SimpliSafe Door Chime Not Working? (Let’s Fix It Fast)

If your SimpliSafe door chime not working, you might miss visitors at your door, leaving you unaware of deliveries or guests.

Well, that impacts the entire purpose of having the doorbell.

The door chime of your SimpliSafe system sounds when someone presses the “Ring” button on the doorbell.

The reasons why the chime is not ringing range from wiring issues to power supply insufficiency and improper installation.

So, in this guide, you’re going to discover helpful ways to restore the output of your chime and always be notified when someone is at the front door!

SimpliSafe Door Chime Not Working – Fixed in 8 Quick Steps!

Before you start: Reset the power at the circuit breaker to address temporary issues with the doorbell/chime power supply. 

1. Change the System’s Status

First the chime of the doorbell won’t ring unless the system is set to “Home” or “Away”. 

The system has a third mode– “Off”, that disarms your system and the doorbell along with all of the entry sensors in your home.

So, open the SimpliSafe app and change the activity status of the system through the on-screen options. 

When ready, check if the chime now responds to presses on the doorbell. 

Tip: We recommend testing the doorbell on each of the available security modes!

2. Inspect your Chime’s Wiring

An incorrect wiring of the chime could prevent it from working whenever someone presses your doorbell.

So, the next step is to ensure the installation’s wires are secured with the terminals on your chime’s transformer, which is a delicate procedure.

WARNING: Disable the power at the breaker before disassembling your chime!

Follow these steps to inspect the chime’s wiring:

1. Remove the faceplate of your SimpliSafe chime.
2. Loosen the screws on the chime mounting plate.
3. Gently pull out the chime body with both wires.
4. Now, find the transformer on the rear chime end.
5. Search for the “Trans” and “Rear”/”Front” wires.
6. Check if both wires are secured to the terminals.

• The “Trans” wire supplies voltage to the transformer of the chime.
• The “Front” or “Rear” wires connect the chime to the doorbell unit.

You need to ensure that both of the wires are in proper condition and if necessary, use a wire stripper to clip approximately an inch from the wire/s to connect it with the terminal/s securely. 

3. Try Installing a Compatible Chime

As you may have probably known, all SimpliSafe doorbell models are strictly hardwired and require a mechanical chime in order to function properly.

The difference between a digital chime and a traditional mechanical chime is the method for noise production and the components within it.

For example, a mechanical chime uses a bell and a hammer to produce noise when someone presses your doorbell, whereas a digital chime uses a speaker with a prerecorded ringing tone.

If you already have a digital chime, it must be uninstalled and replaced with a compatible mechanical chime.

How to Install a Mechanical Chime?

Warning: Disable the power at the circuit breaker before working on your chime installation.

The setup of your mechanical chime consists of several steps:

Step #1 Install the Chime Body

The first step is to secure the chime’s body next to the transformer and terminal wires.

For this purpose, position a ladder to help you reach the chime’s position and screw the body securely.

Step #2 Lead/Prepare the Wires

Now, identify the “Trans” wire that’s typically in red and the “Front” or “Rear” wire.

Using the “Front” or “Rear” wire depends on whether your doorbell is on the front or back door. 

So, if the doorbell is on the front, prepare the “Trans” and “Front” wires near the transformer’s terminals. 

Step #3 Wire the Mechanical Chime

Secure the wires to the terminals, depending on your doorbell’s location.

Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws on the terminals and tightly secure the wires.

Note: The digital chime connects similarly to the mechanical one and functions through a mobile app or a smart home panel. 

4. Implement the Chime Connector

Well, one of the reasons why the SimpliSafe doorbell chime not working could be because of a voltage insufficiency from the transformer.

This can cause consistent buzzing, overheating, or problems with most of the doorbell’s functions.

The adapter interconnects between the “Trans” and “Front” or “Rear” wires of the chime and regulates the voltage into the compatible 8-24VAC, 10-30VA. 

1. Remove the chime body and pull out the base.
2. Unplug the “Front” and “Trans” terminal wires.
3. Connect the “Front” wire to the blue terminal.
4. Attach the “Trans” wire to the white terminal.
5. Position the connector inside the chime body.
6. Reinstall the faceplate and test your doorbell.

You should receive a chime connector with the purchase of your doorbell, or if you didn’t, they will send you one after getting in touch.

5. Replace the Chime Transformer

It’s not excluded that a transformer malfunction is interrupting the power supply of your chime and preventing it from operating when someone is at your front door.

All mechanical chimes use a standard transformer, supporting 8-24VAC at 10-30VA.

Now, follow these steps to replace the transformer:

1. Follow the instructions in step #3 to uninstall the chime.
2. Pull out the chime body and locate the rear transformer.
3. Optional: Detach both wires from the chime’s terminal.
4. Remove the screws/latches holding the terminal in place.
5. Put the replacement terminal and secure it to the chime.
6. Reconnect the wires and test the doorbell’s functionality.

You don’t have to replace your entire chime if the transformer is defective, but keep in mind that a fault with the internal segments cannot be repaired.

So, disassembling your entire chime and cleaning it requires effort, and then putting it back together is an extremely delicate procedure.

Quick Tip: You can find a compatible replacement at a nearby convenience store or through an online website such as Amazon.

6. Check for Doorbell Power Issues

If everything seems fine on your Chime’s end, the problem is almost certainly with the doorbell.

Any issues with the installation could render the doorbell unusable or cause it to turn off frequently due to the inconsistent power supply.

Warning: Turn off the power at the circuit breaker before working on the doorbell system!

Here’s what could go wrong with your doorbell’s installation!

Loose Security Screw

The security screw attaches to the bottom of the SimpliSafe doorbell and ensures the faceplate compresses the wires into the terminals.

So, if the screws are not securely tightened, it will likely cause the wires to lose contact with the terminals and reboot the SimpliSafe doorbell frequently.

Use the supplied Torx T5 screwdriver to ensure the screw is secured, but do not overtighten it as this could damage the plastic. 

Loose Terminal Wires

Similar to the chime, your doorbell also connects with the “Trans” and “Front” or “Rear” wires of your doorbell installation.

Use the Torx T5 screwdriver to undo the security screw and remove the doorbell’s faceplate.

We recommend checking if the wires are long enough to tie around the terminals and, if not, using a clipper to expose 1–2 inches. 

Bad Installation Wires

Although this is unlikely, there could be a disrupted or ripped wire somewhere along the doorbell installation.

If you’re not a techy person and you didn’t deploy the installation yourself, we advise seeking a professional technician to handle the installation inspection or potential replacement.

7. Factory Reset the SimpliSafe Doorbell

If you’re still experiencing issues, then a factory reset could potentially help with the SimpliSafe non-ringing chime problem.

All you need to do is loosen the security screw on the doorbell, pull out the faceplate, and hold the “Reset” button on the back continuously for around 15 seconds.

After the doorbell goes into reset mode, it will be temporarily unavailable, and shortly, the device will reboot by itself.

When you’re ready, try pressing the Ring button to check if the chime rings.

Note: Verify that the doorbell is supplied with power before starting the reset.

8. Set up the Base Station Chime (Workaround)

If you can’t identify why your SimpliSafe door chime is not working, then consider setting up and using your SimpliSafe base station as a chime. 

Yes, that’s right. The base station of your SimpliSafe chime can be set up and used instead of a traditional mechanical chime with a variety of ringer and tone functions. 

The setup can be done through the SimpliSafe mobile app:

1. Open the SimpliSafe app on your phone.
2. Head to “Cameras” and tap the gear icon.
3. Press on your doorbell’s thumbnail below.
4. Now, scroll down to “Base Station Chime.” 
5. Enable the option and test the base chime.

You can regulate the output strength and tone of your base station’s chime through the same tab you’ve enabled it from. 

Tip: The base station chime can also be used with one of SimpliSafe’s entry sensors!