Vivint is an American Home Security System company that offers services and products such as cameras, doorbell cameras, control panels, and others. One of their prime products is the Vivint Doorbell Camera – it acts as a conventional doorbell with an extra feature of a camera which allows the owner to identify the visitor on the other side of the door using a phone.
Despite the Vivint equipment being created with ease of use in mind, there is always that moment when you may have to uninstall your Vivint doorbell. For instance, it could be when you are relocating to a new home and wish to transfer the Vivint doorbell to the new house, or when you desire to change your home security company or just want a better model of Vivint doorbell. If you wish to uninstall a Vivint doorbell, it is quite easy, but let us share some essential information that will work to your advantage.
Here, we will outline step by step the process through which you can safely uninstall your Vivint Doorbell Camera system. Powering down the doorbell, removing it from the wall, disconnection the wiring, removal of any brackets and plates that still exist, learning about compatibility with your new doorbell if you are changing it, and useful information if you want to avoid some damage. Let’s get started!
In case you have a doorbell, it is advised to turn off the power supply to the doorbell to avoid false alarms.
Any type of servicing on an electronic system requires the first crucial step of disconnecting the power source. This is because it helps safeguard you against electrical shocks, and also shields the pieces of equipment from physical harm while the removal process is ongoing.
Find the indoor Vivint control panel for YOUR system. Locate the circuit breakers by opening the panel door to reveal the breakers’ interior. These breakers are the ones that supply power to your Vivint equipment, such as the doorbell camera. Turn the breaker switch of the doorbell to ‘off’ to disable the electrical supply to the unit.
You can tell when the doorbell camera is off if you do not see the light on the button on it. Another way that can be used if you do not know which breaker to switch off so that you disconnect the doorbell is to switch off the main breaker to disconnect the electricity in the system so that you will be able to remove the doorbell. It’s great to use to fall asleep but just remember to turn it back on after you do it!
First, remove the faceplate. This is the cosmetic layer situated around the doorbell button and is usually fixed with the help of screws that are of small sizes. These are Phillips-head screws which when removed will see you have the outer faceplate removed as well.
The next step is to get rid of the real doorbell apparatus or the device as some may refer to it. This is the part that houses the button, camera, speaker, and all other electrical gadgets that may be interior. Make sure there is a locking screw that secures the doorbell to a wall mounting tray. They can be unbolted by security screwdriver or hex key and you may require the services of a professional to have this done.
If the bell is connected with screws, then turn them clockwise and then carefully pull the doorbell button and the camera unit off the wall. But do not stress them too much or allow their positions to become entangled as we still have to make a formal severing of the connections. Now Mute the doorbell unit for now.
Disconnect the Low-Voltage Wires
Your Vivint Doorbell must have two pairs of low-voltage cables which should take the doorbell back to the control panel – usually 18/2 or 16/2 wire gauges. We have to shield these wires and perhaps the best way is to cap them safely.
It is advisable to capture photographs of the wiring connections before one begins to make any alterations. They are helpful when fixing a new doorbell or restoring the previous wiring setup of the doorbell.
At the back, you should observe a connector block on the doorbell unit. This is a small plastic block used in holding the low-voltage wires together since they are screwed. Undo the screws and carefully unclip the wires just one bundle at a time.
When unclipping each wire connector, cover the exposed copper wires connected to it to avoid short-circuiting using the electrical tape. This way there is no touching and hence electrical short during the reinstallation process from one terminal to the other. Repeat on the indoor side for all wiring terminals.
Take out any Lowercase Remnants or Parentheses
The last thing that is left to do is to be very nearly done given the fact that the doorbell has been completely disconnected and the free wires capped off. Another thing that remains is to clean up the space where the installation was carried out.
Look at the wall behind the now-defunct old doorbell. It is also important to take out the screws, wall anchors, brackets, plates, or mounts that were used to install the original doorbell. You wish to bring back the exterior wall to its normal state, free of rough outside texture, for fixing the new doorbell. It may be advisable to make any needed repairs and repaint or touch up this area to make it look more natural!
Evaluate the Suitability of a New Smart Doorbell
You may be unscrewing your Vivint Doorbell to replace it with a different model or a different brand, then you should ensure your house wiring matches the new doorbell. There are a few key factors to consider: There are a few key factors to consider:
Power Supply: Is the current wiring ready to deliver 16-24 VAC power as most smart doorbells require? If not, additional installation of a plug-in model or even new wiring may be necessary.
Connectivity: Make sure that you have a strong WiFi router to be able to extend the signal to the area where your exterior doorbell will be installed. If the signal strength is low, then you will be facing problems like lagging video streaming.
Chimes: Check that your present interior chimes are operational because a few wise doorbells link to the original wiring and chimes. Ever use a wireless chime, ensure it is up to date, or get a new one if it is damaged.
These factors should be taken into consideration before one goes shopping for a replacement to make a purchase that will be compatible with the respective home environment.
Avoiding Damage During Removal
Yes, taking technology out of the home does have the potential to be at risk of damage, if wiring and more specifically the components are not treated carefully. Here are tips to help keep your home intact: Here are tips to help keep your home intact:
Power down fully before disconnecting anything is something else that everyone should always observe. This involves checking on wiring with a multimeter to ascertain that the wiring is dead.
Categorize all the wiring connections in some way so that they can easily be reconnected again. Use piping tape of different colors to group different wires in bundles.
Screw all bare low-voltage wires down with electrical tape to minimize direct interaction or short circuits.
Be careful not to twist or apply too much pressure while handling the physical doorbell system in a manner that would flex or cause the housing to crack.
Conclusion
If you or your clients are ever to remove an old Vivint Doorbell, it may take time and effort, however, the removal process is as easy as this simple disconnection after learning the wiring diagram of the device. If you wish to modify your home or change from a wireless doorbell to a wired one, you can do it easily as the wires are disconnected and capped while using this device. Just be sure to adequately prepare the area where you are going to install any new smart doorbell or video camera that you intend to install. Each of these steps has to be followed to ensure fast and non-destructive removal of your removal. Please reach out to us if you have any further questions regarding uninstalling or replacing Vivint equipment.
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