Can't find doorbell transformer!

It might be helpful to remove the chime from the wall and look to see if the wires go up or down inside the wall. That will give you a clue where to go next.

Thanks for the reply.

I was able to find some wires that matched those coming out of the wall at the chime stuffed up in the ceiling in my furnace closet in the basement. As it turns out, the transformer was attatched to the switch box on my OLD furnace which I had replaced about a month ago. The furnace guys must not have known what it was for and just cut the wires and threw the transformer away with the old furnace.

My house was built in 1995. The doorbell quit working 8-10 years ago. I initially couldn't find the transformer and decided for the time being, it was okay for people to just knock on the door. Fast forward, it's 2015 and I finally decided to get the doorbell working. I have two outdoor buttons, neither were lit. I looked in the attic, crawlspace, closets--everywhere, no transformer. After going online and seeing what others have said about possible locations, I located it underneath the main service panel cover--not inside where you access the breakers; I had to take the whole service panel cover off the wall. One wire had become disconnected from the transformer. Hooked it up--both doorbell buttons lit up and they both work now.

Inside the panel are labels that indicate which breaker goes with what circuit for various rooms of the house. The one for the doorbell was not labeled--so I labeled it. I also took a black Sharpie and wrote the location of the transformer on the inside of the bell cover--seems like that would have been a logical thing for the installer to have done in the first place.

Wow, I’ve lived in my house for 10+ years and gave up along time ago on finding my old transformer. I’m pretty mad at the builder for making me look so hard, but I found it thanks to your blog. It was behind the electrical panel after all, but attached to the outside of the box, behind the drywall. Jeesh, I’m pretty handy sometimes but I could live without the hide and seek. Guess the black and green wire leaving the inside top of my box should have been a clue. Thanks Bob Vila.

Wow, thank you!

try a circuit testing: at the bell both wires go to the transformer thru the switch, close the circuit try a tone generator

I have same problem with Mike. I cannot locate the transformer. The old home owner didn't label anything for door bell either on main circuit. I would like to replace but unsure where to look

We have been looking for our doorbell transformer for a long time in our home built in 1999. We just found it in the crawlspace attached to the furnace.

Installed 2 'Ring Pro' doorbell systems today. Front door/back door. It worked for about an hour and the back door went dead. They told me to locate the transformer which I've never even thought about (my husband & I built this house 25+ years ago) and I have no clue where it is located. The interesting thing is...when I tried to turn off the power to the doorbells, no logical breaker shut off the power. I ended up turning off the whole house; to be safe. Is the doorbell power generally connected to a specific breaker?

Wow, who know a post from 2003 would help me in 2020. I had been looking everywhere for my doorbell transformer all to no avail. Never giving up the fight, I kept trying different internet searches and there was bobvilla forum. The tip to try the furnace closet was the magic tip. I finally found my doorbell transformer putting out 0 volts. It was there since 1968 and worked well all this time. as soon as I hooked up the Ring Doorbell 2, all of a sudden it stops putting out voltage. Very strange..... if I replace the transformer, will Ring kill the new one also... I don't know... only one way to find out.

Just had a new furnace installed and noticed that my doorbell doesn't work. Could the transformer for the door bell been attached to the switch box on the old furnace? If so, what can I do to install a new transformer? thanks.

Mine was attached to the furnace. Look for a metal box with red and white wires attached!

Everyone posting in this forum... THANK YOU. I never would have found that transformer. Check the furnace! Mine was right there.

Thank you

Thanks for the clues! Discovered that the breaker that removed doorbell power was labeled "Sump pump; various outlets". Eventually thought to look near sump and found the transformer plugged into the outlet that the pump was using. I had this house built in 1975, and only now (in Feb 2021) am discovering the location of this transformer!

I have looked in all those locations to try and find my transformer. Could it be attached to a wall outlet or to my front door lighting? Foray?

I checked the attic, garage, garage lighting and door, furnace!

Mine was in the wall behind the chime.

I can't find mine either. Looked everywhere. When I look at the wires at the doorbell they are old, not colored. The wires at the chime are red white green and black. I did find a white and red wire running in the attic, but they go down the wall and then I lose them. Could the transformer be in the attic somewhere?