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HKC Alarm Going Off for No Reason

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  • 01-07-2016 10:26am
    #1
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I have a HKC alarm that was installed in August 2014.

    When I got home from work yesterday the alarm was sounding, I checked the panel & it noted that there was an alarm incident in the hall. I looked around there was no sign of a break in but there was some junk mail on the ground so I put it down to that.

    I went off to the gym and again on my return the alarm was sounding. This time the panel said the alarm incident was in the front bedroom (adjacent to the hall), again no sign of any forced entry.

    Just wondering if anyone has encountered this problem before and if they had any advice on how to sort it?

    PS: The alarm has been disconnected from the phone since March (long Eir story) but I don't think this would be affecting it.


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    #2
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    You have had one false alarm on the hall , I take it that's a PiR (Motion sensor)
    and one other activation on a front window.
    Is that right?
    If so I'd wait and see how it goes. Check the PiR for any dust or cob webs etc.
    If you get any more activation's on the window Id check the resistance on the zone giving trouble.


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    #3
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭Tim76


    KoolKid wrote: »
    You have had one false alarm on the hall , I take it that's a PiR (Motion sensor)
    and one other activation on a front window.
    Is that right?
    If so I'd wait and see how it goes. Check the PiR for any dust or cob webs etc.
    If you get any more activation's on the window Id check the resistance on the zone giving trouble.

    Thanks for your reply. It was 2 PiRs that caused the false alarms, 1 aimed at the front door and the other at the bedroom window.

    Just gave them a bit of a clean and there was some small cob webs up around one of them alright.

    How do u check the resistance? Is that just for a contact sensor?


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    #4
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    It would be more so on a sensor. Are those PiRs facing windows.


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    #5
    altor
    Registered Users Posts: 11,715 ✭✭✭✭altor


    Tim76 wrote: »
    Thanks for your reply. It was 2 PiRs that caused the false alarms, 1 aimed at the front door and the other at the bedroom window.

    Just gave them a bit of a clean and there was some small cob webs up around one of them alright.

    How do u check the resistance? Is that just for a contact sensor?

    No, resistance can be checked on all devices.
    If you are getting two false alarms on powered devices I advise down powering your system and powering it back up.
    Was it a new battery that was installed in the system as old batteries have been known to cause issues with powered devices on a system?

    www.altor.ie



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    #6
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭Tim76


    altor wrote: »
    No, resistance can be checked on all devices.
    If you are getting two false alarms on powered devices I advise down powering your system and powering it back up.
    Was it a new battery that was installed in the system as old batteries have been known to cause issues with powered devices on a system?

    It's mains powered as far as i know.

    Do u know how I would power the system down and check resistance?

    Got another false alarm during the middle of the night :eek:


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    #7
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    If it's a powered device like a PiR they will need to remain powered to check the resistance properly.
    Remove the zone pair from the panel and connect to multimeter leads with resistance set to 200 ohms.(This is important, if set higher readings will be less accurate) If there are any end of line resistors in the device remove them. Now note the resistance and see that it returns to the same value after each activation. If it's a PiR you are testing also make sure there is no changes in resistance while the device is clear.


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    #8
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭Tim76


    KoolKid wrote: »
    If it's a powered device like a PiR they will need to remain powered to check the resistance properly.
    Remove the zone pair from the panel and connect to multimeter leads with resistance set to 200 ohms.(This is important, if set higher readings will be less accurate) If there are any end of line resistors in the device remove them. Now note the resistance and see that it returns to the same value after each activation. If it's a PiR you are testing also make sure there is no changes in resistance while the device is clear.

    Cheers. Sounds like a job for the professionals tho!


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    #9
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    Ahh it's easy enough, although I have seen some in this business struggle with the basics of resistance.


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    #10
    altor
    Registered Users Posts: 11,715 ✭✭✭✭altor


    Tim76 wrote: »
    It's mains powered as far as i know.

    Do u know how I would power the system down and check resistance?

    Got another false alarm during the middle of the night :eek:

    If it is from the PIRs again did you get a chance to power them down and back up before the false alarms?

    www.altor.ie



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    #11
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭Tim76


    altor wrote: »
    If it is from the PIRs again did you get a chance to power them down and back up before the false alarms?

    Sorry, if this is a stupid question but how exactly do I power down the PIRs?


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    #12
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    Just open it up and remove the + or - .
    In my experience if a PiR is false alarming regularly and its in a clean environment its usually the device needs replacing.


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    #13
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭Tim76


    KoolKid wrote: »
    Just open it up and remove the + or - .
    In my experience if a PiR is false alarming regularly and its in a clean environment its usually the device needs replacing.

    Thanks KoolKid. Will give it a go and keep an eye on it.


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