Byron 1217 Wired Wall Battery Operated Bell Kit

I used to have a Byron intercom fitted to my front door but recently it ceased to operate. I had it for some twenty years and at first thought the battery was low, but unfortunately this wasn't the case.

Due to needing a door bell I tried some wireless models but they didn't provide what I needed, so it was back to my local shop again and this time I bought a wired model, a Byron 1217.

Inside the usual blister pack you have a bell push, an electric bell and about 5 meters of twin wire. The units I had were white with the bell in black. The plastic has a good feel to it. Not a flimsy construction. It may well be ABS plastic though I am not certain. There is a clear instruction leaflet, with diagrams in eight languages and also instructions on the cardboard backing to the pack.

The bell push has to be installed outside so you will have to make a hole in either the door directly or through the surround if you are fastening this to a wall. That wire has to get inside the house somehow. This wasn't a problem for me as I already had a small hole through the door.

This bell unit takes two 1.5v "D" size batteries, which are not supplied with the kit. I have seen it advertised as taking a single "C" size, perhaps the specification has been changed as even Byron's web site states a single "C". There does appear to be a certain amount of confusion as I have seen one web site that says on one line 2 batteries and one further down only a single one!

It does say improved louder on the packaging. Fitting is very easy. First you prize up the white outer cover to reveal the battery compartment. Then you have to insert the batteries making sure that you have them the right way round. There are plus and minus signs impressed into the plastic body. On the underside of this bell unit are two screw terminals where the wire is attached. There is a small cut out slot in the body where the wires can fit for when the unit is mounted. This can be done by either using a keyhole slot at the top or by using two through holes that are one at the top of the battery compartment and the other towards the lower end of said compartment. If you are using that method, the cover is replaced after the wires are attached and the unit mounted flush to the wall.

This unit must NOT be used with any transformer. There are no means of connecting one and you would have to alter the circuit yourself, which is not recommended. It would immediately void any warranty.

This is a basic electric bell. There is nothing fancy about it at all. The tone of the bell can be altered by means of a screw in the centre of the bell. It does produce quite a loud ring sound and is marketed as having a louder ring sound.

There are some instructions included with this pack on paper and inside the cardboard packaging. Also included is a warranty card, stating this can be filled in on-line though I found this impossible to complete due to some compatibility problems. You are advised to avoid mounting the bell above a source of either heat or damp. You are advised to mount in some central location and quite high up. This allows the sounds to be reflected off any nearby walls and thus spread around.

Outside, in the weather, you have only one moving part in the bell push. It is supposed to be waterproof so it should give many years service. Replacements for this can easily be obtained though they do advise not to use one with a light source. That would soon drain any battery.

Inside the bell unit you do have the standard electromagnetic mechanism to strike the bell. This also should last quite some time. The manufacturer does offer a two year warranty. The battery life is assumed to be one year for 20 rings a day usage. Naturally if you have fewer callers the battery will last longer. When the bell tone starts to sound weak the batteries will need to be replaced.

In my house my wife and I are not always in the same room, sometimes she can be upstairs and I can be in my workroom, so a bell system was required that could sound quite loudly to be heard inside several rooms. As mentioned I have tried wireless models but these proved less than satisfactory. This however produced a clear, sharp tone that is quite audible when I am in my workroom with the door shut and the radio playing or even when the television is on.

I have seen cimilar models for sale on eBay for quite a variety of prices from just over £12 to nearly £20, Amazon has it for £11.56 from a RRP of £16.34 though these appears to be the "C" model rather than the "D". I paid £19.99 from my local shop as I didn't have the time to shop around and wait for delivery.

Now all I have to do is get used to it.