Video Doorbell Chime Setup Guide UK¶

Q: Can I keep my existing mechanical chime when I install a Ring doorbell?

Yes, but you must install a bypass resistor kit (£5.99) across the chime terminals to prevent buzzing. Alternatively, disconnect the old chime and use a Ring Chime Pro for wireless alerts.

Q: How many wireless chimes can I add to a single Ring doorbell?

Up to 8 Ring Chime or Chime Pro devices can be paired to one doorbell. This is useful for large UK detached homes where the front door is far from the main living areas.

Q: Do I need a separate chime if I have a Google Nest doorbell?

Yes and no. Google Nest doorbells do not include a physical chime - they ring through Nest Hub, Nest Mini, or the Google Home app on your phone. No dedicated chime device is provided in the box.

How to set up and configure indoor chimes for UK video doorbells, including mechanical chime bypass, wireless chime pairing, and compatibility with British Bell Set models.

Mechanical Chime Compatibility and Bypass for UK Homes¶

Many UK homes (over 40% according to Ring 2025 data) still have original mechanical Bell Sets from 1960s - 1990s - typically a Friedland 454 or 454M with a solenoid-driven 'ding-dong' mechanism. When installing a wired video doorbell (Ring Pro 2, Nest Wired), the existing mechanical chime must be bypassed to prevent constant buzzing or chattering. The bypass method: install a 10 10W wirewound resistor (Maplin part N50CL, £2.49, or RS Components 707-6190, £1.89) across the FRONT and TRANS terminals on the chime unit. This provides a continuous power path to the doorbell while keeping the chime silent. Without the bypass, the doorbell powers through the chime solenoid, which acts as a resistor and drops voltage below the doorbell's minimum (16V). Ring's official chime bypass kit (Ring Chime Bypass Cable, £5.99) is a pre-wired resistor in a connector block. For wireless chimes, no bypass is needed - the existing mechanical chime can be disconnected entirely and the transformer used solely to power the doorbell. If you prefer to keep the mechanical sound, you can still use the original chime by installing a relay (Finder 12V 10A relay, £8.99) that switches the chime circuit when the doorbell button is pressed - but this is less reliable than the bypass resistor method.

Wireless Chime Setup and Multi-Room Coverage for UK Homes¶

For homes where the existing mechanical chime is inaudible in upstairs rooms or the kitchen (common in open-plan UK conversions), wireless chime extenders provide audible alerts. Ring Chime Pro (£39.99) plugs into a mains socket anywhere in the home and acts as both a WiFi extender and a chime with 15 selectable tones. Up to 8 Chime Pros can be paired with a single Ring doorbell, providing coverage across a 4-bedroom detached home. Eufy's HomeBase 2 (£169.99, included with S330 doorbell) has a built-in 90 dB speaker and offers 8 chime tones. Eufy also sells a standalone Eufy Chime (£29.99) for additional rooms. Google Nest doorbells use Google Nest Mini (£49.00) or Nest Hub (£89.99) as chimes via the Google Home app - no dedicated chime device. Pairing a wireless chime: press the pairing button on the chime, then in the doorbell app select Add Accessory > Chime and select the doorbell. The chime will ring within 1 second of the doorbell press on Ring/Eufy; Nest devices have 2 - 3 second latency because the audio routes through Google's cloud. UK practical tip: for homes with solid internal walls (typical 1970s brick partition), place the wireless chime in the hallway nearest the front door for the strongest RF signal. Range of Ring Chime Pro is 30 metres indoors through one solid wall; 15 metres through two walls.

Specifications and Comparison¶

Chime Type	Model	Price	Number of Tones	Volume (dB)	WiFi Extender	Pairing Latency	Max per Doorbell	Best UK Room Location
Wireless plug-in	Ring Chime Pro	£39.99	15	90	Yes (2.4 GHz)	<1 s	8	Hallway near front door
Wireless plug-in	Eufy Chime	£29.99	8	85	No	<1 s	8	Kitchen or upstairs landing
Smart speaker	Google Nest Mini	£49.00	Unlimited	85	No (WiFi via router)	2 - 3 s	Unlimited via app	Open-plan living room
Built-in base station	Eufy HomeBase 2	Included	8	90	No	<1 s	1 per base	Hallway (near front door)

FAQ¶

Can I keep my existing mechanical chime when I install a Ring doorbell?: Yes, but you must install a bypass resistor kit (£5.99) across the chime terminals to prevent buzzing. Alternatively, disconnect the old chime and use a Ring Chime Pro for wireless alerts.
How many wireless chimes can I add to a single Ring doorbell?: Up to 8 Ring Chime or Chime Pro devices can be paired to one doorbell. This is useful for large UK detached homes where the front door is far from the main living areas.
Do I need a separate chime if I have a Google Nest doorbell?: Yes and no. Google Nest doorbells do not include a physical chime - they ring through Nest Hub, Nest Mini, or the Google Home app on your phone. No dedicated chime device is provided in the box. For more information see our Wired Video Doorbell Setup UK.

Last updated: 2026-05-31.

External Resources¶

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