sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Alarm system

My home alarm system (fire & burgler) started dialing the monitering service in the wee hours without giving an audible notification from the alert. This all started after their tech was here replacing some door magnets on a maint. contract warranty.
The tech said there was problems in the system with audible alerting for smoke and breakin, but my wife was told the system is old and they no longer can get parts. (11 years old)
I will be speaking with the service manager soon, but would like some input from those of you out there that also do alarm systems.
The system is a DSC (Digital Security Controls) PC3000 with LCD-600 keypads.
Can this equipment be refurbed or found on a secondry market? It all sounds like a song and dance to sell a new system.
I'm not sure at this time what our maint. contract covers, but it seems to me if they are selling maint.....then they should be able to maintain the system when there is a problem.
The wiring in the box looks like it was installed by a 3 year old.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry for the length of this post.

The PC 3000 is outdated, so if it's not working it will have to be replaced. What kind of signals are being sent to the monitoring station? If you do need a new panel you'll have to replace your keypads as well. A new 16 zone DSC panel with one LCD keypad can be had for around $350 CDN plus install.

Shop around and you might find a company that will replace your panel for free if you sign a monitoring contract.

Just curious, did your keypad show the alarms that went off during the night? Can you do a bell test and see if the sirens work for yourself? If no siren, check for 12volts at the alarm output while the alarm should be active. It's possible the siren itself is bad or it could possibly have a driver that converts a speaker to a siren that has gone bad. I would check those out first just to make sure the panel is really bad before replacing. The reason I asked if the keypads were showing the alarms is the only way the monitoring station knows it's your panel calling is the account number programmed into the panel. If your keypad did not show the events in question it's entirely possible the alarm company has mistakingly programmed your account number into someone else's panel or the company is using a third party to monitor your alarm and one of their other alarm dealers has duplicated you account number.

[This message has been edited by JOHNYREB (edited March 15, 2005).]

Ebay is your answer.

I found a replacement alarm system for one that was discontinued. Just do a little surfing for parts


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WWW.THEBESTPHONESUPPORT.COM

WWW.ABUGSEYEVIEW.COM

More than likely the service guy turned on the 24 hour self test feature and it sends the info to the central monitoring station.

Most panels don't just up and start doing stuff like that unless somebody has been in programming.

Most alarm panels should work flawlessly for years as the only moving parts are the relays for the bell/siren circuit and the line seizure/dial pulse relays for dialing.

Now the battery and the other parts (PIR, Door/window contactsand the rubber buttons in the keypads will fail, the lead/acid gell cells will stop taking a charge after about 3-4 years and sometimes the door contacts will have the reed switches freeze up.

The DSC panels weren't the greatest panels ever made but they always worked for us and I did alarms for 16 years.

DJ

11 years is real old for an alarm pannel. New ones are not that expensive. Have it changed out for new one. Its not worth the hassle of getting the old equipment to replace things on the one you have. I agree with the previous fella, someone might give you one if you shop it and sign a contract for monitering or service. Good luck.

I dont know of any contact troubles that would warrant replacing the panel.
Verify the the condition to a zone, then isolate the trouble accordingly short,open or swinginging condition. Is there something else going on here that we arent aware of?