Hour Rule - I hate alarms edition

"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck) 07/26/2017 at 04:19 • Filed to: None

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The phone line is dead and our alarm can’t call home. So, it has been telling us about it every five minutes since 2:30am. I just got off the phone with the alarm company. The night watch doesn’t know what to do and tech support doesn’t roll in until 6:00am.

Their only solution is to unplug the power. Ours was installed when the house was built and it’s hard-wired into the power. Now I have to start turning off breakers until the system powers down. shutting down the house in three, two, one ....

pip bip - choose Corrour > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/26/2017 at 04:27

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hmmmm, that sucks.

TheRealBicycleBuck > pip bip - choose Corrour 07/26/2017 at 04:31

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Yep. Power is down. Now I have to figure out how to go back to sleep. The dogs are all wound up from the beeping and won’t lie down.

I’m screwed.

pip bip - choose Corrour > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/26/2017 at 04:42

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pull out a fuse or relay?

TheRealBicycleBuck > pip bip - choose Corrour 07/26/2017 at 05:10

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Nope. Had to flip breakers until the panel lights went off. There’s a transformer somewhere, probably in the attic, that powers the system. The main box is hidden above the door in one of the closets. The wiring diagram shows a power supply, but the installers used sensor wire to provide that power and since the wires come into the panel from the wall, there’s no telling where the power source is located. At least I now know the backup battery is in the box in the closet with the alarm board. That had to be unplugged too.

Thomas Donohue > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/26/2017 at 06:36

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You can’t disconnect the power where the battery/panel is (assuming you have the key)? Also, look into cellular/4G backup.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Thomas Donohue 07/26/2017 at 07:25

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The box doesn’t have a key, but does require a screwdriver for entry. I could disconnect the power supply wires, but that creates a couple of problems. First, I’d have to pull out a huge rat nest of wires to clear the path. Second, I’d need to get at least one wire nut to cover the power wire once it was disconnected. Third, I’d have to train my wife on how to do all of this in case it happens when I’m out of town.

It’s just easier to pull the ground from the backup battery and figure out the correct breaker. That still requires a screwdriver and a ladder to get to the backup battery.

We will be looking into an upgrade to cellular. We don’t use the home phone for much of anything anyway.

pip bip - choose Corrour > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/26/2017 at 08:21

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fixed yet?

TheRealBicycleBuck > pip bip - choose Corrour 07/26/2017 at 08:32

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I unplugged the backup battery, killed the breaker, then went to work waaaay early. If the phone line isn’t up when I get home this evening, I’ll follow up with their tech support.

Ryan > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/26/2017 at 10:54

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This isn’t 1994 where a robber is going to cut your phone lines before breaking in...very frustrating.