Ring has also gained popularity for their flagship product’s motion-detection feature. However, many users have reported that their Ring Doorbell rings randomly, especially at night when there is no one outside.
If you are dealing with a Ring Doorbell which goes off for no reason, you have come to the right place. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the reasons why your Ring Doorbell might be malfunctioning and provide you with a comprehensive guide on fixing this problem.
Can A Ring Doorbell Ring Randomly?
Ring Video Doorbells are the new big thing as these high-end doorbells have a built-in camera which allows users to see a live feed of what is happening at their door at any time.
One of the coolest features about this product is that it has an in-built motion sensor which alerts the user of any movement outside their front door. This feature comes in handy for security reasons or even when you just want to see who’s at your door without having to walk all the way.
While the motion detection system is amazing for many reasons, it also has its downsides, one of which is that some users have reported that their Ring Video Doorbell rings randomly at night, thus disrupting their sleep for no good reason. This specific malfunction has been dubbed as “ghost dings”.
Rest assured that “ghost dings” have no paranormal influences and are instead due some fixable causes which we discuss in the next section.
Why is My Ring Doorbell Ringing By Itself?
If your Ring Doorbell starts ringing by itself, you might need to check the device’s wiring, sensors, or ringing frequency. A problem with any of these functions may cause your Ring Doorbell to activate when it receives a false reading. A low battery or accumulated moisture may also cause your device to malfunction.
Note that bugs might get attracted to the light on the doorbell and fly too close, thus setting off the alert. To avoid this, you can enable the people-only setting for the motion sensor in the Ring Doorbell. However, bear in mind that doing so will disable motion detection for everything else including your pets.
Some of the most common reasons why your Ring Doorbell rings by itself are technical in nature. Look out for these easily fixable issues:
- Stuck Doorbell Button: First things first, check the functionality of your Ring Doorbell’s button, as wear and tear might affect its performance over time. It might just be your doorbell’s button getting stuck which makes its alarm go off randomly.
- Device Frequency Interference: A Ring Doorbell’s frequency is typically between 400 MHZ and 500 MHZ. When there is another device which uses the same frequency in and around your home, it might cause some interference issues.
- Internal Wiring Interference: Improper wiring at the time of installation could lead to wires touching which in turn might lead to short circut and other electrical issues.
These causes may mostly probably be the reason behind your Ring Video Doorbell ringing randomly. If your doorbell keeps ringing randomly, you might not take it seriously and potentially miss an actual threat at your door, it is important to find the reason for and fix this issue at the earliest for safety reasons.
To keep your Ring Doorbell from ringing randomly at night, follow the steps in the next section.
How to Fix Ring Doorbell Ringing By Itself?
After determining the cause behind your Ring Doorbell’s malfunction, you can use the following repair methods to fix it. These methods are easy and don’t require much technical knowledge, so you would be able to do them yourself without the help of an expert.
How to fix a stuck button?
Sometimes, the Ring Doorbell’s button might get stuck inside upon pressing it. With constant contact with the internal sensor, the device might get set off constantly. You can check for this problem by pushing the button a few times to see if it smoothly pops back out to its original place without touching the sensor.
If the button does not pop back out or takes time to do so, you can conclude that you have diagnosed the issue. In most cases, this is an easily fixable one-time issue. Follow the steps below to fix a stuck Ring Doorbell button.
Step 1: Unscrew the Ring Doorbell and open up the device.
Step 2: Clean the inside of the doorbell with dry wipes to remove dust and debris.
Step 3: Check for any bug nests and remove them from your doorbell.
Step 4: Spray the button’s internals with a proper lubricant like WD-40.
Step 5: Reassemble the device and follow through with regular maintenance to increase its longevity.
How to fix device frequency interference?
ImageSource: https://www.designworldonline.com/basics-of-deciphering-electromagnetic-interference/
One of the most common reasons for a malfunctioning Ring Doorbell is frequency interference from other nearby devices. A Ring Doorbell’s frequency is typically between 400 MHZ and 500 MHZ.
Many home appliances are set at the same or similar frequencies because of regulations. The problem with multiple devices operating at the same frequency is that it might cause interference issues.
If you find your Ring Doorbell ringing every time your neighbour presses the button to their gate, you might have to readjust the frequency of your device. Fortunately, Ring has made it easy to make this change.
To change the frequency of your doorbell follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Open the Ring application on your phone.
Step 2: Go to Device Settings and scroll down to Privacy Code.
Step 3: Change the frequency of your doorbell from 450MHZ to 470MHZ
Step 4: Then, check if changing the frequency solved the issue. If your doorbell is still ringing by itself, you might have to readjust the frequency.
Step 5: If changing the frequency multiple times has not solved the problem, you can conclude that this is not the problem
How to fix touching wires?
Depending on the installation, touching wires might be the issue causing your Ring Doorbell to ring randomly. To fix this problem, you only need minimal technical knowledge and a screwdriver to access the internal components of your device.
Since Ring Doorbells work at a low voltage, you don’t have to worry about getting an electrical shock if you accidentally touch one of the wires but you can use gloves, just to be safe. To fix touching wires, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open up the device’s internal wiring system.
Step 2: Check whether one of the bare wires is touching another one.
Step 3: If there are any, realign the wires so that they aren’t in contact with each other.
Step 4: Check for corroded or damaged wires as they might also cause your doorbell to malfunction. If you find any, replace them with new wires.
If you are hesitant to do this by yourself, you can hire a professional to look into it for you.
Conclusion
We hope we helped solve your problem with our guide. If your doorbell still continues to ring even after trying each of these methods, contact Ring customer support as they would be able to send a professional to fix the problem. You can turn off Ring Doorbell notifications on your phone until the issue is resolved, however, don’t forget to turn it back on after fixing the problem.
