2 or 4 wire smoke detector question.

Do any 4 wire units have a built in battery backup as do 110 VAC units?

Reply to
BoyntonStu
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why would they, when the backup battery power is supplied by the alarm panel?

Reply to
Crash Gordon

I do not know of any. They are backup powered by the battery in the alarm panel.

However, I get half a dozen calls a year from people claiming the alarm connected smoke is beeping. It never is.

I get some other calls too....

Keypad beeping, but everyithing shows normal on display. VCR rewind needed buzzer nearby was active.

Fire Alarm Panel Beeping, but annunciator shows everything normal. Paper shredder in communications room indicating jam warning.

Keypad beeping every night at 3:45 am. Digital clock on nearby shelf set for 3:45 am alarm.

Window contact beeping. Old battery smoke in drawer indicating low battery.

And of course there are the folks who have moved into a house with an alarm and never used it, and never serviced it and then want free service at 3 am because my alarm is beeping. LOL. "No my alarm is fine. I take care of my alarm and have it serviced properly. Its not beeping. Is your alarm beeping?"

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Oh, and the classic.

"Your alarm is beeping and we can't sleep."

"My alarm is not beeping, and I was sleeping just fine until you called."

"You have to come out here and fix it right now."

"Check the keypad and tell me what it say."

"System Ready."

"So you aren't using your alarm, and its not beeping."

"Yes it is. Come out here and fix it or we are going to rip it off the wall"

"Well, you can do that if you like. Its your system. That type of damage is specifically not coverd under your warranty or service agreement, and it won't solve your problem."

"Don't get snotty with us."

"Excuse me. Its 3 am, and you are calling me to tell me there is nothing wrong with your alarm system."

"Ok, I will come out. If its a problem with your alarm I will take care of it. If its not you will pay the full overtime service rate for a service call."

30 minutes later...Ding Dong

"Hi, I'm here to find the source of the beeping in your new home so I can go home and get back to sleep."

"Its your alarm and you have to fix it."

"How long has your refrigerator door been standing open?" ...

3 days later...

Ring Ring...

"The Security Consultant, how can I help you."

"You sent us a bill for $117.50. I'm not paying it."

"I told you you would be charging you the full overtime rate for a service call if there was no problem with your alarm as indicated by your keypad."

"All you did was close the refrigerator."

"Yes, at 3am when I told you already that there was no problem with your alarm system."

"Well, we will just get another alarm company."

"Ok, just remember to send us written notice of cancellation per the terms of the contract you signed. I will be glad to accept your service termination letter upon receipt of it and payment for your due balance. Good bye."

Reply to
Bob La Londe

I thought I was the only one that got those calls.

| > I do not know of any. They are backup powered by the battery in the alarm | > panel. | >

| > However, I get half a dozen calls a year from people claiming the alarm | > connected smoke is beeping. It never is. | >

| > I get some other calls too.... | >

| > Keypad beeping, but everyithing shows normal on display. | > VCR rewind needed buzzer nearby was active. | >

| > Fire Alarm Panel Beeping, but annunciator shows everything normal. | > Paper shredder in communications room indicating jam warning. | >

| > Keypad beeping every night at 3:45 am. | > Digital clock on nearby shelf set for 3:45 am alarm. | >

| > Window contact beeping. | > Old battery smoke in drawer indicating low battery. | >

| > And of course there are the folks who have moved into a house with an | > alarm and never used it, and never serviced it and then want free service | > at 3 am because my alarm is beeping. LOL. "No my alarm is fine. I take | > care of my alarm and have it serviced properly. Its not beeping. Is your | > alarm beeping?" | >

| >

| > -- | > Sincerly, | > The guy who makes the final decision on who we buy from, | > and who we will work for. | >

| > Bob La Londe | >

| > The Security Consultant | > Bob La Londe - Owner | > P.O. Box 5720 | > Yuma, Az 85366 | >

| > (928) 782-9765 ofc | > (928) 782-7873 fax | >

| > Licensed Contractor | > ROC103044 & ROC103047 | >

| >

| > -- | > Posted via a free Usenet account from

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| >

| | | | -- | Posted via a free Usenet account from

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|

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Cha-CHING! $$

Cha-CHING! $$

Cha-CHING! $$

Cha-CHING! $$

Cha-CHING! Ba-Da-BING I used to answer the phone at all hours. I don't now because people abuse it. Leave a message, and please have your checkbook ready. js

Reply to
Buggs

Um...nope. js

Reply to
Buggs

All valid reasons why we try never to do residential work.

Reply to
Just Looking

haha Been there almost done that every time I have been fortunate, they have found it was either their cellphone or pager or 120 Volt Smoke Detector beeping cause the battery is dead.

Reply to
ssokoly

yah but commercial stuff has it's own set of idiot problems.

| >

| >

| >

| > | > I do not know of any. They are backup powered by the battery in the | > alarm | > | > panel. | > | >

| > | > However, I get half a dozen calls a year from people claiming the | alarm | > | > connected smoke is beeping. It never is. | > | >

| > | > I get some other calls too.... | > | >

| > | > Keypad beeping, but everyithing shows normal on display. | > | > VCR rewind needed buzzer nearby was active. | > | >

| > | > Fire Alarm Panel Beeping, but annunciator shows everything normal. | > | > Paper shredder in communications room indicating jam warning. | > | >

| > | > Keypad beeping every night at 3:45 am. | > | > Digital clock on nearby shelf set for 3:45 am alarm. | > | >

| > | > Window contact beeping. | > | > Old battery smoke in drawer indicating low battery. | > | >

| > | > And of course there are the folks who have moved into a house with an | > | > alarm and never used it, and never serviced it and then want free | > service | > | > at 3 am because my alarm is beeping. LOL. "No my alarm is fine. I | > take | > | > care of my alarm and have it serviced properly. Its not beeping. Is | > your | > | > alarm beeping?" | > | >

| > | >

| > | > -- | > | > Sincerly, | > | > The guy who makes the final decision on who we buy from, | > | > and who we will work for. | > | >

| > | > Bob La Londe | > | >

| > | > The Security Consultant | > | > Bob La Londe - Owner | > | > P.O. Box 5720 | > | > Yuma, Az 85366 | > | >

| > | > (928) 782-9765 ofc | > | > (928) 782-7873 fax | > | >

| > | > Licensed Contractor | > | > ROC103044 & ROC103047 | > | >

| > | >

| > | > -- | > | > Posted via a free Usenet account from

formatting link
| > | >

| > | | > | | > | | > | -- | > | Posted via a free Usenet account from

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| > | | >

| >

| |

Reply to
Crash Gordon

At one point in time we were seriously considering getting a 900 help line for non-monitored accounts.

| > Keypad beeping, but everyithing shows normal on display. | > VCR rewind needed buzzer nearby was active. | | Cha-CHING! $$ | >

| > Fire Alarm Panel Beeping, but annunciator shows everything normal. | > Paper shredder in communications room indicating jam warning. | | Cha-CHING! $$ | | >

| > Keypad beeping every night at 3:45 am. | > Digital clock on nearby shelf set for 3:45 am alarm. | | Cha-CHING! $$ | | >

| > Window contact beeping. | > Old battery smoke in drawer indicating low battery. | | Cha-CHING! $$ | | >

| > And of course there are the folks who have moved into a house with an | > alarm and never used it, and never serviced it and then want free | > service at 3 am because my alarm is beeping. LOL. "No my alarm is | > fine. I take care of my alarm and have it serviced properly. Its | > not beeping. Is your alarm beeping?" | | Cha-CHING! Ba-Da-BING | I used to answer the phone at all hours. I don't now because people abuse | it. Leave a message, and please have your checkbook ready. | js | |

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Ah yes. And to get the list started,....

"I'm sorry, but the number you dialed is no longer in service." Cleaning crews don't know password, or don't habla. New employees didn't get trained. We changed phone companies to save a nickel a month, now "your" alarm won't stop beeping.

js

Reply to
Buggs

Reply to
Nick Lawrence

The fire trouble won't stop beeping on your alarm. No it's your alarm. It's beeping due to daily test failure, did you have any work done on your phone lines recently? No, but our accounting department had several lines disconnected that we weren't using. Oh, would one of those be xxx-yyyy? Yes, when can you come and fix the beeping? I'm not...your gonna call your accounting department and have them call the phone company and get that line reinstated. Why...because you need a line for the fire system, actually you need two lines but one is still working. So you're not coming? Well, I'll be glad to come at $125.00 per hour and wait for the phone line to be restored, is this what you want us to do? Silence.

I only do commercial now if I know the owner of the business.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Oh you know...the ones you can't avoid or get trapped into doing, or inherit and don't have the heart to dump. I probably have hundreds like that. What the heck they pay more for everything..money is money.

| >

| >

| >

| >

| > | > Keypad beeping, but everyithing shows normal on display. | > | > VCR rewind needed buzzer nearby was active. | > | | > | Cha-CHING! $$ | > | >

| > | > Fire Alarm Panel Beeping, but annunciator shows everything normal. | > | > Paper shredder in communications room indicating jam warning. | > | | > | Cha-CHING! $$ | > | | > | >

| > | > Keypad beeping every night at 3:45 am. | > | > Digital clock on nearby shelf set for 3:45 am alarm. | > | | > | Cha-CHING! $$ | > | | > | >

| > | > Window contact beeping. | > | > Old battery smoke in drawer indicating low battery. | > | | > | Cha-CHING! $$ | > | | > | >

| > | > And of course there are the folks who have moved into a house with an | > | > alarm and never used it, and never serviced it and then want free | > | > service at 3 am because my alarm is beeping. LOL. "No my alarm is | > | > fine. I take care of my alarm and have it serviced properly. Its | > | > not beeping. Is your alarm beeping?" | > | | > | Cha-CHING! Ba-Da-BING | > | I used to answer the phone at all hours. I don't now because people abuse | > | it. Leave a message, and please have your checkbook ready. | > | js | > | | > | | >

| >

Reply to
Crash Gordon

We got calls like that occasionally, too. I had a slightly different approach. If I found out they had disconnected the line a tech would go out and connect the alarm to the remaining phone lines. We charged our standard rates for the visit unless it was after hours.

Once I explained to the customer that the problem was caused by them canceling a phone line there was almost never a problem. I also made it a habit during installation to place labels on phone lines used by the alarm and, for business customers, to give them a list of phone lines and electrical circuits which were critical to the alarm and/or CCTV systems.

I don't know how many times this prevented mistakes but I assume it was at least somewhat effective since we didn't have a lot of canceled line problems.

Reply to
Robert L Bass

Yah...but no amount of labels on wires will ever work when a bean-counter decides to cancel a phone line :-)

| Bass Home Electronics | 941-925-8650 | 4883 Fallcrest Circle | Sarasota · Florida · 34233 |

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| =============================>

| | > The fire trouble won't stop beeping on your alarm. No it's your alarm. It's | > beeping due to daily test failure, did you have any work done on your phone | > lines recently? No, but our accounting department had several lines | > disconnected that we weren't using. Oh, would one of those be xxx-yyyy? Yes, | > when can you come and fix the beeping? I'm not...your gonna call your | > accounting department and have them call the phone company and get that line | > reinstated. Why...because you need a line for the fire system, actually you | > need two lines but one is still working. So you're not coming? Well, I'll be | > glad to come at $125.00 per hour and wait for the phone line to be restored, | > is this what you want us to do? Silence. | >

| > I only do commercial now if I know the owner of the business. | >

| >

| >

| > -- | >

| > Rob Giordano | > Microsoft MVP - FrontPage | >

| >

| >

| >

| >

| >

|
Reply to
Crash Gordon

You've got that right. The purpose of labeling and documentation is two-fold. First, it gives fair warning to staff who might intend to mess with it that doing so may interfere with the alarm. I like the stickers that say, "ALARM WILL SOUND". Second, it makes it harder for the client to squirm out of paying for the service visit to restore the alarm after they screw it up.

BTW, I've had about the same percentage of residential and commercial customers cancel a phone line or otherwise interfere with their alarm systems. That seems to be pretty much universal. DIYers rarely do things like that because they know their systems much better than the average client with a professionally installed alarm.

Reply to
Robert L Bass

Yes, but they are mostly 8AM to 5PM problems.

Reply to
Roland More

Make that mostly 5:00pm on Friday, usually just before a major holiday. :^)

Reply to
Robert L Bass

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