Frequently asked questions

Our bells are cast from bell bronze: an alloy of copper and tin, roughly 80% copper and 20% tin. It is the traditional “bell metal”.

The tin gives the hardness needed for a clear, long-sustaining sound; the copper gives resistance to time and weather — which is why a bronze bell rings out for generations.

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A cracked bell immediately loses its clear sound, and the crack grows every time the bell is struck. As soon as you notice it, stop ringing it — switch off its electromagnetic striker or its swing motor.

Send us photos of the crack and of the whole bell, together with its diameter. Usually the solution that fully restores the sound is recasting it into a new bell, tuned to the correct note and with a warranty. For historic bells, specialist welding is also considered. We will recommend the right solution once we have seen the bell.

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The weight can be estimated quite accurately from the diameter of the mouth. With a tape measure, measure the outside diameter at the bottom lip — the widest point — from edge to edge, passing through the centre. If you cannot reach across, measure the circumference of the lip and divide it by 3.14.

For example: 41 cm ≈ 45 kg, 60 cm ≈ 135 kg, 80 cm ≈ 300 kg, 102 cm ≈ 630 kg. See the full table and the weight calculator. Old bells by other makers may differ — send us a photo for a more accurate estimate. Do not climb ladders without proper safety measures.

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The price depends mainly on:

• weight and size — the metal is the main factor;
• the note, if you want a tuned set or a bell that matches the ones you already have;
• decoration — reliefs, crosses, inscriptions;
• fittings — yoke, clapper, mountings;
• automation — electromagnetic striker, swing motor, bell-ringing controller, clock;
• installation — access to the bell tower, whether a crane is needed, distance.

That is why we do not publish a price list: we make a proposal for your own church, free of charge. Send us the location of the church, photos of the bell tower and how many bells you have. Our bells carry a 10-year warranty of good performance when they work with our own bell-ringing systems. If you are replacing old bells, ask us about trading them in.

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Tuned (melodic) bells are cast bells that each give a specific note — e.g. C, D, E, G. A set of bells therefore fits harmoniously into the major scale and can play melodies and hymns (troparia), not just single strokes.

If you already have bells and want to add one or more, we choose the note and the size of the new bell so that it matches. We visit your church anywhere in Greece to advise you; abroad we advise from photos and measurements. More about tuned bells.

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Electronic church bells are a loudspeaker system that reproduces the sound of bells and hymns. The Smart Bells system holds more than 500 hymns — such as “Christ is Risen” (Christos Anesti), “To Thee, the Champion Leader” (Ti Ypermacho) and “Let us the faithful praise and worship the Word” (Ton Synanarchon Logon) — operated from the unit itself, a remote control, a mobile phone or a computer.

It is an economical solution when the church does not have the space or the budget for a large set of tuned bells. But you do not have to choose: the same unit also rings your real bells and can combine their sound with the hymns.

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• Our bells carry a 10-year warranty of good performance when they work with our own bell-ringing systems.
• Our electromagnetic strikers carry a 2-year warranty of good performance.
• For bell-ringing controllers and electronics, the warranty stated on the installation report applies.

The warranty does not cover damage caused by extreme weather conditions, or any installation or intervention by unauthorised persons. It requires correct use and basic maintenance — e.g. oiling the strikers every 3–4 months. And after it expires, we continue to support our systems with spare parts and repairs.

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There are two “times”: the time of the bell-ringing controller (on the unit’s display) and the time shown by the clock hands on the bell tower. First you correct the time on the display, then you synchronise the clock.

The logic is the same on all units: in the tower-clock menu you do not enter the correct time, but the time the hands are showing at that moment. The controller works out by itself how far the clock must advance or how long it must wait.

• GM-370 / GM-870I: display time from menu 1 → 1 → 1; tower clock from 1 → 1 → 7 (enter the time shown by the hands, confirm with YES and OK).
• PUNTO 4: with the user code, option 2 for time/date and option 4 for the tower clock.
• SIRIO12: with the user code, L4 → L4 → L3 for time/date and L2 for the tower clock.
• MELODY / MINI MELODY: from the “Basic settings for the priest”.
• MELODIO 300 / 400 / 2000: these units do not control a clock.

The user code is the one we gave you at installation. Can’t find it? Call us.

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“Changing the melody” usually means one of three things:

1. playing a different melody now;
2. assigning a different melody to a quick-play button (M1, M2… or F1, F2…);
3. changing the melody that plays automatically at a set time — e.g. for Saturday Vespers.

The priest or the sexton can easily do the first two: choose the melody number from the unit’s list and store it on the button you want — on most models by holding the memory button down for about 2 seconds (MELODY: M1–M10; MELODIO 300/400: buttons 1–8).

The third is done from the programming menu and needs care, because a mistake can stop the automatic ringing — if you like, we can do it with you over the phone. Would you like a melody that is not on the unit, such as your local ringing pattern? We can program it for you.

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Yes. How depends on the unit:

• GM-870I, GM-3800TSI and Smart Bells: full control over the internet from a phone, tablet or computer — start melodies, view and change the day’s schedules, even when you are away from the church. The bell tower needs internet access (a router, or a 4G router with a SIM card).
• MELODY, MELODIO 300/400 and older models: we add a small Wi-Fi module near the church’s router; from an app on your phone you can start up to 7 preset ringing patterns and STOP.
• Without internet: a long-range remote control.

Tell us which model you have (it is printed on the front panel) so that we can recommend the right upgrade. Control from your phone.

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Yes. On bell-ringing controllers you set at which hours — and on some models on which days — the clock strikes the hours, with silence during quiet hours. You can also choose whether it strikes only the full hours or the half and quarter hours too, and on which bell. Some models also have a button that temporarily stops the hour strike. If you are not sure about the setting, call us and we will do it with you.

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On the Manuals & videos page. To find the right file, look for the model name on the front panel or on the display of the unit. If you cannot find your model or have lost the user code, send us a photo of the unit at info@bells.gr or call +30 210 555 0700 — we will send you the right instructions.

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