As you know, the theatre begins with a hanger, and the house – with a door mat and a bell. The progenitors of modern models – mechanical devices appeared a long time ago. In fact, these were ordinary bells that helped visitors delicately indicate their presence and attract the attention of the hosts.
At the beginning of the 20th century, models were invented that were equipped with a handle, the rotation of which helped to extract sound. The next stages of development were electromechanical and, finally, electric bells.
Choice of doorbell
Today there are a lot of call options. And they differ much more than bells, which differ in size and decorative nuances. The choice is determined by various factors – the installation site, the stability of the power supply, the size of the room.
Types of calls
Colourful mechanical doorbell can still be found in homes. The usefulness of such models, especially in spacious rooms, confidently tends to zero. Mechanical products are only suitable for the role of spectacular design elements.
Electromechanical devices
They are made based on a coil and a resonator. The supply of current sets in motion the percussion mechanism, which is attracted to the core and comes into contact with the metal plate. The loudness of the signal is determined by the size of the resonator. The simplicity and reliability of the design, as well as the ease of installation, clearly speak in favour of this option. There were also some drawbacks: electromechanical calls do not differ in a variety of melodies and do not work during power outages.
Electronic models
They are somewhat more complicated: instead of a primitive plate, the sound is reproduced by a speaker, and the control is carried out by a “smart” filling. For devices, volume control and ringtone selection functions are available.
There are two types of electronic calls: wired and wireless:
Wired: like electromechanical counterparts, cannot work without electricity. Most are powered by 220 volts. There are also low-voltage options designed for 12 and 24 V. The devices allow you to “clean up” the volume when you want to relax, as well as change the annoying melody. In addition to the constant need for electricity, the disadvantages can be considered the need to pull wires and drill walls to remove them from the apartment.
Wireless calls: are equipped with autonomous or combined power supplies. Battery-powered devices may also have the ability to be connected to the network. The button located outside is a transmitter from which the signal is sent to the receiver – a unit with a speaker located in the apartment. The advantages include ease of connection and independence from the availability of electricity. Among the minuses – the need to replace batteries, sensitivity to low temperatures.
Subtleties of choice
If you want to choose a model with the loudest signal, for example, for installation in a large room, you need to look for a suitable option among electromechanical devices.
The cost of products is determined not only by the popularity of the brand and the number of additional functions, but also by the melody. The price of goods that produce intricate trills is higher than that of bells that produce standard sounds.
For outdoor installation, special models are best suited. They are distinguished by a high-strength body with an anti-corrosion coating and protective parts like a visor that protects from rain. They are not afraid of temperature changes and can be operated at temperatures from -40 to +40°C.
Other things being equal, it is more practical to choose products from a reliable manufacturer. This is especially important when purchasing wireless devices. The fact is that cheap models often turn out to be very “gluttonous” and quickly discharge batteries.
Wireless calls with an analog signal are relatively cheap, but can bother owners with false positives. Overlapping areas of action by other devices installed at the neighbours also causes inconvenience. More advanced and expensive digital wireless calls are less susceptible to interference and often feature frequency selection.
Conclusion
Wireless products are not suitable for installation in places where there are obstacles in the signal path – structures made of concrete and metal. So, choose the right one accordingly.
