DING-DONG BELL

This simple and cost-effective door bell circuit is based on IC 8021-2 from Formox Semiconductors (Website address: fortech@mantramail. com). It is an 8-pin DIP IC whose only four pins, as shown in the circuit, have been used.

The IC has an in-built circuitry to produce dingdong sound each time its pin 3 is pulled low. The
sound is stored in the IC as bits, as in a ROM. The sound output from the IC can’t however drive a speaker directly, as this puts strain on the device. Therefore a complementary pair, two-transistor amplifier is used to amplify the sound to a fair level of audiblity. You may either use a piezo tweeter or an 8-ohm, 500mW speaker at the output.

During the standby period, the IC consumes nominal current of a few microamperes only. Therefore switch S1 may be kept closed. Each time switch S2 is pressed, ding dong sound is produced twice. If you try to press switch S2 a second time when the first ding dong sound is still being produed, it has no effect whatever and the two ding-dong bell sounds will be invariably produced.