Client has not had a doorbell for 15 years, when the contractor did a remodel and buried the wire. Due to the construction, there's no way to fish into the attic or under the house. But there is an outlet inside the house on an exterior wall where 16 V could be run up through the stud bay. The question is how to get the 16 V.

Doorbell transformers are normally screwed into steel junction boxes in this neck of the woods. I basically have an interior wall of the clients office/bedroom to work with. How do I mount this transformer safely?

Is this outlet on a wall shared by a closet? How will you run wires to the doorbell location?

Can you call the contractor to ask where they hid the wire? They hid it, they should be forced to find it.

There are many plugin 16VAC & 24VAC transformers on the market.

[Link: amazon.com]

Note that the remodel was in 2005.

Great idea! Thanks, Brad!

I retro fitted a ring doorbell for a client before with a Nicor prime chime. Was able to tap power from the light switch and ran a wire outside for the doorbell. If you need a chime inside you might be able to do it with it.

[Link: amazon.com]

You say "Doorbell transformers are normally screwed into steel junction boxes in this neck of the woods." That does two things -- it gives a strong mount to the transformer, it connects the 120V side of the transformer inside a 4" box, so the power connection is safe, and it gives you easy access to the 16V or 24V screw terminals, usually mounted on fish paper.

So what can you do to be sure it's safe? Just mount it the way it's designed to be mounted.

OR, if it would be mounted in a place where the terminals and wires would be exposed, put it in a small NEMA enclosure.

Maybe a recessed NEMA enclosure at outlet level, with a cover plate?

This

We use 16VAC plugin transformers for security systems all the time. ADI, Anixter, other security suppliers will carry them in an abundance of different voltages and amperages

Good point because this level of technology never ran in conduit.

When we say "doorbell" in this context, we're talking about a momentary SPST pushbutton near the front door connected, this wire running past the doorbell itself (usually above a doorway from a kitchen to a hall) to an exposed place near the house's power wiring. The transformer and exposed low voltage connections are at that point. The live connections are exposed because all of the doorbell's wiring is exposed. Who ever put conduit into a setup like this?

Yeah, I'm starting to think this would be much easier than tapping into the existing power. I have the original Ring doorbell from 2017 I believe and am looking to replace it, I'll probably just get the newest similar model.