servants now?

 

[paulc]

This is the 21st century, so one would use an app for that. :lol:
No need to get up to pull a cord or press a button.

 

[Owain]

Thanks very much - the bell system that we had originally was the traditional bell and wires. Working out how to wire it up is proving tricky though!

It's very easy: battery---push---indicatorcoil-*-bell---battery for each push. All the indicatorcoils will have a common connection * so the bell is in series with all the indicatorcoils.

 

[Me!]

... bell pulls, ...

Ah, do you mean that your system is entirely mechanical and not electric at all?

 

[CliffordPope]

... bell pulls, ...

Ah, do you mean that your system is entirely mechanical and not electric at all?

It would help if you could detail exactly which bits you do have remaining, as the two systems are entirely different and have no components in common:

Electrical - Push-buttons, electric wiring, electro-magnetic display board plus a single electric bell. Low-voltage battery or mains step-down transformer like a door bell.

Mechanical - Pull cords or levers connecting to wires and then to a display of numerous dangling bells. No indicators necessary because the trembling bell indicates the call origin.

Mechanical systems are very complicated because the wires have to run through aligned holes in the walls, joists and ceilings, and use special pivotting levers to change direction. Sometimes there are flexible wires or light chains running round pulleys. The runs need tensioning at the bells in order to take up the slack.
If all you have are the wires then you are still lacking all the vital components - wire is just wire.

I did install a single mechanical bell in our house so that a call at the front door rang in the kitchen. I started just for fun, having found a bell with the springy bracket in a junk shop. I then slowly accumulated enough levers and a pulley, and used a mixture of thin galvanised garden wire and a car speedometer cable round the pulley.
Finally I had to educate the users to give a single not too vigorous pull, not keep yanking the handle and breaking or stretching the wires.

An electrical system would be much much simpler, but not such fun.

 

[paulc]

Finally I had to educate the users to give a single not too vigorous pull, not keep yanking the handle and breaking or stretching the wires.

An electrical system would be much much simpler, but not such fun.

Oh I don't know... Wire the bell bull so that it becomes live after one pull. That would discourage the over use of the bell :twisted:

 

[ireneadler101]

We have a mechanical system, with the wires and pulleys (but no bells - although these can be bought). You can also see where the bell pushes used to be. I suspect we will have to re-route the wire and wondered if anyone had done this before. I'm sure it's possible!

 

[CliffordPope]

We have a mechanical system, -------------------- You can also see where the bell pushes used to be.----------------------- I suspect we will have to re-route the wire

You seem to have the remains of both systems.
mechanical = pull cords or handles, connected to wires that after a possibly convoluted route, jangle the bells,
bell pushes = push-button switches that ring electric bells, connected by low-voltage wires.

"wire" has a diffent meaning in each context.

 

[Cubist]

Just a word to the wise now that the more practically minded have commented.

A few years back my daughter presented me with a Tea Bell, the kind that would sit atop the reception desk at Fawlty Towers, as one of her novelty gifts at Christmas. On spotting this toy and realising that I would not be able to resist, the First Lady reminded me that she had received a set of those rather deadly Japanese kitchen knives and that any misuse of my gift, correction - any use, would result in her finishing the job started by my vasectomist some years before!

That said though, given your handle, I suspect that its Sherlock that should be worried.