How to Service a NuTone 8 Note Long Tube Door Chime Base 

You could be a professor at a renowned University because you explain things so well. Thank you for this video, really well done as are all your videos.

Glad I came across this! My NuTone is newer but the tubes and plungers were the same and now it works like new!

Did the full service as you explained, everything is working fine again, for model Nutone 8 chime A-67278. Thank you very much

One of the best DIY videos I've come across! This morning I followed each step of the video and now have all four chime tubes working on my 1960's version. Thanks Chris.

Excellent how to video!! Brought a late 70's model back to life. Followed each step and it's now good as new. Did install new transformer to make sure everything is perfect. Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise.

Absolute legend for posting this. Was able to get my 8 note chime working like new again.

I have one of these. Purchased it in 1986….It intermittently work or had to hold the door bell button in. It was that metallic leaf arm stop arm was broken off. Repair. Emery cloth the mount and the leaf Then screw the mount back on the board…. Using a bent tip needle nose hold the leaf against the mount and solder. The repair is better than the original. No weak point anymore. Thanks again. It’s up and running like new

I hit you up a couple days ago. Thank you again for the response. My sister has a NuTone intercom system in their home. I’m going to make it a point to pass along your RU-vid channel to my brother-in-law. I think he’ll appreciate it as much as I do. My Pryanco 305 door chime project is progressing nicely. It’s not a NuTone product but your videos have been extremely helpful. The pencil eraser technique was one I was shown while in the USAF in the early 80s. Seeing you demonstrate it brought a huge smile to my face. 👍👍 Best regards, Doug

Thank You Very Much...You are "A Very Good Teacher"...My "Door Chime" works perfectly again...I Really Appreciate your video...God Bless...

Chris, Thank you for posting this how-to. After years of staring at the doorbell with only 1 working chime, I restored and reinstalled my doorbell in under 2 hours. I never would have thought of lighter fluid as a cleaner/solvent. Works like new!

Thank you for this video, we have the variant of this chime without the lights, and with a clock that goes over it, and over the past few years, some of the chimes gradually stopped working. The foam pads had completely disintegrated and clogged up the solenoids. Your video helped me because it showed me what to expect, and what I did and didn't need to do to fix it. I didn't have anything to replace the foam pads, so I just left them out for now; when the solenoids deactivate, there's an audible kick now, so that must be what those pads are for. I'll try to replace them later, but in the meantime, thank you for helping me get my chimes working again. :D A fully working 8-note chime is wonderful because it's very easy to hear, and nobody else seems to have them anymore, making me appreciate them that much more.

Chris, thank you so much for posting this outstanding comprehensive video. I was researching a replacement for my NuTone 8 note long tube doorbell chime when I stumbled across your video. It's not been working for a few months now. Your feedback and suggestions were spot on. I just restored my NuTone and we can't be happier, so much better to see this classic back working again and not replaced with a plastic electronic doorbell. Had I known this process was so easy (because of your video) I would have done it a few years ago. Thanks again for caring, much appreciated! Awesome video.

I have an early 70's version of this Door Chime. I followed your instructions to a tee and we now have our westminster chime back! You are a terrific teacher and I'm so grateful for your video. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

I love my door chime and thought is was done for. My unit looked identical (1986) to the unit in the video and my chime sounds great now, like new! My problem was sticky plungers. Thank you very much for the very helpful video.

Excellent video! We called a Phoenix area door bell company, they wouldn't touch it. Followed your instructions and it works like new! Thanks.

I'm so thankful!!!! I've been fighting this for a while thinking it was shorted out but after watching this video I cannot wait to follow your lead. I found this doorbell in a 1960's home I was repairing and they did not want it due to the non functionality. Thought I could just go buy a new new on.....yes around $500!!!!You did an excellent job with video and describing the process. Thanks!!!!

Thank you so much. Excellent instructions. You saved my 1989 doorbell.

My grandmother has had this as long as I can remember. I always have dreaded having to fix it for her one of these days. Good to know I can come here if I ever need information. that 8 note tune is something I will never forget. I actually heard it in my head as it was firing :)

Our Nutone had not been working for months, and after many failed attempts to fix it, I was about ready to sadly just throw it away and buy a new one. My son discovered your video and spent several hours painstakingly following the video and - voila! The chimes are singing again, more beautiful than ever. I had no idea this was a vintage Nutone - circa sometime in the early 60's. Brings back memories of my childhood fascination with a friend's chimes - must have been a Nutone.

Very well done! The process worked great for me!

One of the best instructional videos I've ever seen!!! Only one note played for years. I was always thinking I could buy parts and rebuild - but (as you stated) I couldn't get parts gave up a few years ago. During a painting project I was thinking keep-or-toss? Then I found this video am very pleased. Everything was exactly as you said. One note you might add: A couple of the terminal screws had been over tightened. They are self-tapping screws that make the electrical connection by holding the wire against the circuit board contact. There is no nut or metal receptacle for the screws - just the circuit board material. I replaced the two that were stripped with the next size screw and it worked great. Don't go too big or you might crack the board. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE TERMINAL SCREWS!!!

This was a great help. I was able to fix the frozen plungers (which I didn’t know were frozen) and get the chime working again. In case anyone wants to get the mini lights from a store, I found them at auto zone.

Dude I have an old one, grandma's from 60s or 70s and it would mean the world to me to be able to hear it again. small wires broke of, one solenoid gone, never serviced. You are my tempting connection to my childhood. Will I embark on the journey or no? I don't yet know but you have shown me the first light. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing this very informative video on how to do maintenance on these door chimes. I have one of the NuTone 8 Note Long tube Chimes with the yellow capped solenoids installed in my home. Probably purchased it in the late 1990's. Suddenly only two out of the four plungers are firing. Planning to take it down to clean and also check that the wiring from each coil is properly connected to the circuit board.

Hi Chris, what a great video. We bought this unit new in the 80's and took it to our new house when we moved in '94. It was down to only two plungers actually working. I was searching this morning for the solenoids and saw that just about all the parts for this have been discontinued. That's when I found your video. After watching your vid and taking notes I searched the house and found lighter fluid, got some q-tips and took it apart and cleaned the whole unit. Cleaned the carbon with the pencil eraser, took apart the solenoids and soaked and cleaned each piece. Cut up a piece of a foam paint brush for the cushions. Put it all back together - rewired it up on the wall and it is working like it was new! Thank you for taking the time to put this instructional video together - it was the only thing that saved the unit from being replaced.

Great informational video.

Excellent! Great ideas and solutions!

you are the BEST I love you thank you for sharing your knowledge

Great job on this video!

Hey amazing video saved me from replacing the unit. I moved into a new home and the bell wasnt working. the chimes would slightly ring but when i push the button a few times nothing happens. After seeing this video im guessing the solnoids dirty. THANK YOU.

Muchas gracias desde México, gracias a ti pude darle nueva vida a mi timbre

Chris, thank you. I used cork gasketing for the plungers. Didn't have closed cell foam thin enough.

Hi Chris, After taking off the motor I found a bent contact on the armature, when I touched it it broke off. Luckily when I put it back together the chimes worked fine. Thank you for your help. Steve

What a great video. I stumbled upon it when my wife complained that we were down to one chime and I needed to get a new door chime. With the video I was able to fix it. The only things I did differently was insert the sand paper first with a small shaft screwdriver and then inserted the pencil. I also could not find the foam that I saw in the video. I ended up using the foam from a disposable paintbrush. Hope that's OK. Now I'm just sitting around waiting for someone to come to the door and ring the doorbell.

Thanks for the great video. I had one stuck plunger. I also found a manual online that says to apply non-flammable cleaner to the plunger hole and operate them. I had some CRC Brake Cleaner that seemed to work great, and did not have to take the unit off the wall but will try your method if they stick again.

Great video. Thanks for your videos out here and the email support you gave me!

HI Chris, great video. I have a different problem. I purchased my 8 note NuTone in 1996, so I assume it is one of the newer models with the digital circuit board, as it doesn't look like the one in your video. It does have the 4 lightbulbs like your example, though. Periodically, I've had problems with the chime going off by itself. Frustratingly, this is usually in the middle of the night. Initially, I figured that it was a short in the doorbell button, which I had recently swapped out for an upgraded version that was a better fit for my 1885 house. I put the original button back, and that seemed to take care of it. Then after some time passed, it started going off by itself again, running through the full cycle of notes. It started happening more frequently, and stopped completely after each cycle was completed. Finally, I had to disconnect the power at the circuit board and put a note on the front door to use the knocker instead. I got on the ladder and gave the unit a thorough cleaning with Q tips, figuring that dust might be closing a circuit somehow. That worked for a while. Last week it started again, so I had to disconnect the power at the circuit board again (boy I wish that I had thought to take a picture of it with my phone because i ended up pulling wires right and left because I was on my way out of town and already late). I have since dusted everything again, but that didn't solve the problem. Do you have a video that deals with chimes that want to work too much? Also, I found a Jefferson style clock face to replace my '90's vintage amber plastic and wood case. It fits fine on the later bracket/housing, but I'd love to hook up the clock to the power that is now serving the lightbulbs. Do you have any recommendations on how to retrofit the older clock unit onto the newer base unit? Thanks so much.

Great video, thank you. I have a Nutone LA58N, and almost exactly like this video however, the chimes are in front of the motor. Do you have an explanation on how to remove the chimes in order to access the motor?

Great video ... it gave me the courage to tackle my unit, circa 1975 (model 64892B I hope), with black stoppers in the back of each chamber. Mine was only working on 2 of 4 chimes. I decided to just work on the 4 solenoid valves, never detaching the motor. I got all 4 chimes to strike - success I thought. But it kept cycling and cycling ( ringing non-stop). So, now, for the first time I removed the motor assembly. Both the metal piece and the plastic tab on one of the 3 armature contacts look completely intact. (I still haven’t cleaned the circuit board - my bad). Is the plastic tab lifting the metal piece the only way it stops? Any ideas?

Great video! You're the Door Chime expert. I was searching for a video like this to see if I can help my neighbor with her two tube Pryne & Co. chime that isnt working. This makes it hard for her because she is 92 years old and her hearing is pretty bad so she doesnt hear when someone is at the front door and rings the door bell. She and her husband bought the home in 1964 so she has lived in her home about 60 years. Her hysband passed away lat last so she doesnt anyone to help her any longer with Honey Do projects...thats where I cone in. I'm going to try cleaning everything as you suggested in your great video. Can I send you photos of her chime in case you have any other suggestions? Thanks, Rob. Wish me luck!

We have one from 1963 with a clock and I dread taking it down to clean. Well looks like I have to buy lighter fluid. And we have a Nutone intercom same year with tubes, hasn't been used in years.

This is an amazing video. Thanks so much for the detailed explanations. I cleaned everything as described, and now I have something interesting happening! When I press my doorbell for the 8 note chime, it plays notes 2,3,5,6,7,and 8. It never plays notes 1 and 4! Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Thanks again for the great video- it’s had stopped playing completely, so this is still an improvement.

Excellent video! Thanks for posting! My chime has similar plungers and cleaning them like this fixed it. One thing I didn't do is add the foam bits. Do you think this will cause any problems?

Brilliant ! Two questions: Is it really necessary to add new foam ? What is wrong by setting the volume to the highest level ? Thanks, nice work !

I have an old nutone clock/door chime that was left in a house I moved into and the people I bought the house from said “it’s junk” when I asked if it worked lol. Anyways I took it all down and stored it in the closet. So the wife an I split an I decided to drag that thing out and look at it. Cleaned up the springs an plungers an all an they seem to pop out pretty good only thing is I don’t know if they come out far enough? Looking at this video at the end when you run this one they seem to come out about as far but unless I put the tubes all the way against the plunger opening most of them do not hit the tubes. Could it be a power issue? Is it possible to check with a multimeter? If so (being completely new to the nutone/chime club an how they function) what is the best way to test it? Such as where do I put the negative post? An I’m assuming the transformer is only dropping the voltage? Or are we transforming from AC to DC? Sorry for being so completely stupid in this area an asking so many questions but I’d just really like to get this thing going good. I was going to send a picture but don’t guess RU-vid has that option. Thanks a lot man, sorry for the long post! Josh

This was great, thank you. Where can I get the tubes for these chimes?

Thanks for a very clear how to video. I have an older model, around 1970's series. It has nearly similar features as in your video. My door chimes had stopped working about 3 months ago. I did the cleaning and the 4 plungers are not stuck anymore. However when connected to power it does not move the plungers but I can hear the motor hissing inside. What could be the problem? I checked the transformer source and it had 16 volts, the same voltage showing at the board transformer. Thanks for your attention.

Bought a 1959 home several months ago and the Nutone chimes seemed to work well. Recently it just stopped working! There's a transformer in the basement which measures 18V. The front door button seems to work.....i pulled it out and jumped across the screws and nothing except a little spark. this is an 4/8 tone with the 4 brass tubes. Has a GE Telechron 16V synchronous motor. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Update: i verified there's power to the TRANS/ COM and i can get it to chime, might just be dirty and now i can use your video to clean it if its still unreliable. thanks, Michael in CT

Thank you for this! It may be common sense, but does the power need to be shut off? I will in order to be on the safe side, but you never state that before removal or re-installation. Looking forward to our chimes again. It's been a year :(

10:40 Contacts maybe sulfurized bronze which is more elastic so less likely to loose tension. Aka spring tension bronze. I will defer to any machinist or metallurgist on this.

Need to order the armature copper contacts seen at 21:25 in the video. Do you know where I can find at least one and possibly all three? ~ Robert

If you put each spring in it's own bowl, there is no danger of stretching or breaking them to get them apart. Simple.

Hi Chris, thanks for your great instructions! So...what if I already sprayed the plungers with WD40, can they still be cleaned off with lighter fluid?

I have a fasco cunsummer c8847r door chime with four rods and every once in a while there is a single chime from one of the rods any thought of what may cause this thanks

Hi Chris, Thanks for the video it is a great help I have done everything you have shown. Mine would not stop playing the chimes once you hit the button that was the stop spring loose. My problem know is when it is set for 8 strikes the first strike does not activate number 2 and 3 strikes but number 4 does not. On the way back they all strike do you have any ideas to help me? Thanks Steve

Trying to install my door chime. I have a basic question. What are the voltages for hook up, and activation. AC and or DC ?

Excellent video. I have this same model from sometime in the 70's or 80's. It stopped working 20 years ago so I put it in a box where it has been ever since. When I found your video, I thought I'd see if I could get it to work again. I removed the motor and used my eraser to clean under the armatures. What I noticed is that the armatures do not easily move as it appears in your video. They certainly did not glide to a stop. I almost had to use pressure to get them to move. I removed the plungers and inspected them. I didn't clean them with my lighter fluid at this time because they didn't seem very dirty. So I wired the doorbell to test it but it still doesn't work. Any suggestions? Thanks, Mike

Hi Chris I have an LB38K72A short tube Nutone. Your video is great, I've got everything cleaned up and reassembled. My problem i get one chime when I press the doorbell. The video shows the motor armature freely spinning when you pulled it, my armature does not spin. Is that my problem? Is the motor repairable?

I have a long 4 chime door bell. It’s missing a plunger and spring. Cant find any actual name on it. I can see it has a synchron motor in it. Would you know the name and where I can get parts. ? I have a couple pictures.

I have a Nutone Jefferson L series long bell chime. The seller told me that it "worked when it was disconnected" and I believe him, but when I had it installed in my house, it didn't work. One of the solenoids does move a little, but it doesn't ring the chime. It probably needs servicing. Would you do it for me, and how much would it cost? Many thanks.

Do the door chimes with the clock 4 long tube. Also chime the hour?

Hi. I just moved an 8 Tone chime from my parents house. I am not sure if it is a Nutone. It is from the 1970's and is working perfectly, but when I reinstalled it in another place, if I pushed the button and when I released it the motor stopped working immediately and the chime stopped working. What am I doing wrong. The board just have letters A,B,C,D and E. What I think is that C and D are for the motor, being C the common , and A, B and E for the buttons being B the front one. Please help me

Great video. I did so well following the video, I went from no chimes on my Nu Tone 8 Note to a Nu Tone 9 Note. It seems to ring an extra chime 6 seconds after it is suppose to stop. Can you help? Thank you!

I know this is an old video but I just bought a house with a NuTone LB-42 8 chime long tube. I figured out that the doorbell buttons outside were both broken and adjusted the tube position and got it working. It seems like the tubes are cracked at the top. Is there anything I can do to fix it to make the chime sound better?

Hi Chris, The circuit board is a different color in fact it is exactly like the one in the large screw video.

Is it possible to hook these chimes up to a Ring Doorbell? I've been searching for hours and can't find a way to do it.

Hi Chris - I salvaged a K46 Jefferson Clock door chime from my mother-in-laws house over six years ago, prior to selling it. We plan to install it in our new home which was just completed a month ago. Thanks to your excellent video, I have no doubt that I'll be able to bring the chime mechanism back to life. However, the clock is another story. It does not work, nor did I remember to have a receptacle run to the location where we planned to install it. My fallback is to research replacing the clock mechanism with a battery powered unit, but keep the original clock face. Do you know of any resources where folks are dealing successfully with this issue? Thank you, and thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

I own a NuTone 8 note chime with 4 lit bulbs. I removed the far left bulb. All lights went off, like you described. When I immediately put the bulb back in, all 4 bulbs stayed off. Any suggestions? I can't get them to come back on. I am sorry I took 1 out. Should I attempt 4 new bulbs? Is there a reset button?

I have a 4 tube chime like this. Can it be used with today's video doorbell ? Unit is still working very well.

I just installed one of these into my house. It didn't come with the transformer. I have to hold the doorbell button to get it to go all the way through the ring cycle. Is the correct transformer what I need?

How much of this would pertain to my Edwards Claridge model C-50, 8 tone long tube chimes. I believe this has been in my home since 1960. I seem to get a single chime from the front, the rear and side doors have been disconnected. The front doorbell has been replaced. I would like to find a wiring diagram. Thankyou.

Hello. I followed your easy instructions (thank you!) and now the chimes work.......but won’t sop. It still has the little metal tab which is resting on the post, so I am stuck on what to do next.

i'm in the process of repairing my nutone 64203. when i first bought the house, only 2 of the 4 hammers worked. after opening the cap on one of them and push the hammer up and down, i got the 3rd one working which made me happy but the 4th one, the last one on the right, has a wire disconnected to the circuit. i tried to shove the little wire into the hole, looking at the back on the right side area the left of the 2 holes below the upper 3 holes, but still not getting a reaction. i even shoved a chopped paperclip in there and wrapped the wire around that to help make the connection but no luck. next i'm going to try and open the metal hammer box to see how that looks inside and maybe shove some speaker wire down the circuit hole and try connecting to that. if that doesn't work, any other idea why the hammer isn't working?

Any advice on a 1950s K27 Regal? seems like the plunger is clogged or dirty.

If the metal tab tells the motor when to stop, how does the motor start again when the button is pressed? In other words, how does the motor wheel get beyond the sticking out tab that is now physically in the way? Of there is no contact, how can the motor move before you have re-established contact? I hope this makes sense.

Do you still service these? I’m Working on a home that has a Jefferson doorbell and it doesn’t appear to be working. My client would likely be interested in paying for it to get repaired.

Hi, I just bought a house that has the 4 note long chime, it still works but I found that the number 3 chime tube is cracked, do you know where I might find a replacement tube for it? Thank you

I have had this chime for 35 years. The plastic case has fallen apart and I made a wooden case for it.