Tamper Fault On Accenta Mini

[Robin Spark]

Guy i do some work for asked me to have a look at his house intruder alarm.  He told me he turned it off about a month ago as it kept on making funny sounds at the RKP.

So went to have a look tonight at short notice as he always wants stuff doing yesterday! and its an accenta mini installed 2006 so i think this is a G3 panel and Im not familiar with them.  Powered it up and its locked out on tamper fault (no zones are lit up on LED keypad, just tamper and power LEDS).

Powered the panel back down, removed the covers and found all of the factory fitted tamper links are still in place (thought this was a bit weird?)

Even though global tamper link was in place, i still checked tamper loop which was O/C!  He had replaced magnetic door switch and i reckon cut off tamper wires (he denies this!!)

Barely managed to pull some slack cable at sensor, reconnected tamper wires and loop reading now 12.4ohms.

Also battery is now virtually dead 0.96v.

To aid complication he doesnt really know user or engineer codes he thought it was the factory set ones but they didnt work tonight when we tried.

Had a look tonight on internet once home,  it looks like to reset panel to factory settings then its power up and press reset twice within 5 seconds of powering panel back up. Then hopefully reprogramme it.

Any ideas guys if im on the right track or have i missed something?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Have you disconnected the battery completely now?

Don't think those small PSU's have enough juice to power the panel and try and charge a dead battery at the same time.

Installed 2006... Still original battery by any chance?

they only have about a 5 year recommend lifespan..

The funny sounds would be because of the dead battery IMHO...

Guinness

 

[steptoe]

yer,

Id agree above, new battery, then crash the panel and try re-programme it from there.

if the tamper is linked at the panel then no other tamper wire will make any difference,

has the PA been linked????????

 

[Robin Spark]

Battery reconnected just to leave it the way i found it and although no dates recorded the guy confirmed it was still the original.

I thought it was every 3 years to change battery and told him he should definately have a new one even if i can get this panel working properly or new panel.

Actually I never thought, if he had turned power off to it a month ago, then yes to start with it would have been trying to work on an old knackered battery and hence funny sounds etc like you said Specs.  So at least thats one part of the puzzle.

yer,

Id agree above, new battery, then crash the panel and try re-programme it from there.

if the tamper is linked at the panel then no other tamper wire will make any difference,

has the PA been linked????????

Yep, all links still in place from original install???  So bit confusing to why that is as the electrician who wired his house up is really good.

Steps do you know if i have the correct factory reset procedure for this panel?

 

[steptoe]

robin, PM me, doesnt seem so,

but,

you do need a good battery for it to work,

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

1/ Print and read..

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/Ade/4pi175_A-G3_inst.pdf

2/ either disconnect the Batt  or put a good one in..

better to run with NO back up batt than a knackerd one....

 

[Robin Spark]

1/ Print and read..

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/Ade/4pi175_A-G3_inst.pdf

2/ either disconnect the Batt  or put a good one in..

better to run with NO back up batt then a knackerd one....

Yes i have downloaded and read through that tonight before posting on here.  Not being lazy

Didnt realise knackered battery would cause upset so will try that first (easy fix) and then reprogramme if i am sure i have proper reset procedure.

 

[steptoe]

PM sent. 

hope it helps

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Yes i have downloaded and read through that tonight before posting on here.  Not being lazy

Didn't realise knackered battery would cause upset so will try that first (easy fix) and then reprogramme if i am sure i have proper reset procedure.

Good to hear you did your homework!! :slap    Guinness

A near dead batt will definitely cause wobblies...

Have a look at the size of the PSU transformer..

it cant push much juice through..

so the dead battery will drag the power down to the panel!

Which is why its better as you suggest to change the Batt every 3-4 years, (Dependant upon No of zones & mains interruptions during normal working life), as the manufactures only typically recommend 5 year life span anyway!

 

[Robin Spark]

Good to hear you did your homework!! :slap    Guinness

A near dead batt will definitely cause wobblies...

Have a look at the size of the PSU transformer..

it cant push much juice through..

so the dead battery will drag the power down to the panel!

Which is why its better as you suggest to change the Batt every 3-4 years, (Dependant upon No of zones & mains interruptions during normal working life), as the manufactures only typically recommend 5 year life span anyway!

Thanks, information duly noted.  Much appreciated.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

if the tamper is linked at the panel then no other tamper wire will make any difference,

has the PA been linked????????

SAB tamper return is separate  ;

 

[steptoe]

well, I just meant the tamper wires at the detectors, he said he tested them, but if the panel is linked then why,?

removed an old alarm today, 2 wire system everywhere, everything linked out, I have doubts if it ever worked,,,,,,,,,,

an optima 4 system,   :|

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I removed an alarm system today as well..

had loads on internal door magnetic sensors....

Customer convinced they were working.....

But I found a disconnected cable down by the back door that obviously looped to the other doors....

Couldn't of worked..

probably since the UPVC back door was fitted.....

Guess the door bods pulled the wire off and just tucked it back in some mini trunking that was also by the door!!!!

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I found major bodges and a hardly working alarm on a regular customers alarm  which I corrected for them. They were concerned about it as the guy also fitted an alarm at their daughters house & friends. 

All that was working at the daughters house was the front door contact which started /stopped the entry timer so they thought all  was ok. Even the SAB did not sound, only the internal sounder under the panel.  The whole house  had been wired with PIR's etc   that had voltage to them as the led lit when it saw movement, however various problems, damaged wiring and notes left in the panel the guy obviously didn't have a clue. I did manage to get everything working. My customer said the guy used to be their electrician but packed it in to concentrate only on burglar alarms. I went on to fix 3 similar other jobs of his all bodged & half working. 

 

[Robin Spark]

Just an update,

as time was limited due to customer going away, I went armed with a texecom excel  panel, key pads in case i couldnt fix the present panel.  Also even thought the panel was installed 2006, it had manufactures stickers inside for 2002 so best probably just to swap it out and be done with it.  The customer loves new gadgets and preferred the LCD keypads when I showed him so this is what I fitted.  He also had a speech dialler installed as well.

Saved him some money as he said that ADT came round and told his wife £350 for alarm, 3 year contract at £25 per month just to call him and let him know his alarm had been activated, plus £200 annual maintenance!

Thanks guys for your help with this although not used on this occassion.