The Ring Video Doorbell and all its iterations—from Ring Video Doorbell 2 to Ring Video Doorbell Pro—are a series of devices that combine a security Wi-Fi webcam capable of live streaming and saving recordings and a doorbell together in one device. It’s even capable of two-way audio communication between the person ringing the doorbell and yourself via Ring app. It’s a smart device too, meaning you can use it with other smart devices like your laptop, HDTV, smartphone, and tablet to check on who’s ringing your doorbell or who’s at your front porch.
On that note, if your doorbell isn’t ringing, then half of the reason why you bought the Ring Doorbell is now gone! You should find ways to get your Ring Video Doorbell operational or else you might as well buy a separate security cam and doorbell instead!
Ring doorbell not ringing: Here’s The Fix!
Here’s the nightmare scenario. Your Ring Doorbell has a security camera that works as well as an ordinary camera but it’s a webcam capable of live-streaming its feed and sending that stream as saved videos on the cloud (for a nominal fee). However, what if its doorbell feature malfunctions? What if the whole thing doesn’t work, from the doorbell to the webcam? What if it’s connected to an existing doorbell but that doorbell isn’t working as well?
Fixing your doorbell problems with the Ring Doorbell entails a bit of digging and research on what’s causing the issue in the first place. Once you get to the root of the trouble, then you can find the proper appropriate solution to fix everything. Fixing this problem should be approached on a case-by-case basis.
- Digital or Mechanical Chime: Which doorbell is being used that’s not working? Is your Ring Doorbell’s own digital chime not working or are you worried about the existing doorbell that was installed in your home first before you got a Ring Doorbell in the first place? If it’s connected to an existing doorbell that’s mechanical in nature, make sure that you’ve installed the module and the unit properly inside the mechanical chime. The module is what allows Ring Doorbell to control your existing doorbell. If it’s not properly installed then of course your doorbell won’t ring.
The module might come in other names like with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro it’s known as a Pro Power Kit. You can check the Ring.com website for more details. If you have a digital doorbell connected to your Ring Doorbell, it might instead be a transformer issue. You might have to consult with an electrician and talk to him about installing a better doorbell transformer so that both your Ring Doorbell and existing doorbell are getting sufficient power to work. You might also need, for example, the Pro Power Cable if you’re using the Ring Doorbell Pro. Ask your electrician for more details.
- Enabling The Correct Doorbell Setting: You might also be having doorbell chime problems with your Ring Doorbell because a setting on your Ring mobile app needs enabling. Some units might come with the doorbell chime disabled for some reason. There might also be a glitch that led to the setting of getting disabled instead of enabled from the start. Whichever the case, there’s a way to fix this. First off, open your app, select your Ring Doorbell, and then go to the settings screen of your Ring device in question to gain access to this feature.
To be more specific, go to the “Device Settings” button and tap onto it to access it. Afterwards, go to “General Settings” in order to allow you to select the “Doorbell Chime Type”. You might have the wrong chime selected, resulting in a low volume or nonexistent chime that makes your Ring Doorbell seem like an ordinary security camera with no doorbell function in the first place. Make sure the “Mechanical” and “Ring My In-Home Doorbell” is selected from the drop-down menu if there’s an existing doorbell connected to your Ring unit. Otherwise, chose a digital chime as appropriate for your needs.
- Reset to Factory Settings: You can also reset the Ring Doorbell unit to factory settings, which is otherwise known as a hard reset. This is something you can also use in order to fix other issues with your doorbell video cam, like if the Wi-Fi isn’t connecting or if you have audio issues with your 2-way audio intercom feature. This force restart or reboot should get your Ring unit back to its intended factory settings. You need to see instructions on your Ring unit in case it has an internal battery. Don’t mistake the hard reset for going to setup mode in 1st generation Ring Doorbells—that’s automatic and only works for fixing Wi-Fi connectivity problems.
Resetting is known to potentially fix the mechanical chime issue if it’s a software rather than a hardware problem. To do a reset, remove your Ring unit from its mount, gain access to its spine, and look for the orange reset button. From there, press and hold it for 15-20 seconds before releasing it. This puts it in reset mode. You’ll know you’re in reset mode if its lights start blinking. Let the unit reset for 5 minutes then reinstall it to check if that fixed the issue. Otherwise, if the problem still persists, it’s time to call Ring.com, its community support, a repairman, or Amazon in order to get it fixed, refunded, and/or replaced.
- Insufficient Power Symptoms: The doorbell not ringing might be a symptom of a bigger problem with your Ring Video Doorbell involving it lacking sufficient power to function, especially if your video camera and other features also stop working after a certain period of time. It might arrive out of the box as non-function or it might work for a couple of minutes and hours only to fail. Regardless, the symptoms of having insufficient power include lack of a working doorbell, losing home Wi-Fi network connection, and it freezing up or shutting down during the ring tone sound when you press a button.
If your Ring Video Doorbell unit works fine for a couple of hours or events then shuts down, then that’s another symptom of insufficient power. You can also check the Device Health for more details. In particular, there might be a problem if the voltage reading drops slowly at night when night vision is activated or for any other reason throughout the day. It might also be regularly shutting down as indicated by its white light turning off. If during live events it freezes up then it might have insufficient power. Additionally, if its internal doorbell isn’t ringing correctly or is warped then that’s another indication of power issues.
See more: Ring Doorbell No Power: How to Fix! – Tips and Tricks
- Minimum Voltage Required by The Unit: The minimum voltage requirement of a Ring Video Doorbell is 16 volts A/C at 20 volt-amps when connected directly to a transformer or your electrical socket through a plug. If your unit is getting insufficient power, it will act up, affecting everything from the fidelity of your digital doorbell chime to ringing your mechanical doorbell as well as working its webcam and other features. When used as an internal doorbell, it requires more power or about 30 volt-amps altogether. Check the voltage usage of your unit through the Ring app and select your model of Ring Video Doorbell. The “Device Health” tab will reveal everything.
You need at least 3,700mV of voltage for a unit like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro to work. The device might not ring your mechanical or internal doorbell, work its own digital chime, or simply work altogether if the voltage it’s getting is below the threshold. This might happen due to wire resistance and gauge that drops what’s normally 16 volts AC to much lower voltages. To fix your impaired doorbell or doorbell cam functionality, check how it’s plugged or get an electrician to install a proper transformer for your Ring unit plus mechanical doorbell to work. Furthermore, voltages above 4.05V can shorten your Ring Doorbell’s lifespan so don’t overdo the voltage increase.
Things of Note
For the most part, the digital or wireless Ring chime or chime variations inside the unit will work fine or even flawlessly when rung. The problem usually comes from the analog chime or bell inside your home or on the wall. Certain Ring Video Doorbell units can connect with any existing doorbell you have, but that usually results in problems due to improper or poor installation, so usually most people opt to use the digital chime of the Ring unit instead to simplify things.
Tying your Ring Doorbell to your original mechanical or wired doorbell usually results in disaster. To avoid such a catastrophe, it’s our recommendation that you use the doorbell that comes with your unit instead of your existing doorbell to prevent such problems. Otherwise, get an electrician to fix the wiring, doorbell transformer, or whatever else if you insist on using your old doorbell with your Ring Doorbell. You can also contact Ring Community Support at Ring.com or through telephone for assistance that includes repair, unit replacement, and refunds in accordance with the terms and conditions of your warranty.
References:
- “How to Solve Power Problems with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro“, Ring.com, Retrieved July 8, 2020
- “How to Troubleshoot: Mechanical Chime not Ringing“, POC Network, November 22, 2019
