Intruder Alarm Questions and Answers

setanta74

Just a quick question on what appears to be a faulty alarm.

I dont set our alarm at night (I know, I know) but a few times in the last 12 months the alarm has gone off even though it wasnt set!!

The latest being last night at 3am. Each time I check the panel it says "Tamper - Kitchen windows"

Ocassionaly it has gone off during the day also again when it wasnt set.

Is my problem in the main unit or the sensors in the kitchen. I dont understand why it would go off if it wasnt set. Its a wired alarm.

Any ideas how to fix this?

KoolKid

More than likely its a faulty connection or a faulty device on that zone. First step would be to visually check for loose connections or loose lids on that zone

altor

setanta74 wrote: »

Just a quick question on what appears to be a faulty alarm.

I dont set our alarm at night (I know, I know) but a few times in the last 12 months the alarm has gone off even though it wasnt set!!

The latest being last night at 3am. Each time I check the panel it says "Tamper - Kitchen windows"

Ocassionaly it has gone off during the day also again when it wasnt set.

Is my problem in the main unit or the sensors in the kitchen. I dont understand why it would go off if it wasnt set. Its a wired alarm.

Any ideas how to fix this?

At lease you know where you have the fault which will make things alot easier for your fault finding. The reason it activates is because one of the sensors is showing a tamper. This could be because either the sensor is faulty or a cable or lid has come loose in one of the sensors in the kitchen. I would say the best thing for you to do is open each sensor lid at a time and check there are no loose wires and tighten the screws that hold in the cable. Make sure you tighten the lid back on too. With regard checking for a faulty sensor you will need a meter to do this but hopefully it will only be a loose lid or cable that is activating the alarm..

setanta74

Thanks guys. I will give those ideas a shot.

MartinHD

I understand the old adage about belt AND braces, but what is the advantage of having contacts as well as sensors on doors and windows? Surely the sensors will be sensitive enough to detect a window or door being opened?

Is it worth the extra money to add contacts?

Rgds, Martin

altor

MartinHD wrote: »

I understand the old adage about belt AND braces, but what is the advantage of having contacts as well as sensors on doors and windows? Surely the sensors will be sensitive enough to detect a window or door being opened?

Is it worth the extra money to add contacts?

Rgds, Martin

Hi martin,

Contacts show the opening of the window or door and the shock shows force being used to try open, or cut the glass. Contacts on your windows are handy as you wont go out leaving the window open. Shocks wont show an open window but will detect someone trying to force the window open. It is up to the customer if they want contacts plus shocks on there windows.

KoolKid

To put it simply . If you go out,set your alarm & leave a window open it is very easy to get in without activating the alarm.
I will install an alarm without sensors providing there is at least one PiR. I will not install inertia sensors only unless there are at least 3 PiRs.

altor

Contacts and pirs are more so used in a apartment on a high floor that there is no real access to to break in but the customer still wants to alarm the premises.
Contacts are also much cheaper to buy than shock sensors.

MartinHD

Thanks for the responses, Koolkid & Altor. Certainly helps my understanding of where each (or both) should be considered for installation.

altor

MartinHD wrote: »

Thanks for the responses, Koolkid & Altor. Certainly helps my understanding of where each (or both) should be considered for installation.

Your welcome, any more questions just ask..

Step100

Hi I have an ASTEC alarm which has gone to a default setting due to the battery being flat and a mains power cut. i can not set or deactivate the panel user my original user code!!

Does anyone have a installers manual or the default engineers code so i can full set the panel or interigate the the engineers program menus so i can put my own code back in.

thanks

Stephen

KoolKid

PM me your email and ill send you it.

altor

Step100 wrote: »

Hi I have an ASTEC alarm which has gone to a default setting due to the battery being flat and a mains power cut. i can not set or deactivate the panel user my original user code!!

Does anyone have a installers manual or the default engineers code so i can full set the panel or interigate the the engineers program menus so i can put my own code back in.

thanks

Stephen

Hi Steven,

Change code..
Press clear fn 3 "factory code 4711", enter new code. press set, enter new code set. memory is displayed to show the new code is in the panel memory.
Change time/date..
Press clear fn 1 enter user code. hour, minute press set. day, month press set. year press set.
Enter 1174 on panel, should bring you into eng mode. press clear 92 set. enter new eng code press set. clear 99 to exit eng..

Hope this helps...

KoolKid

You will need more that that.
I PMed you a link for both user & engineer manuals
check the factory link is in place & enable engineer lock to prevent system from defaulting again.

joanofarc

Hi,
I have an Aritech Advisor Alarm (CD 3403). I has some trouble recently with a faulty PIR, in the course of isolating I changed various settings in an effort to stop the external bell from sounding while I was fault finding. I was pretty sure that I put everything back the way it was, but I now find that the External Bell does not sound when there is an alarm.
The curious thing is that the Internal Bell will always sound on alarm and if I do an output test both external bell and internal bell work fine, so there is nothing electrically wrong with the external bell.
Its seems I have somehow disabled the external bell when there is an alarm. I have gone through all of the settings but I can see no setting that could disable just the external bell, the only settings that I can see for outputs are output type where I can set the output active state to be hi or low. This is set correctly as evidenced by the output test.
Any ideas, is there some other possible inhibit that would stop the external bell?

KoolKid

Were the changes made in the user or engineer menu?

joanofarc

It would probably have been the engineering menu as there are few settings in the user menu. I have been back through teh menu a number of times and do not see any setting to enable or disable the external bell.

KoolKid

Possible causes.

Zones>Zone Attributes> So dsiplays for soak test
Zones>Zone Type >Set to unused
Timers>Bell Times Bell Delay>Should be 00

Set the alarm & activate the device wait a couple of minutes & disarm.
Check the log. If the log displays the alarm zone then its possibly on soak test or bell delay.
If nothing is logged then zone may be unused (or other type. it should be alarm)
Are you full setting the alarm? The PiR may be excluded in part guard.?

Compudaro

Hi all,

I have an Astec 63 alarm and following a fault with the wiring to my SAB (external bellbox) I physically removed its connection to the panel and programmed it off the system while a ran a new wire outside. Job done, I reconnected the box outside and then inside to the panel again (in engineering mode) However, using Command 72 the display is saying "SAB 2". Shouldn't this be "SAB 1" as before? Any and all advice appreciated!

altor

Compudaro wrote: »

Hi all,

I have an Astec 63 alarm and following a fault with the wiring to my SAB (external bellbox) I physically removed its connection to the panel and programmed it off the system while a ran a new wire outside. Job done, I reconnected the box outside and then inside to the panel again (in engineering mode) However, using Command 72 the display is saying "SAB 2". Shouldn't this be "SAB 1" as before? Any and all advice appreciated!

Hi Compudaro,

For this to come up as sab two you must of cut the link cable inside the sab. Try joining the cable and reprogram it in then.

Hope this helps..

KoolKid

Its best to leave that cable cut & programme it as sabb2.
There is probobly a joint corroded on the board It you join it they panel may from time to time see 1 SABB & then 2 etc. every time this happens will cause an activation.
If the cable is cut this is less likely to happen.

Compudaro

Thanks Altor, believe it or not, the little red loop wire on the back of the SAB hasn't been cut - yet the command still says "2" on the display - which is baffling me! Could the box just be bad? It's 3 years old.

Koolkid, when you say a joint on the board - do you mean the main alarm panel inside or the board inside the SAB? Thanks

altor

Compudaro wrote: »

Thanks Altor, believe it or not, the little red loop wire on the back of the SAB hasn't been cut - yet the command still says "2" on the display - which is baffling me! Could the box just be bad? It's 3 years old.

There could be water damage on the board which is causing this. I would replace the sab as there must be something faulty with it.

KoolKid

Cut it and see what happens.
Theres a very good chance it will stay at 2. (9 /10 times this sorts it)
I dont believe in replacing something unless you have to.

altor

I would replace the bell and be done with it. It is not coming up as sab 2 for no reason.

Compudaro

I'm inclined to agree with the replacement advice because to be honest the originally fault I had with it happened during very heavy rain! Do you think I'll make it through the night without it going off? (I won't be able to remove it until then) I'll leave the panel in engineering mode overnight. I assume the flat battery has been recharging since I put the box back up at half 6 this evening. What do you guys think?

Oh and a final question - is it best to go direct to Astec for a replacement SAB? Rang the other day for a price and they quoted around 70 euro including VAT.

altor

Compudaro wrote: »

I'm inclined to agree with the replacement advice because to be honest the originally fault I had with it happened during very heavy rain! Do you think I'll make it through the night without it going off? (I won't be able to remove it until then) I'll leave the panel in engineering mode overnight. I assume the flat battery has been recharging since I put the box back up at half 6 this evening. What do you guys think?

I would replace it to, would hate to be getting up a ladder at 2 in the morning because it wont switch off.. If you leave it in eng mode it wont activate the alarm.

KoolKid

altor wrote: »

I would replace the bell and be done with it. It is not coming up as sab 2 for no reason.

Believe me I know how Astec systems work. I regularly advise on the R&D of their products.
Out of the factory the red loop is closed identifying the SABB id as 1 .
If that red loop is cut the SABBs id switches to 2.
No here is the simple logic of it. If the cable is closed & there is a bad connection it can't open. If its phyisically cut & sperated it can not close .
Therefore the SABB will only ever register as 2.

altor

koolkid wrote: »

Believe me I know how Astec systems work. I regularly advise on the R&D of their products.
Out of the factory the red loop is closed identifying the SABB id as 1 .
If that red loop is cut the SABBs id switches to 2.
No here is the simple logic of it. If the cable is closed & there is a bad connection it can't open. If its phyisically cut & sperated it can not close .
Therefore the SABB will only ever register as 2.

Cut it and see what happens.
Theres a very good chance it will stay at 2. (9 /10 times this sorts it)
I dont believe in replacing something unless you have to.

You are not the only installer who knows how there systems work. Alot of installers have given input to astec with regards there products, not just you..

KoolKid

I am aware of that..
How does that alter my explanation of how the SABB works????