How do I remove the bits of the old alarm?

[Roger465]

Hi guys, I’ve just moved house (there’s going to be a series of threads tonight starting this way).



There are the remains of an old alarm system – can’t see anything on the outside of the house, nor anything like a control panel inside. However, there are a couple of sensors which still blink on and off when you walk up the hall etc, and a tiny little box with a (broken) key in it on the bedroom wall.



I’d like to get rid of it – is the wiring going to be in the attic or what?



And is there a proper control box somewhere? I’ve looked everywhere. Or is the little thing with the key IT?



Thanks

 

[james_help]

Yes, you should have a control panel somewhere in the house, try under the stairs or somewhere discreet or even trace where the wires are going. The thing with a key is a panic button.

 

[Roger465]

Thanks, panic alarm eh - wouldn't have figured that out. I can't trace the wiring I'm afraid - it's in the plaster. I guess the system was part of the original house, built in 1994.

It's a bungalow, so no stairs! I've looked pretty hard... maybe somebody's already removed it. I just want to cut the power to it really, so that I can remove all the little bits and pieces like the panic button... will look harder...

 

[james_help]

Thanks, panic alarm eh - wouldn't have figured that out. I can't trace the wiring I'm afraid - it's in the plaster. I guess the system was part of the original house, built in 1994.

It's a bungalow, so no stairs! I've looked pretty hard... maybe somebody's already removed it. I just want to cut the power to it really, so that I can remove all the little bits and pieces like the panic button... will look harder...

aha dont be tempted to press it please. Well the system is live as the sensor is powered, is there a bell box outside? or even a small keypad with numbers on it by the front door.

 

[sparkymarka]

It's not disconnected as the pir is still lit ....! Take a look in the loft

 

[Roger465]

aha dont be tempted to press it please. Well the system is live as the sensor is powered, is there a bell box outside? or even a small keypad with numbers on it by the front door.

No, that's the point - no bell box, no keypad. I don't know if somebody's already ripped them out - some butcher has definitely been at various other parts of the electrics in the house - chocolate block & insulating tape everywhere

 

[Roger465]

It's not disconnected as the pir is still lit ....! Take a look in the loft

Yeah that's what I'll have to do

 

[sparkymarka]

Find the cable for the pir in the loft and follow it back ....to the ....control panel ..

 

[Roger465]

Find the cable for the pir in the loft and follow it back ....to the ....control panel ..

I'll let you know

 

[james_help]

No, that's the point - no bell box, no keypad. I don't know if somebody's already ripped them out - some butcher has definitely been at various other parts of the electrics in the house - chocolate block & insulating tape everywhere

Have a look properly, should be somewhere in the house. try wardrobes, cupboards. or set the alarm off and chase the alarm noise, leave this as a last resort please lol

 

[Roger465]

Have a look properly, should be somewhere in the house. try wardrobes, cupboards. or set the alarm off and chase the alarm noise, leave this as a last resort please lol

Thing is, I'm renovating, so I've stripped every room and cupboard, and the garage, and there is no keypad etc. Also no box on the outside.

 

[james_help]

Thing is, I'm renovating, so I've stripped every room and cupboard, and the garage, and there is no keypad etc. Also no box on the outside.

Loft?

 

[Roger465]

Loft?

Haven't got up there yet. It's getting close though... just getting the priority stuff out of the way first

 

[Roger465]

Right. Finally after 6-7 weeks of just making this house habitable, I’m now at a stage where I can relax a little and look at the lower priority things… like this alarm.

Every room (and the garage) has now been gutted and redecorated etc, and there definitely is no keypad anywhere*. I’m assuming it’s given trouble at some stage in the past, and that the council housing department house butcher who lived here before me has ripped it out, though it’s still a bit of a mystery that it’s left no trace… *though there is a kind of wooden box for door keys nailed to the wall just inside the front door – if the key pad was a recessed type, it just might be behind that I suppose.

Anyway, all I want to do is disable the system completely by removing mains power.

So I finally got up to the attic just now, and found the control box (NOT the keypad) – pic below. As far as I can see, it’s fed by the white mains cable that seems to exit top left, and joins the junction box in the other pic.

Can I just remove that from the junction box, and so power the whole thing down? Or is it likely to have a battery backup inside, and start squealing?

Thanks as always

 

[sparkymarka]

Open box , disconnect battery , pull out internal fuse .....now see if the bell rings outside ....if there is one ?bit of luck the bellbox battery is no good or it has a 20 min cut off timer ...worst case open bell box and disconnect battery