Troubleshooting Craftmade Wired Doorbells & Push Buttons
Get a plain-language answer to troubleshooting craftmade wired doorbells & push buttons, with setup notes, compatibility details, and links to related.
Updated: October 9, 2026Original publish date: November 19, 2021
Short answer: This page explains troubleshooting craftmade wired doorbells & push buttons in practical terms, with links to the products, setup guides, and troubleshooting steps that usually matter next.
- There needs to be at least 18 gauge wiring in the existing home for the new chime to work. (The smaller the number gauge of wire, the bigger the wire.)
- Next, the customer must consider the length from the doorbell to the actual chime unit and the transformer.
Transformer Information – Use 18 gauge wires on all Chime Installations
- T1610
- One 2-note Chime with all wires less than 50’
- T1615
- One 2-note Chime with any wire longer than 50’
- Two 2-note Chimes with all wires less than 50’
- T1630
- One 2-note Chime with all wires longer than 50’
- Two 2-note chimes with any wire longer than 50’
- Three 2-note chimes
- One 8-note chime with any wire longer than 50’
Troubleshooting Guide for Craftmade Wired Door Chimes & Doorbell Buttons
Problem: Chime will not work
Potential Remedies
- Check to make sure that the circuit is complete to the chime and that there is power from the breaker.
- Make sure the light on the button or buttons is/are lit.
- Make sure there is at least 18 gauge wire being used everywhere (from the buttons to the chime and from the transformer to the chime. The wiring can be larger than 18 gauge, but not smaller.
- Make sure that the transformer is 16volt. All Craftmade chimes must be 16 volts.
- Make sure that the correct wattage is used for the particular chime that is used.
- Craftmade transformers come in 3 different wattages. (see above) You can always use the larger wattage transformers as they will not hurt anything. Never use less wattage. The larger the wattage is better if you’re not sure.
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Which doorbell button do I need for a duplex?A duplex with one shared front door needs one button per unit on a single plate, so each visitor can ring the right household. Pick the Lee BC203 if the chimes are electronic or.Is there a doorbell button for three apartments?Yes. The Lee BC208 three-family station puts three unlighted buttons and three name plate pockets on one plate about 7 inches tall, in polished brass or polished chrome. Each.Can one transformer run two doorbell chimes in a two-family house?Yes, if the transformer has enough capacity. Two mechanical chimes on a 16V 10VA transformer is marginal; a 15VA unit such as the T1615 handles two, and a 30VA unit or the DH910.Can I keep separate transformers for each unit with a two-family button?Yes. Each button on a Lee two-family or three-family station is an independent switch with its own two terminals, and nothing on the plate connects one button to another. One.Why does my lighted doorbell button hum or not ring with an electronic chime?A lighted button passes a small current through its lamp and the chime all the time, which is what keeps the button glowing. Mechanical chimes with tone bars ignore that trickle..