No Power to Home Alarm Control Panel Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[bunnspieshop]

I bought a house that already had an alarm fitted, it was a CPF2 (Tunstall I think), anyway I needed to replace some sockets so turned off all power, when I turned it back on the alarm sounded and would not switch off with the code. To turn the sound off, I disconnected the +12V & 0V in the bottom of the control panel. When trying to reconnect, I now have no power to the control panel. I have ordered a new control panel, but wanted to know how to ensure there will be a live feed to the new control panel. What do I need to check that could have caused the old panel to have no power?

[ericmark]

Something is wrong. Alarms have normally got two batteries. A large on in panel and a smaller one in the bell box. On losing power to the panel the battery in the panel should power the alarm for quite a few hours, once power is restored nothing should need to be done.

If the power is not restored in time then as the panel battery goes flat the bell should sound. By law limited to 15 mins. Again on power restore all should auto run although possible in alarmed mode.

So there seems to be more wrong than just the panel.

[bunnspieshop]

Sorry, maybe I used the wrong wording. The main panel providing power was not touched. By panel, I mean the control panel in the hallway that I type the code into to set/unset the alarm.

[ericmark]

I have installed many alarm systems. There are a few common factors but the idea of having something different means it is less likely to be bypassed so each alarm company has there own ideas of how to wire and this is good. Standard with alarms is bad. Having something which is not standard is good. It is unlike any other branch of electrics.

There are standard methods but the last thing anyone would do is to talk about them on an open forum. I would hope any sysop would delete any posts giving detailed information. I am sure you can see that this is just not something which should be talked about on an open forum.

There is really only one option. Ask your system maintainer to correct the problem.

[DIY_Junkie]

So I see specific wiring advice defeats the purpose of having an alarm in the first place. My problem is that I've come after 2 days away to find no power in the control pad. Checked consumer unit but nothing tripped. No power to PIRs in the living areas. No power to front door viper or conservatory viper. Weirdly, there is power to the back door and garage door vipers. Any thoughts on the potential problem? Thanks.

[ericmark]

Normally the alarm will be supplied from a fused connection unit so that would be first thing to look at. However since some areas have power unlikely that is the problem. One of the early problems with alarms was that shorting something out could stop the whole system working. Car alarms were often defeated in early days by smashing an indicator and shorting the bulb contacts so alarm manufactures started to include devices that would stop whole alarm being disabled by introducing a small fault.

Arrays of fuses with early alarms were common but as time has gone on more and more ways were used to stop one small fault stopping whole alarm.

As I said before using a standard method is bad and each alarm manufacturer has worked out different methods. Now 12 years since I worked on alarms so much will have changed the modern alarm is even connected to central heating automatically turning down the heat when on one is at home.

The door bell works through the alarm panel and it even monitors progress so first PIR has to be at a entrance as one enters the premisses. Even if I could help I would never explain on an open forum this is a job for an alarm engineer not a DIY job.

[DIY_Junkie]

Thanks for your comprehensive response. I had thought of the main power fuse which is on a spur just below the alarm but I can actually hear an electrical buzz from the system when the front cover is removed, so power is present. Weirdly, I can also hear the internal sounder trying to emit its alarm tone when I hold my ear up really close to the exposed speaker. All I can do from a DIY perspective is to replace the glass fuses in the alarm unit and switch over the battery but with the control panel dead, I have little faith that those measures would resolve the issue. Perhaps the control panel itself has failed. Too many unknowns so time to call in a professional for a diagnosis...

[DIY_Junkie]

One multi meter later (£10 at B&Q) all that was wrong was that the 12V Aux fuse had blown. £2.20 for 10 at Maplins. Job done for £12.20 vs. £50 call out charge plus whatever other spurious charges might be added.

[ericmark]

How nice to see some one come back and say what they found. Clearly my comments did not help this time but still glad to see sorted. I do wish others would return to say what they found was the problem.