A burglar alarm system is one of the most basic and the most commonly used security devices installed to our properties to ensure the safety and security of our loved ones and possessions. This system works by transmitting a signal to a receiver via radio frequencies and an alarm will go off upon detection of motion, fire, smoke or just whatever the sensor is programmed to detect.
The installed alarm can either be transmitting these signals via wireless transmission with the use of radio frequencies or it can send them through a wire that connects the camera and the receiver. The latter is called a hard-wired burglar alarm system.
The hard-wired installation is the traditional type and is more commonly used than the wireless. This is true most especially to residential properties. The system can either be audible only – meaning it will only sound the alarm around the premises of the property; or it can be a monitored system – meaning it is directly connected to a central monitoring center.
This monitoring center is in charge of supervising the alarm. If it goes off, they will to assess and send a team of professionals to your property to act on the emergency. However, checking the regular status of your device is left to your care and responsibility.
This means that if you own a hard-wired burglar alarm system or you are planning to buy one, it is imperative that you know the basics in troubleshooting the simplest troubles of your device.
The Most Common Troubles and their Easy Fixes
1. Dead internal batteries
This is a common problem most especially with devices that have already been running 5 or more years since installation. Before you replace those batteries, check first if the 1.2 AMP didn’t blow up. If it did, you need to replace it together with your internal batteries.
2. Tamper circuit goes open-circuit
When this happens, an alarm will sound indicating that there has been an internal tampering. It will stop when the owner will encode their user number however an LED will still be lit on the panel indicating the tamper. This will continue unless the circuit has been closed.
If this happens, check on the micro switch in each sensor to close it. An actual tamper can happen but it would be very seldom that a perpetrator will tamper the control panel unless it’s an inside job.
3. Weathered siren box
There are some burglar alarm systems that have their siren box outside the house. It means that the siren box is susceptible damages brought by weathering elements. You will have to disarm the system manually and replace the damaged siren box.
4. Glass fused on the main circuit board
The glass is usually one of those little 1.2 AMPs. You have to check it carefully because the blown out fuse will be very fine. You can do the checking with the help of a multimeter with a continuity tester
5. Faulty micro switch
A faulty micro switch can cause different sensors to go off. Check them one by one and see which is faulty. Replace if necessary.