Help CenterUnlike a regular doorbell push button is wired in the normal open circuit position, a wired doorbell camera is in the close circuit position as it needs constant power hence the chime kit serves as a load resistor to the doorbell chime.
Traditional Doorbell (Push Button)
- A standard doorbell button is a normally open circuit.
- When you press it, you close the circuit, allowing current to flow.
- That current energizes the chime (mechanical or electronic), making it ring.
- When you release the button, the circuit opens again and power stops.
👉 So: No press = no current flow. Press = momentary current.
Wired Doorbell Camera
- A doorbell camera like the OSI Go Direct Doorbell Camera needs continuous power to stay on (WiFi, video, etc.).
- That means it must allow constant current flow, even when no one is pressing the button.
- Internally, it behaves more like a closed circuit (or partially closed / load-bearing circuit) rather than a simple open switch.
👉 So: Power is always flowing, not just when pressed.
Role of the Chime Kit (Load Resistor / Power Kit)
This is the key part your sentence is trying to describe.
- The original doorbell system wasn’t designed for continuous current—only short bursts when pressed.
- If you just wire in a camera, it can:
- Starve for power, or
- Cause the chime to buzz, hum, or malfunction.
The chime kit (often included with doorbell cameras):
- Acts as a load resistor or bypass module
- Regulates and diverts current so:
- The camera gets enough continuous power
- The chime doesn’t falsely trigger or buzz
- In some setups, it also bypasses the chime during idle and only allows full current to ring it when the button is pressed.