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Ademco Vista10-SE installing new 5808 problems?

Hey guys. Bought my house a few months ago that had an old Vista 10-SE system installed that works fine on the security side, but always gave device troubles on both 5808 smoke/fire detectors (there were 2). Those 5808 units self-test buttons worked fine, and they seemed to actually work as stand alone smoke detectors, but the system would never recognize them in test mode and every 24 hours or so would register the "check" device errors on the panels throughout the house. I tried repeatedly to enroll and re-enroll them but they never would send their serial number upon tripping, and entering them manually didn't seem to help either. I figured the wireless transmitters had gone out or something, so I deleted both of them from the supervised RF mode, and just let them hang as stand alone units. Then this week I bought a brand new 5808 in the box thinking I would reinstall just one so I would have at least one in the panel system with the big loud horns and strobes. Well, yesterday I went in and totally deleted the two old 5808's from the system, and re-enrolled just the new one. Everything seemed to go smoothly, tripped the test button and it filled in the SN, assigned alpha, etc. Then after I exited, it tested ok and displayed in the code+5 test mode. So I mounted it, thinking everything was fine. Then today when I came home from lunch, the panel was giving the old "check" device# error, and on the alpha pad had the Fire trouble code. I tried the test button, batteries in and out, etc - even rebooted the whole Vista panel with backup battery out. Nothing. So I went back into the programming mode, and everything seemed fine, but just in case I deleted the serial number and tried to trip it to let it insert it again and it never would - batteries out for several minutes, in and out of the tamper mounting ring, etc. Nothing. So I deleted the whole device entry, and just for a whim, dragged out one of the old ones that would never respond before, and amazingly it fired right up,and even sent its serial number into the enrollment automatically. It wouldn't ever test though when the panel was put into test mode. The new one simply will not send its number or respond in test (code

+5) mode at all now (it does still do its own test when the recessed button is pressed) - maybe the battery has to be out for over 24 hours? Anyway, I was just wondering if there was some special trick with the 5808 units and the Vista 10SE panels - some particular loop, zone, etc?? I enrolled it like the old ones - Zone Type 09, RF, Loop 1, I left the report codes as 11, and 00 - although it is not a monitored system so I wouldn't think that would matter. I had it as Zone number 17, and put in another as Zone 18 (those were how they were setup when I bought the house), but neither are working with the actual system. There are enough empty zones. Everything in the house - all wireless devices are all on Loop 1. Anyone have ideas? I used to be an electronics and computer repairman as well as a computer programmer, so none of this seems difficult to me, just not having worked with them before and having such limited written technical resources has me stumped on this problem. I have the install guide, operations guide, and manuals that come with the new 5808. Any help is appreciated! Thanks! Thomas
Reply to
Thomas Hellmer
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I couldn't spot anything you have done wrong. If I were having that problem while installing a system I would check my receiver, its location or change the panel board since you have three unique devices with the same problem - you have to look at what they have in common:

RF receiver RF receiver location Panel

Also, for testing - I like to use a product called Smoke Check. I have seen 5808's that work just fine with the test button but wouldn't respond to smoke.

Good luck and if you have any doubts - get a couple detectors from the hardware store to use until the system is working.

Better safe than sorry.

Reply to
JoeRaisin

You might want to try changing them to a different zone I have seen dead zone problems couple of times with 10se panels

Reply to
nick markowitz

I have had that problem before. It is usually caused by the the smoke mounted on the base the wrong way. Try turning the smoke around 180 degrees.

Jim Rojas

Thomas Hellmer wrote:

Reply to
Jim Rojas

I've not that problem. But I always...hand enter the SN...because I HAVE had problems with the old trip to enroll method.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Yeah, I hear ya...trip and roll using the tamper instead of the test button...Some panels require 2 trips to confirm...gets confusing. Then you wonder why Loop 4 comes up. Check and make sure the serial number matches, and the Loop is 1.

Jim Rojas

Crash Gord> I've not that problem. But I always...hand enter the SN...because I HAVE had

Reply to
Jim Rojas

Well just to rule out zones or problems with the 6128RF keypad/receiver not recognizing zones 17/18, I just got finished trying enrolling the new 5808 as Zone 11 and it still didn't work. I removed a motion detector from zone

11, reenrolled it as zone 17 and it worked fine, so then I added the new 5808 into the old zone 11 slot that was working fine with the motion detector of course using zone type 09, rf, loop 1, and manually entering the serial number. It did nothing, so I removed the serial just for kicks and tried having it send it, but it still wouldn't send a serial number with either the test button or with the magnet base removal. So I entered it manually again, reset the system, and put it into test mode and all the other house sensors worked but not the 5808. So I pulled that new one, tried the old one that I had mentioned worked once before and it wouldn't work either. Batteries had been left in both 5808's all night though (as I had them mounted for use as stand-alone units) - maybe batteries have tobe removed for several days? I wouldn't think so. Anyway, for some reason the microprocessor must be disabling the wireless side or something. They are both 1999 models per a post in the DIY alarms forums that told me how to read the code, but the one is brand new but old stock. I opened the chambers just now to see if they had dust, residue, or anything in them and they both looked brand new with the sensors being crystal clear. Could the microprocessor know they are 10 years old somehow? I don't think the Vista 10SE has a date entry anywhere in it. Maybe capacitor drift from old capacitors? I do know capacitors can dry out even unused, but I'd think the new in the box one even if old stock should at least work longer than a day

- plus they all seem to work as a standalone device, just not with the system. Still a puzzle. Just like any malfunctioning computer program or electronic device, the most aggravating thing about it is trying to figure it out. lol

Reply to
Thomas Hellmer

Just a shot in the dark, cause I'm not familiar with Ademco, but try enrolling the code while standing close to the receiver. Some of the old wireless stuff wouldn't enroll to good, but once enrolled ..... was ok.

Reply to
Jim

or trying to program a window in enroll mode and the kid walks through the motion detector...pita. I even had one where it picked up the neighbor's house...on same house code but I didn't know it - that one freeked me out.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

-don't just change the s/n delete the zone and do it again...manually

-remove batteries from smokes and short the battery pins to discharge smokes caps

how are you testing them btw?

Reply to
Crash Gordon

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