Accenta/Optima Alarm

[LouiseLomas]

The alarm was installed about two years ago and it has recently developed an intermittent fault whereby the alarm goes off even thought it has not been set. The spanner on the panel is indicated. Any ideas why this is happening? and what I can do to rectify the problem.

 

[secureiam]

It would appear you have may have a tamper fault, that could be generated by anything that has a tamper circuit.

With it being intermittent, its going to be harder to identify the true source of the fault. Has the installer every done an annual service?

Is it completely random??? or are you doing anything when it goes off?

 

[LouiseLomas]

The keypad is situated at the front door, sometimes the alarm will activate without bleeps when I come in before I have input the code. Sometimes I am about to go out and before I can input the code to set the alarm it goes off. I was sat watching the tv one night when it went off. It can go a week without a problem and then it starts again. It never activates when I am out of the house and the alarm is set. I haven’t had a service. What is there to service with this system?

Thank you for your help with this issue.

 

[secureiam]

Panel battery (last approx. every 5 years, but needs testing with a proper special meter).
Walk and bell tests.
In most cases issues often start with the back up battery (I would like to think that if the battery was new at install it shouldn't yet be a problem, but not impossible).
I ask if it happens when your at home or doing certain things, damaged cables can be activated whilst walking round the home and theres movement in the floor boards etc.

Whats interesting is what you are saying about the front door, sounds like the door contact isn't always registering, is there a PIR in the hallway?

 

[LouiseLomas]

As you say I cannot think it would be the battery in view of the time I have had this panel installed, although as you point out not sure of the battery power at the time of installation. I don't think it is damaged cables because it happened once whilst I was sitting watching the televison in another room. Yesterday I came out of the kitchen into the hallway to go down into the cellar, halfway down the cellar steps the alarm activated. Sometimes I have been standing at the front door to go out, I am posed to put the code in and the alarm activates. Similar when I return home sometimes the bleeps don't sound and the alarm goes off before I can input the code. I am not sure what a PIR is but if you mean a sensor detector yes I do have one faciing the front door.

 

[secureiam]

yes motion sensor = PIR

it sounds like the front door contact may be the issue and here is why:-

when you open the door the entry is supposed to start.
If the entry isn't started, then the PIR in the hallway is activating (sounds like from what you describe).
If the hall way PIR activates before the front door contact, then an immediate alarm is generated.

when its activating and your inside the home and system unset that could be a tamper and it could be the door contact tamper.

So I would look at replacing the door contact and possibly the cable from the door contact to the panel. Not sure how easy that is where you are.

I have had similar issues where the door contact has been playing up, so swapped it and the cable.

Often the cable gets damaged because it is run across the floor instead of round the edges/ under the floor, door contacts are a couple of quid, not sure best to get from for you but ebay/ amazon delivered are not much more for a basic one.

 

[LouiseLomas]

I do not have a door contact/sensor. The alarm is activated when the PIR/motion sensor picks picks up the movement of the door opening or person coming through the door.

 

[secureiam]

hmm,

well its not really setup correctly then to start with then.

normally the front door contact starts the entry (Full set) and the hallway PIR does the part set entry tone when you come down the stairs, or enter the hallway in a bungalow as you wouldn't open the front door if already in the house.

The issues with having a PIR as the E/E zone is you can only have the exit on a timed set, but not to worry.

The question now would be what exactly do you have on the system.

what happens if you walk test the system?

 

[secureiam]

in walk test what zone numbers are assigned to what devices. you may need help doing this so you can confirm that each device has been set off and no others have picked you up.

 

[LouiseLomas]

I know what zone numbers are assigned to each sensor. On the system I have 4 PIR/motion sensors, zone set up, (1) front door, (2) dining room, (3) kitchen, (4) Lounge. Zone (5) door contact on the cellar door.
I have never done a walk test and not sure how to do this but I have my user guide, I will check this for information. From your reply I will need someone here whilst I do this so I am not sure when this will be at the moment. This is a puzzle!