Doorbell transformer output varies by the home's age and where in the world you are, but typically they output anywhere from 8-24V to 10-40VA, with the most common transformer type in the U.S. being 16V 10VA. That means the transformer steps down the AC power of the home's electrical system into a 16-volt AC output with a "power" of 10 volt-amperes. Try using the Arlo Secure App to install your Arlo doorbell to see if it works with your doorbell transformer.

In addition to the long run as a tech writer and editor, Jason spent over a decade as a college instructor doing his best to teach a generation of English students that there's more to success than putting your pants on one leg at a time and writing five-paragraph essays. While his days of steering students toward greatness are behind him, his lifelong desire to delight, entertain, and inform lives on in his work at How-To Geek. You may use the doorbell with your present doorbell transformer if the voltage level is between fulfils the voltage requirement.Everybody starts their DIY journey somewhere, and if you're just now contemplating that your doorbell has something called a transformer (and that maybe you need to change it out), you're likely in good company---so don't sweat it. It's a bit of a simplification, but volt-amperes function in much the same way as watts do in AC nomenclature. If you'd like to dive deep into the differences, you can start by reading up on power factors, but you hardly need an amateur electrical engineering degree to follow along here. If not for video doorbells, most people would never even think about their doorbell transformer, let alone consider replacing it. Video doorbells, however, change the equation. Why does it matter? When upgrading to a video doorbell, you may find that your doorbell transformer provided enough energy to supply your old-fashioned doorbell button and the chime---but doesn't provide enough energy when you introduce the additional power draw of the video doorbell.

How can you tell if your existing transformer has enough power for the Ring Doorbell Pro? 3. Install your Ring Doorbell Pro and see what happens.

How To Find And Test A Doorbell Transformer

The only issue that would arise from using a 24v transformer is that some of its components may be damaged by overloading or overheating due to an incorrect installation. How do I know what voltage my doorbell transformer is? Depending on the combination of chimes and video doorbell hardware you have (or if you want to replace both the front and rear doorbells with video doorbells) you'll likely need a bigger transformer. Doesn't matter if you're installing a Nest doorbell, a Ring doorbell, or even a more DIY-type video doorbell solution like those from Amcrest or similar companies.