A light two core PVC cable for doorbells, chimes and other extra-low-voltage signalling, normally run from a bell transformer. It is made to be cheap, thin and easy to pin along skirtings and architraves rather than to carry any meaningful current. There is no British Standard for bell wire as such, so constructions and conductor sizes differ between suppliers.
Key applications
- Doorbell and chime wiring from a bell transformer
- Bell push and secondary push connections
- Low-current extra-low-voltage signalling circuits
- Simple intercom and buzzer wiring
- Model and display lighting on an extra-low-voltage supply
- Temporary extra-low-voltage control connections
Features and benefits
- Flat two core profile pins neatly to skirtings and door frames
- White sheath blends into domestic decoration
- Small cross-section makes it easy to route behind mouldings
- Inexpensive and widely stocked on 100 m reels
- Simple two conductor construction needs no colour decoding
Specification notes and limitations
Bell wire is for extra-low-voltage circuits fed from a safety isolating transformer and must never be connected to a mains circuit or used as a mains flex, however convenient its size makes it. Keep it physically separated from mains wiring, and do not run it inside the same conduit or trunking as power cables. Because there is no governing British Standard, check the supplier's stated voltage rating against the transformer output rather than assuming a figure.
