How to Repair a 1950's NuTone K27 2-Note Long Tube Chime Base 

I figured I'd see how/if the thing works with just the big spring. I start screwing the unit back on the mount, when I dropped one of the screws. While looking for the screw, I end up finding the short spring. How I didn't see it when I took the unit apart is beyond me...divine intervention? maybe. Found the screw too! Put everything back together and now it works like a charm, or dare I say Chime! LOL! Thank You Chris!!! Over 35 years later and I finally have my door bell back!!!

Thanks for this video! My K27 was not sounding right and the rear bell not working at all. I got the front one working fine but now thanks to you I know about the strikers. So, I will attempt to check out the rear striker and clean it all. I love this chime so if I can't get it working, I might have to send it to you. 🙂

Thanks Northside! I was able to repair an acquired 3 chime tube signal. I made my strikers out of bamboo skewers that fit perfectly. I used a large spring from a current day Heath Zenith doorbell. I made a brass cylinder cap from a cabinet tube/spring loaded latch. The old NUTONE sounds beautiful in my old 1942 house. I had a wall alcove for the chime signal. Fits as if it was always there. Thank you again for the well detailed video. It definitely gave me the understanding to approach the repair.

Wow! Your video made me feel like a pro. Our NuTone doorbell chime was installed in our house in 1954 when the house was built. We purchased the home almost 40 years ago and loved it. It worked great until about three years ago and no handyman who ever stopped by would touch it, so I was looking for a replacement on the internet when I stumbled on your video. I purchased the lighter fluid and 1500 (no 2000) sandpaper from Ace Hardware and to my surprise, no parts were missing and I was able to clean it and get it working again. The hardest part was getting the cap off the one end and getting the parts back in the order I took them out once it was cleaned. Okay, so maybe I'm not a pro, but I can follow directions if I can see them. Now, every time I go out to get the mail, I ring the chimes just to make sure I didn't dream I had fixed it. It's the little things in life that make a difference, and your video made a difference in mine. I will think of Northside Service Company and your video every time our doorbell rings. Thank you so much!!!

This video helped me restore the full functionality of my Nutone door chime. The solenoid had a broken striker and needed to be cleaned up and I was able to fashion new fiberglass strikers and now the door chime sounds amazing. Thank you!

Thank you for this. I work as a handyman and you just helped me save a coustmers door bell that they loved so much

I love that anything needing getting done has a video! I really botched mine just running some lighter fluid through it (according to the instructions on the base). The caps fell off from the weight of the striker assembly and all the internals ended up on the garage floor. Without this video I wouldn't have had a clue what little springs and such I was looking for after that little mishap. One of the plastic strikers also broke off hitting the cement but after watching this I think I'm well on my way to getting this beauty operational again in our 1952 house. It's never really worked unless you quickly tap the button. Oh and I had no idea the rear buzzer made a different tone... I'm not even sure that we have a buzzer button in back but the wire is there on the base. I'm off to check on that now too. Great video! The internet has redeemed itself once again.

There's a K23 in our hallway that hasn't functioned since we bought this '51 house a few years ago, and I've been hesitant to remove and replace it (thankfully). After watching this video, a few inches of thread tape (the red "pins" were loose in both tubes, but the threads were still in the tube, the tape made them tight), a small piece of emory paper, and this video finally got it working again.

One of my many projects to tackle during my quarantine. Just moved into a 1955 house. Has a K26 model door chime. Doesn't strike both chimes. Great idea to see if I can get it operational again. Nice tutorial. Very informative. Thanks for posting. Wish me luck!

That type of solenoid is what I call NuTone's "One-and-a-half" chime solenoid, with the rear and front settings sharing a plunger and built into one single coil. They're pretty rare mechanisms.

Thanks from me too. My doorbell finally works. :)

Dear Northside Service Company, Thanks for putting this together! I'm trying to repair my doorbell circa 1950 and have the same exact setup. In the process of repairing it, I've somehow lost the springs. Could you tell me what kind of springs they were, so I can purchase replacements?

Thank you for this really helpful video. My Nutone has two solenoids. The front door bell now has only one ring, and the back door circuit isn't working (I tested the wires at the doorbell). I want to clean the strikers, but when I have taken my assembly apart and I do not have the little brass caps at the end, and the strikers do not slide all the way out. I have gently twisted the little chrome tubes, but they still don't come out. Do you think it would be safe/useful to try pouring the fluid into the tubes at the other end and shaking?

Very helpful video! I have a K27, and the strikers on both sides of the solenoid have splintered and fallen apart, right down to where they meet the metal tube that holds them. SoI have no idea how long those replacements need to be. Any suggestions?

Thank You for this video. I recently bought a house with this very doorbell. It is missing the short spring and the cap on that short spring side. Is there anywhere to get these parts? Thanks!

I have the exact same unit. I started taking it apart, and unfortunately it only has the long spring in it. Sounds like it's a long shot to find a similar spring, and I'm guessing it needs to be pretty close to exact. Can anyone tell me the length of the shorter spring? Also, instead of a plunger there is a cut nail, which answers why the chime sounds so bad the rare times that it does work. Any suggestions on finding a new spring? Also, could you, or someone give me the dimensions on the 2 plungers?

Mine is missing the springs. Is there any way to replce them? Thank you.

I just did this and it works fine but not so sure about the sound. Is there someway I can send you a video of it?