It's usually an easy fix to find a doorbell breaker.

A doorbell or chime is wired to your home's 120-volts electrical supply, which a transformer steps down to its required voltage.Older doorbell systems used to operate on 6 or 8 volts AC, while newer models need a step-down transformer of 12 to 14 VAC and at 16 or 24 volts for door chimes.

The circuit breaker has to be turned off before you perform any maintenance on your system.The doorbell transformer is not normally wired to its own dedicated circuit breaker, but rather with an already existing receptacle, light switch, or another junction box nearby, and supplying a completely different circuit, so it will not likely be identified inside the electrical breaker panel.By following the instructions, you will be able to find the right breaker.

The first thing to do is find the transformer that powers the doorbell.It is possible to track it by following the low voltage wiring leading from the doorbell.

If it is hard-wired to the push-buttons, look around the area at the main entrance of the house for the doorbell.If it is hidden behind a wall or inside a closet near the entrance area, it can be heard from a distance.An example of a chime hidden behind a wall is shown in Figure 1.

If you are dealing with a wireless push button, it will offer an infinite number of options to the doorbell/chime installation, but keep in mind that it should be located in a widely used room such as the kitchen, living room area.

Regardless of the system, the transformer will most likely be close by as it needs hard-wiring to the doorbell in order to power it.

It will be easier to locate the transformer if the wiring is exposed.It should be easy to follow the transformer if the wire goes through the wall to the opposite room.If it is inside a wall, it will either go down to the basement where the wiring from dozens of circuits offers great hook-up opportunities or up the attic secured under a joist or hidden beneath insulation.There is a transformer wired-in to an added junction box that is visible from the other side of the wall.

At this point, you need a circuit breaker feeding or dedicated to a whole circuit and most likely identified inside the breaker panel.If you have to do maintenance, shut off the breaker.You need to keep searching if that circuit is not readily identified.

If there is a light fixture close by, turn it on and use the help of someone else to find the one that will turn off the fixture.