House alarm PIR fault

neilmcl

Shocking_Blue said:

Thanks all!
Yep, the red PIR light (on the PIR itself) comes on when you move in front of it. Still does that (on or off depending on this movement, i.e. not solid red) but on the panel (which has a row of red lights 1.2.3.4) no. 3* (PIR in question) is solid on (not all the time, just when we go out and try to set it).
Heard the battery option before - where would that be (in the main panel?)
The main 'box' (with a screwed on panel - sorry, not a techie) is in the cellar but the actual alarm panel to set it is by the front door. No idea how to enter engineer mode.
*Btw, just tried to set it again and no.4 now also appears to be solid on, on the panel, but that PIR also appears to be working ok when you walk in front of it. Hm?

It's likely gone off at some point in the past and you now need to reset it. Also probably be worth performing a walk test on the system.

Shocking_Blue

neilmcl said:

Shocking_Blue said:

Thanks all!
Yep, the red PIR light (on the PIR itself) comes on when you move in front of it. Still does that (on or off depending on this movement, i.e. not solid red) but on the panel (which has a row of red lights 1.2.3.4) no. 3* (PIR in question) is solid on (not all the time, just when we go out and try to set it).
Heard the battery option before - where would that be (in the main panel?)
The main 'box' (with a screwed on panel - sorry, not a techie) is in the cellar but the actual alarm panel to set it is by the front door. No idea how to enter engineer mode.
*Btw, just tried to set it again and no.4 now also appears to be solid on, on the panel, but that PIR also appears to be working ok when you walk in front of it. Hm?

Also probably be worth performing a walk test on the system.

Thanks,
Just tried this and immediately the red lights on the control panel for PIRs no. 3 and no.4 lit up (which they should only have done once I walked round and set them off). They're in two separate rooms. Was only PIR no.3 yesterday, now also PIR no.4...

Undervalued

Was the system already installed before you moved into the house? Is it maintained from time to time?

To be honest, unless you want to learn a bit about alarm systems and have some basic electrical knowledge I think you are going to have to get a maintenance company to "service" it, correct any faults, test the backup batteries and reset the engineer code to something you know etc.

Alternatively, get it decommissioned and install one of the wireless systems sold on the DIY market (e.g Yale) that are intended to be looked after by the user. Normally all that involves is going round once a year and replacing a small battery in each unit on the system.

As I mentioned earlier, you can't just rip it out as the outside sounders will go off (unless their internal rechargeable batteries have completely failed).

Shocking_Blue

Undervalued said:

Was the system already installed before you moved into the house? Is it maintained from time to time?

To be honest, unless you want to learn a bit about alarm systems and have some basic electrical knowledge I think you are going to have to get a maintenance company to "service" it, correct any faults, test the backup batteries and reset the engineer code to something you know etc.

Alternatively, get it decommissioned and install one of the wireless systems sold on the DIY market (e.g Yale) that are intended to be looked after by the user. Normally all that involves is going round once a year and replacing a small battery in each unit on the system.

As I mentioned earlier, you can't just rip it out as the outside sounders will go off (unless their internal rechargeable batteries have completely failed).

Thanks. We had it installed about 7 years ago by a fully qualified electrician. No-one's touched it since. I think you're right - will probably have to have it looked at by a professional. Just on that battery thing, btw, will that be in the main box in the cellar or control panel near the door. I guess this is also something that you can't simply out out and replace, though.
Thanks again

Undervalued

Shocking_Blue said:

Undervalued said:

Was the system already installed before you moved into the house? Is it maintained from time to time?

To be honest, unless you want to learn a bit about alarm systems and have some basic electrical knowledge I think you are going to have to get a maintenance company to "service" it, correct any faults, test the backup batteries and reset the engineer code to something you know etc.

Alternatively, get it decommissioned and install one of the wireless systems sold on the DIY market (e.g Yale) that are intended to be looked after by the user. Normally all that involves is going round once a year and replacing a small battery in each unit on the system.

As I mentioned earlier, you can't just rip it out as the outside sounders will go off (unless their internal rechargeable batteries have completely failed).

Thanks. We had it installed about 7 years ago by a fully qualified electrician. No-one's touched it since. I think you're right - will probably have to have it looked at by a professional. Just on that battery thing, btw, will that be in the main box in the cellar or control panel near the door. I guess this is also something that you can't simply out out and replace, though.
Thanks again

If it is just a small keypad by the door the battery will be in the main box in the cellar. Again you can't open the box without setting the tamper circuit off unless you can get the system into engineer mode. They are normally a sealed lead acid battery which should be tested annually and probably replaced every four or five years.

The battery should power the system for about 12 hours in case of an extended power cut. The outside sounders also have batteries and need a signal from the main unit to prevent them from sounding. So if the main unit backup battery fails and then you get a power cut you won't be able to stop the outside sounders! (although they should stop themselves after 20 mins, sometime this keeps repeating in a fault situation)!

Seven years on it should really be serviced, probably have new batteries and an arrangement with somebody you can call in the event of a problem. Most larger towns have one or more small businesses that specialise in maintaining older alarm systems. Sometimes in partnership with a locksmith Avoid the big companies like Chubb, ADT etc who will charge a fortune!

Hope this helps.