you can't go by measuring voltage.
we get 3 years on a 12v 7amp on some panels almost 5 years on others...the average seems to be closer to 3 than 5 though.
Fry's Electronics, Battery Patrol, Batteries Batteries, Batteries Plus etc...specialty battery stores...or how about your alarm company?
If your panel is telling you Battery Trouble or Low Batt...you should usually trust what it says.
I've measured the voltage from the battery and it's only around 13.9V. I also got a trouble condition light the other day and it pointed towards "low battery". The battery is supposed to be at 16V - does a 13.9 reading usually mean it's on it way out and I should replace?
Are these special betteries? I've never seen them at Home Depot or any other such store.
Would appreciate an opinion on the battery - the manual doesn't say when it should be replaced, and as far as I know it's around 4 years old.
TIA
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13.9 Volts charging is a tad high but in the "ballpark". The battery's a "sealed lead acid" type with nominal voltage of around 12.4 to 12.6. A good "float" charge voltage is around 13.4 to 13.8. You can test your battery by disconnecting AC and measuring the voltage drop under a load. Sealed Lead Acid (or "Gell Cell) batteries are available at "Rat Shack" but they're on the expensive side there. It's best to go to a local electrical or alarm wholesaler where you'll pick one up for around 12 to 15 bux.
Home Depot or Lowes has them.
The battery is supposed to be charged to around 13.8 Volts. That much is normal. However, the battery also needs to have sufficient amperage to power the system for at least 4 hours (this varies) during a power outage. The panel is not telling you that the voltage is low but that the battery's ampacity has decreased below an acceptable level. This is a normal event. Batteries get weaker with age and need to be replaced periodically. Since the panel is indicating trouble, replace it now.
They're available at some hardware stores. RatShak used to carry them and might still. You can also order one online (I sell them) if you like.
The battery for a PC1550 should be a standard 12vdc (volts DC) 4 amp/hour or
7 amp/hour battery. It is NOT a 16 volt battery. 13.9 volts is within the proper range fully charged. It's not a terribly "special" battery- just a sealed lead-acid batt. that is common in modern alarm systems for backup operation. If it's 4 years old, replace it- 3 to 5 years is about right. You can find them at Radio Shack, and I've seen them in a few other hardware stores, but if you want a good price on a "fresh" battery, I'd shop an online vendor that sells lots of them.
Thanks for all the replies! My mistake on the battery rating, 12V 4Ah is correct, just checked the manual. Will replace the battery in the next 2-3 days.
Cheers!
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Sure it will, I did it many times
If you think you can fit a 7 AH battery into the can, then that would be better (give you a longer backup in the event of a power failure). Some of the older 1550 cans were quite a bit smaller than the standard can they sell these days so the bigger battery might not fit. :-(
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