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Hard wired alarm systems
rachel230
Posts: 209 Forumite
Does anyone have a hard wired alarm system (not connected to police).
If hard wired are there still batteries that need changing e.g. in the main consumer unit. Or does the fact it's hard wired mean there are no batteries in any part of the system?
If hard wired are there still batteries that need changing e.g. in the main consumer unit. Or does the fact it's hard wired mean there are no batteries in any part of the system?
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Comments
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There are often batteries used as a back-up in case of power cut (or a clever burglar cutting the power).0
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Yes there is normally a back up battery in the main alarm panel and some bell boxes/strobes have them too so they still work in the event of a power cut or someone cuts the cables0
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Just to add . . .The back-up batteries also prevent the system false alarming (in the event of a power-cut for example) and waking up the whole neighbourhood.They do require maintenance occasionally.0
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Yes there is a battery. Ours needed changing about every 3rd year when it was serviced, used to cost about £20-£25 for the battery (alarm was on a contract).
Make £2026 in 2026
Prolific £177.46, TCB £10.90, Everup £27.79, Roadkill £1.17
Total £217.32 10.7%Make £2025 in 2025 Total £2241.23/£2025 110.7%
Prolific £1062.50, Octopoints £6.64, TCB £492.05, Tesco Clubcard challenges £89.90, Misc Sales £321, Airtime £70, Shopmium £53.06, Everup £106.08, Zopa CB £30, Misc survey £10
Make £2024 in 2024 Total £1410/£2024 70%Make £2023 in 2023 Total: £2606.33/£2023 128.8%0 -
Brilliant. Thanks. Are they easy to replace or do you need to call someone in (no maintenance plan!)
If battery runs out and if e.g. power cut happens can't you just accept that either alarm won't go off, or if it does then just type in code as per usual to switch off? Or am I missing something?
Friend hoping to move to house with wired system and doesn't want to have a contract for yearly maintenance!0 -
You don't need to have a maintenance contract in order to get ad hoc things done like replacing a battery (which won't need replaced as often as yearly anyway).
In theory it ought to be DIYable though you might need to put up with the alarm blaring while you do it (understandably, manufacturers prefer to let only the trade have access to maintenance manuals).0 -
The lead acid battery in my control panel would "die" without any notification and I would only know when there was a power cut (usually in the middle of the night), the one in the bell box is 25+ years old and has never run out juice.0
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@TadleyBaggie thanks.
So if you have a power cut do you just tap in alarm code to turn off the ringing? Doesn't the keypad itself become unworkable if there is a power cut?
Would you know how to change the battery if you had to?0 -
Unless you are good at DIY not having a maintenance contract is, IMO, a false economy. You want the alarm to be reliable and not give grief when you are away or asleep!0
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Mains-powered linked alarms used to be mandatory for private rentals in Scotland. Very reliable, yes they had back-up batteries - don't think i as landlord every replaced on in my 3 scots rentals
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