Visonic Powermax room sensors not working

samtastic73 · 15 Apr 2020

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help. The room sensors on my alarm appear to not be working. I replaced the battery on the outdoor siren today and decided to do a walk test (haven't done one in ages).

The sensors registered, with the beep on the alarm but very intermittently. E.g I had to move around a lot to get them to pick me up. I could walk through a couple of the rooms and nothing!

I took the fascias of each one and the tamper alarms activated for each one and rang the phones. When I replaced the fascias one of the sensors worked properly on the walk test and beeped lots, flashed the red light and had a good room coverage, but the other two didn't register at all.

I performed another walk test a couple of hours later and none of the sensors registered?

Any ideas? I guess the wifi signal is ok if the tamper alarm worked for each one. Dodgy sensors?

Any help greatly received

Thank you

Sam

secureiam · 15 Apr 2020

I would suggest that the system is probably working.

However make sure that the sensor lenses and covers are on correctly.

Then stand near the keypad and drink a brew, after about 5mins, start the walk test, how many sensors pick you up.

It's not uncommon for wireless PIR devices to sleep for 3 mins or so after activation, whether system is armed or not.

Post back the results.

samtastic73 · 16 Apr 2020

Thanks for your reply.

I will test again today, however I did walk tests yesterday, hours apart, and also on another occasion entered the house when the alarm was armed and the sensors didn't pick me up. The lounge one, after I took the fascia off, worked on one walk test how I remember them all working when first installed e.g. I walked the edges of the room and it picked me up many times, but the other two I moved around in the room and nothing - no happy sound at all.

On the next walk test a few hours later, the lounge didn't register me once. The other two room sensors still didn't register me at all.

I'll have another go today and post back. Thanks

sparkymarka · 16 Apr 2020

How old are the sensors ....post pictures if unsure ...

samtastic73 · 16 Apr 2020

Update.

So I set the alarm. Sat outside for 5 mins and then walked in through the conservatory door. That sensor picked me up two steps in and the alarm set off. I then re-set and hid around the corner in the kitchen for 5 mins just out of sight of the sensor. I walked around the corner and the alarm went off. I did the same process in the lounge and that sensor register me and the alarm went off.

So the three sensors appear to be working in that sense. But I am unclear why they are unresponsive or very intermittent during the walk test?

I'm uploading the photos. One is two years old and the others are approx 9 years old

IMG_9429

samtastic73
16 Apr 2020

9 years old

IMG_9428

samtastic73
16 Apr 2020

9 years old

IMG_9427

samtastic73
16 Apr 2020

2 years old

Any advice greatly received.

Sam

Handymanjo · 16 Apr 2020

They are the pet sensor version.
Not uncommon for visionic lenses to start to break down due to age.The lens seems to make the sensors become very poor on movement pick up.

sparkymarka · 16 Apr 2020

That way my thought....especially the older k980/ discovery type pir

Handymanjo · 16 Apr 2020

As secure says the sensors go into sleep mode for a few minutes.
Best way to check system is set the alarm and trigger the device you want to check.
We have also had issues with visionic lens and no long install any visionic equipment.

secureiam · 16 Apr 2020

Never installed Visonic just don’t rate them enough to install them, maintained a few and to be fair had no real issues when walk testing but I ain’t exactly small moving object.

petwise sensors are not something we recommend full stop the design is to stop picking up below a certain height.

hard to be certain as to why the walk test didn’t work when compared to them activating when the alarm was set. Not going to be able to get enough information to be certain on that I suspect.

WRT to what next, your system works within limitation and when it counted.

however maybe you should look at replacing it in the future with something else and avoid petwise/ friendly detectors where possible, unfortunate most wireless kits come with them as standard.

on the visonic pirs can you not remove the mask at the bottom to improve detection?

samtastic73 · 16 Apr 2020

Thanks for all your replies. Much appreciated.

If I replaced the sensors, would I need to delete the old ones are pair the new ones using the installer manual - they wouldn't just sync would they????

samtastic73 · 16 Apr 2020

Secureiam

I've just seen replacement lenses on E-bay that are not the pet version. Can I just replace them with them?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/21007544904

And yes - the alarm is 9 years old now. Thinking about upgrading and adding a couple of external cameras. You have any preferred systems you could recommend?

thanks again

sparkymarka · 16 Apr 2020

Yes you can replace the lens with the ones in the link

samtastic73 · 16 Apr 2020

Cheers, sparkymarka

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Visonic Powermax room sensors not working

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