I need a part for my doorbell...

[SoupDragon]

And I don't know what its called!

I have the iron pull thing outside the house.
I have the bell inside the house.
I have wire.

What I need is a replacement bit that makes the electrical contact when you pull the doorpull outside. The one that is there does;t work very well.

I have tried googling but have had no access as yet.

Assuming it was manufactured in the last 40 years, there is probably a microswitch inside the housing fixed to the ceiling or wall that the ring hangs from There is more chance that a wire has come loose in a connection than that the microswitch is worn out or damaged though.

There could be a wiring fault inside the house, or at the bell, or at the power supply.

Microswitches are usually in common sizes and shapes and easy to replace, but you will have to open the enclosure to get the old one out. Or else buy a complete new assembly including the wall fixing and the pull, which will be far more expensive.

Are you competent to use screwdrivers and a multimeter?

Oh, it's nothing so complicated as that. :o it is entirely possible that this part of the bell is 1930s original.

It is a metal cylinder on a spring.
There are two metal contacts shaped like the road sign which indicates the road narrows on both sides.
You pull the bell pull and the cylinder slides to the narrow bit of the two contacts completing the circuit.

This is the bit that needs replacing. I have tried taking it off and renovating it but it's just not making proper contact to trigger the bell easily.

Having googled, it seems I could easily convert it to a manual bell by putting up wire and pulleys and attaching this to the actual bell.

Thanks for answering my extremely dull thread though :)

I doubt you can buy one to fit. It would be possible to make new parts from brass sheet though.

have you cleaned off all the tarnish with duraglit (and a green pan scourer if necessary)? do the parts need to be bent together slightly gor a better contact?

The non-electric jangly bell would be very 1920's.

Is it worth trying people like Lassco or Willow and Stone? Both are reclamaition places, and might have some knowledge...

I don't understand why I can't find one. I can find the bells, the pulls, pulleys and wire for mechanical ones but not this ridiculously simple switch thing. I thought "Oh, I'll just google it, I'm sure to find one online."

I'm going to have to take it down and take it apart again I think. Last time I bent the connector thingies too much and the bell was permanently on - not good!

I don't want to spend a fortune on it. Everyone uses the bloody teeny door knocker instead of pulling the big wrought iron thing . It just bugs me that it doesn't work efficiently.

I apologise for the way I've spelled 'reclaimation' above

Would some kind of electrical engineers' warehouse have one?

Would washing machine 'brushes' fit? they are shaped a little like that...

I didn't notice any spelling mistake :)

I shall look at suggestions (thanks) and google some more and, failing that rig something up with the existing one, some tin foil and some crap from the garage.

Not actual crap you understand.

:o We've a post it note saying 'ring this'. They don't.