Yale wireless alarm question

[Wwfd]

Hi!

We've installed the Yale telecommunicating alarm and all was going well. I'm a bit worried though because when I went to set the alarm earlier, I had accidentally left a window open (with contact on) and it didn't flag up a fault and let me set the alarm with it open. I'm awful with windows (health reasons) and every time I've done this previously it's flashes up a fault and told me it's open so I can close it and carry on. I've tested it since with the same window and it's flagging up the fault now.

Is there any common reason as to why this might have happened just the once? I'm panicking a bit because now I don't know whether I can trust it when it's set and I really don't want to get back in the habit of having to take photos of my windows when I leave the house (to be sure they are shut, again health reason, so fun haha).

Any advice would be great thanks!

 

[JohnD]

what model of alarm have you got? There are at least three telecommunicating ones in different ranges.

 

[secureiam]

Did you do a walk test and confirm the unit was picking things up before trying to set the alarm ie you knew it was working seeing the zone open and close.

The Yale alarm everything is pre installed and all you have to do is fix it up and program the numbers you want it to dial.


How open was the window, have to be honest don't recommend these alarms at all to my customers but some installers do fit them.


JohnD on here seems to know a fair bit on the Yale alarms.


I will take a look at the manual after I have had my tea, if you haven't had any help by then i'll see what I can do to help.

 

[secureiam]

Leave you with JohnD he should be able it get you back on track

 

[Wwfd]

Oops didn't think of that! It's the easyfit telecommunicating alarm with the touch screen control panel.

 

[JohnD]

I know nothing about the Easyfit.

If it can detect an open window, that's great. Most wireless alarms can't.

 

[Wwfd]

Ah okay thanks anyway.

But just in case anyone else can help, it's not detecting open windows though it should be. That's my point of concern. It's doing it sometimes but not others.

 

[secureiam]

if its that bad contact your supplier or Yale,

sounds like it may not be up to the job.

 

[JohnD]

Being wireless, I will guess that it sends an "I've just been opened" signal, and, when closed, an "I've been closed" signal (wired sensors usually close/open a switch, so the status is constantly known to the control panel)

In which case, it might be that the signal is sometimes not being received. Is the suspect sensor a long way from the panel, or is there metalwork in the way? Sometimes a metal reinforcer in the corner of the windowframe can interfere with the signal, and this can be fixed by repositioning the sensor.

I presume your system detects and alerts you to low batteries, so it won't be that.

I once had problems when steel scaffold was erected inside the house around the keypad, and the signal was blocked. This must be rather unusual.

Some electrical equipment can interfere with the signal, a wireless router is especially suspect if close to the panel. You are unlikely to have anything else in the house that could interfere, it's usually industrial or workshops.

Try a Walk Test and see if the signal from this sensor (and any others) is reliably received. If all the other sensors are good and this one isn't, you could try swapping it with one of the good ones to see where the fault lies. If you have a bad sensor I would expect Yale to send you a new one under the guarantee.

If your system has the ability to Chime when doors or windows are opened (this is very handy if the door could be opened without your knowledge, e.g. there are small children, and also gives confidence that the system is working every time you go out or come in) turn it on for a while and observe if it chimes reliably when this window is opened.

 

[Wwfd]

Thank you! I never even considered the router. Atm the control panel is right near my wireless router and the contact on the window is very close by too. I think tomorrow I will shift that around and also set the chime on the contact too like you say to see if it is doing it reliably.

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain that to me! Really really appreciate it!

 

[secureiam]

Sounds like you have found your issue possibly.

 

[bernardgreen]

Being wireless, I will guess that it sends an "I've just been opened" signal, and, when closed, an "I've been closed" signal (wired sensors usually close/open a switch, so the status is constantly known to the control panel)

According to Yale their way way wireless communicating door sensor only transmits "door open" when the door is opening. It does not transmit anything when the door is being closed.

It is also possible to remove a sensor from the house without the panel ever being aware, such as removing a door frame with the sensor going with the frame to the re-cycling depot. The alarm could still be set but of course the new door was not protected by the alarm.

In alarms that use two way wireless communications the panel can request the status of the sensors when the alarm is being set and alert the user to any doors or windows that are open.

 

[JohnD]

According to Yale their way way wireless communicating door sensor only transmits "door open" when the door is opening. It does not transmit anything when the door is being closed.

If what you say is true, the sensor will send an "open" signal when opened, and the panel will never know that it is closed subsequently.

Do you think that is true? That would mean it works like the PIRs that signal "someone is walking past" but not "no-one is walking past" but it doesn't seem to match with OP saying "every time I've done this previously it's flashes up a fault and told me it's open so I can close it and carry on"