Hard wired alarm systems

TadleyBaggie

rachel230 said:

@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?

If the battery in the control box is dead, then during a power cut the key pad is dead too. The bell box detects that there is no voltage being supplied by the control box and so sounds the alarm and there is no way to stop this unless the power comes back on or the battery in the bell box discharges.

I installed the control panel myself (replacing an older defective one), replacing the internal 6V battery is a trivial matter. 

Mutton_Geoff

rachel230 said:

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?

As others have said, the alarm panel (not "consumer unit", that is your electrical "fuseboard") contains a 12v back up battery similar to a motorbike lead acid battery. They cost about £13 and generally last 5 years. Proper alarm panels have a battery condition test inbuilt and will pop up a keypad code or similar if the battery is not charging properly (sign of old age and time for replacement). For the cost, it's worth just replacing the battery regularly (3 years) to minimise the chance of failure and false alarm.

The bell box also has a (smaller) rechargeable battery and it will sound if triggered (by the panel) or if there is loss of power from the panel (wires cut or power cut with no working back up battery in panel). The panel 12v supply to the bell box also keeps it's battery charged.

Changing the battery will cause the alarm to trigger if the panel has the tamper alarm connected. You may need the engineers code to reset it. If you don't have the engineers code, then you may need to do a factory reset. In which case, you may be better off using an alarm company in any case.

Oh, and domestic alarms don't connect to the police. They make an automatic call to a monitoring centre (ARC) and send codes as to the reason for alarm and only in elevated circumstances (double trigger) and from properly installed and maintained alarm systems will the ARC contact the police. Normal response is to call a keyholder.

For an alarm to simply call a list of keyholders, there are systems that will do this, or it's easy enough (for competent alarm DIYer) to add an SMS system to an older alarm so that keyholders are contacted by call or text.

For spare batteries, most panels use one of these - https://www.alertelectrical.com/7-0ah-12v-back-up-battery-for-alarm-control-panels.html

More info on police response here (no connection to these companies)

https://ciaalarms.co.uk/intruder-alarms/monitoring/police-response/

https://www.banham.co.uk/burglar-alarms-fire/burglar-alarms/alarm-monitoring/police-respond-monitored-alarms/