Yale HSA 3500 Early wake up calls !

[Tom Cribb]

Hello All

I have a Yale 3500 wireless system inherited when we moved into our property ten years ago. To be honest we haven't used it much but with a burglary in our street recently and xmas approaching we activated it when we left the house unattended.
All was ok (we thought) until the alarm went off on two random mornings at 6.30 and 7.30, prompting me to remove all devices, change batteries and reinstall. During the walk test one PIR despite being recognised by the control panel wouldn't work on the walk but the issue last night was despite the control panel saying "off" the alarm went off at 12.30am. When I got up to disable the so called inactive alarm I disabled the device that triggered it. Unfortunately it went off again so I removed all other devices except the front door contact.
Any ideas why this is happening please?

Thanks

 

[Alarm Engineer]

If system is off then its possible that its a tamper alarm, this is a 24hr function that detects tampering even when system is off. Locate tamper switches on detectors and ensure lids & backplates are fitted correctly. Could also be caused by radio signal problems, check batteries including main panel & external siren.

 

[Tom Cribb]

If system is off then its possible that its a tamper alarm, this is a 24hr function that detects tampering even when system is off. Locate tamper switches on detectors and ensure lids & backplates are fitted correctly. Could also be caused by radio signal problems, check batteries including main panel & external siren.

Thanks very much for getting back to me so quickly - i'll do as you suggest.

Cheers

 

[bernardgreen]

Could also be caused by radio signal problems, check batteries including main panel & external siren.

Also check if any new radio controlled toys, drones etc etc are being used in the area close to the house.. The siren will go into alarm if the radio channel is blocked for prolonged periods. This is the only way the siren can alert the owner that it can now longer receive messages from the panel / sensors.

 

[Tom Cribb]

Also check if any new radio controlled toys, drones etc etc are being used in the area close to the house.. The siren will go into alarm if the radio channel is blocked for prolonged periods. This is the only way the siren can alert the owner that it can now longer receive messages from the panel / sensors.

Thanks Bernard. I am not aware of anything of that nature but I will now be alert to the possibility.

 

[JohnD]

you say the alarm said "off" but it sounded.

Do you mean the alarm panel was unset?

Did the control panel show an alarm status? What does the log say? Or did the wall siren go off without the control panel recording an activation?

If you have a bad sensor, it still has Tamper protection, so if, say, the lid was loose, or the spring not pressed tightly, you would have a tamper alarm even if the panel is not set. Taking the batteries out will prevent this sensor from triggering. You can also use "remove device" to prevent the control panel recognising its signal.

if the alarm is old (a 3500 is) then the battery terminals would benefit from being scrubbed with a nylon toothbrush and the merest hint of WD40. Duracell batteries are a non-standard shape and may not be the best choice.

The stories of RF interference with Yale alarms are commonly trotted out, but actual RF interference is not.

edit
I just checked my HSA3500 instructions.
They say:

"Tamper and low battery display

The control unit will identify the device
triggering a tamper alarm or low battery warning
when disarmed. The display can be cleared when
disarmed by entering PIN code, OK, and exiting
the Arm Home display by pressing [picture of return button]"

 

[bernardgreen]

Jaming is a serious problem for all wireless connected alarms.

One company recognises this and advises user to turn off the tamper detection if there are too many false alarms due to interference.

mpc.assaabloy.com/yalefile/Fetchfile.aspx?id=15999&dl=1

Radio jamming
This unit is equipped with the latest type of radio receiver using AM radio technology. If the system is armed, any criminal attempt to prevent (or jam) the detector transmissions will be picked up as interference and will trigger an alarm. If the alarm is frequently triggered by interference there may be high levels of unusual radio signals in your area. Some kinds of
electronic equipment can generate this kind of radio interference.

In the unlikely event of you experiencing problems with interference, it is recommended that you switch jamming detection off.

Please telephone our helpline if you require any further assistance.

Switching the jamming detection OFF is the same as disabling the tamper system. With the jamming detection switched OFF a criminal can block the system, sensors will then be unable to tell the siren to sound so the alarm system is rendered useless.

 

[JohnD]

Jaming is a serious problem for all wireless connected alarms.

...although there is a curious absence of evidence showing that it is a common attack on an ordinary domestic house in an ordinary residential street.

The sort of person with a DIY £150 alarm is not often the victim of gangs organised by a criminal mastermind.

Perhaps Bernard lives in an area where the teenage crackheads are masters of their craft, and don't just kick the door in and grab what they can.

 

[bernardgreen]

Where would these reports be found John ? If you don't know where to look you wuld not be able to read them. The evidence is there but not in the public domain. Don't want every crack head learning how to knock out alarm systems with illegal to use equipment that can be bought on line for a few pounds

 

[JohnD]

I can see the local crime log on the neighbourhood watch, it is full of stuff like "resident left garage door open, bikes and tools stolen"...."driver started car and went inside for tea while it warmed up, criminal drove it away"..."back door left unlocked, youths climbed over fence".... "person used cash machine after night in pub, cash snatched from his hand"

the police warnings to residents are mostly "don't leave your doors open or unlocked... don't stand drunkenly in the street with a wad of cash in your hand... don't leave a £20,000 asset open to anyone who wants to take it"

The local crims who habituate the drug area and certain pubs are spotty youths or wrinkled old men, many of them can hardly read or write.

We have a very poor calibre of criminal here.

Maybe those Surrey men raid your village, with their professional skills and technical tools.

 

[bernardgreen]

And maybe the baby next door wakes up at 3 in the morning and the baby monitor starts transmitting it's cries. The alarm siren's interference detector trips and the siren sounds.

 

[JohnD]

have you ever known that happen with a Yale?

Of all the hundred and sixty posts from DIYers coming on here for help and advice with Yales in the last two and a half years, has any of them ever had that problem?

Do you recall it happening earlier than that? I don't.

 

[bernardgreen]

All was ok (we thought) until the alarm went off on two random mornings at 6.30 and 7.30,

Could this be a baby alarm ?

 

[secureiam]

shame its illegal to use, could test a few panels and feed back to manufacturers, lets face it burglary isnt legal so it isnt going to stop someone getting tooled with illegal equipment.

Seeing a few manufacturers introducing multi frequency devices to stop the jamming issue, I don't see many having jamming issues in the grand scheme of things but it does happen.

its all about risks.

I went to a house the other night where the lady doesn't trigger petwise detectors to do a quotation, she stands around 1.5m tall, more than capable of carrying the goods out of the door, that scares her a little about having petwise detectors, but she has pets.

 

[scott1980]

A ten year old DIY wireless alarm is well past its sell by date to be honest, and it may be worth investing in a newer system. They have come a long way since the mid 2000's. The fact that it can't tell you what the actual problem is makes rectifying the issue all the more challenging. If you've got the patience, perhaps some of the ideas above may be worth trying out, but personally I'd be looking towards the bin.