Low Battery FBII-2P

Greetings, Got a strange one here..

8 year old FBII -2P 1 LCD key, I street smart remote keyswitch, 4 combo pir/micro motion detectors, 4 glass breakage detectors, 1 7 amphr battery, 2 sirens

Here's the thing about 10 days ago it started displaying "Low Battery" ..

Ok, the Battery was changed.. 6 hours later it displayed "Low Battery" Again..

Another Battery was installed just in case the first one was faulty.. again 5-6 hours later "Low Battery"..

voltages were DC output 11.50 to 12.00 (ideally should be 12.50 to

13.50) current off battery 45 ma.. with AC 150 ma without AC ( about right with the load listed) current off panel 150 ma with or without AC.. ( again about right with the load listed)

Removed all motions, sound, remote keyswitch and sirens.. (only thing on panel was keypad)

15 minutes again it displayed "Low Battery"

Being frustrated we removed panel and replaced it with a boxed brand new FBII 2T. (only thing on panel was keypad) Low and behold 15 minutes later it too started beeping "Low Battery"...

No one seems to have an explanation as to what's going on here..

I put it out here wondering if anyone might have some other ideas or suggestions to try and remove this Gremlin .....

((Yes the one common point between both panels is the Keypad))

Problem is I can't figure how the keypad could cause a low battery indication to the panels sensing circuit..

Thanks RTS

Reply to
RTS
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Try reading the transformer, and take a reading of the AC outlet as well. You might want to put in a larger VA transformer if all looks good.

Reply to
Jim Rojas

What is the charging voltage (measure DC out from leads w/ batt. disconnected)? If it's not ~13.5V the batt. won't charge.

Did you disconnect the keypad and ohm out the cable? Maybe someone drove a nail through the wall, or a partial rat-chew in the attic?

Reply to
G. Morgan

Greetings, Got a strange one here..

8 year old FBII -2P 1 LCD key, I street smart remote keyswitch, 4 combo pir/micro motion detectors, 4 glass breakage detectors, 1 7 amphr battery, 2 sirens

Here's the thing about 10 days ago it started displaying "Low Battery" ..

Ok, the Battery was changed.. 6 hours later it displayed "Low Battery" Again..

Another Battery was installed just in case the first one was faulty.. again 5-6 hours later "Low Battery"..

voltages were DC output 11.50 to 12.00 (ideally should be 12.50 to

13.50) current off battery 45 ma.. with AC 150 ma without AC ( about right with the load listed) current off panel 150 ma with or without AC.. ( again about right with the load listed)

Removed all motions, sound, remote keyswitch and sirens.. (only thing on panel was keypad)

15 minutes again it displayed "Low Battery"

Being frustrated we removed panel and replaced it with a boxed brand new FBII 2T. (only thing on panel was keypad) Low and behold 15 minutes later it too started beeping "Low Battery"...

No one seems to have an explanation as to what's going on here..

I put it out here wondering if anyone might have some other ideas or suggestions to try and remove this Gremlin .....

((Yes the one common point between both panels is the Keypad))

Problem is I can't figure how the keypad could cause a low battery indication to the panels sensing circuit..

Thanks RTS

Reply to
RTS

Try disconnecting the keypad. Then connect the keypad at the panel. If it still does it, try another keypad.

I didn't care much for the XL2 series panels. I would have just replaced it all with a low end Vista 20P, and call it a day.

Reply to
Jim Rojas

Try disconnecting the keypad. Then connect the keypad at the panel. If it still does it, try another keypad.

I didn't care much for the XL2 series panels. I would have just replaced it all with a low end Vista 20P, and call it a day.

Reply to
RTS

Had my share of those...I always stocked nice and clean used systems for that very reason.

Reply to
Jim Rojas

Have you actually checked the battery after a low battery signal??? Is the battery really low?

Could be the system is giving you a false low battery indication.

With a new battery and the readings you gave, there's no way that you'd get a low battery signal within 15 minutes of startup.

Also, I'm not familiar with the FBI panel but maybe you actually had a low battery and the low battery indication is (for some reason) locked into mem ory? Can you get into programming? If so, try removing low battery indicati on, and restart the panel. Or, maybe just default the panel and reprogram. Could just be something locked into memory ..... maybe???

With Napco, after receiving a low battery indication and changing the batte ry, it is required to do a bell test to put a load on the battery to let th e system know the battery can take a load. Don't remember about FBI. It's b een too long since I installed them.

Reply to
Jim

Heh! Yours got posted 1 min. before mine ;-)

Reply to
G. Morgan

------ New battery static voltage no load 12.75 VDC, under load from panel 12.25 VDC

------ Original battery static voltage no load 12.00 VDC, under load from panel 11.75 VDC

------- (( panel should not give "Low Battery" warning till voltage reaches 10.75 VDC least wise other panels only report at that voltage..))

-------- It's possible, but a completely different panel (2T) gave the same report..

------- You'd think that But it's happening...

------ Doubtful locked in memory, original panel was defaulted and then reprogramed and again a totally different panel was used with the same L.B. report...

------ As for programing out the low battery feature, I'm not sure that can be done with FBII panels.. You can disable the sounder on the keypad, and disable the communication signal. But I don't think the test itself can be stopped..

------- We run the panel into and out of program mode to recycle the features..

------- All in all I think the keypad is the cause but I can not figure out how it is causing the observed problem...

Reply to
RTS

Try connecting right to the panel. It may just be the cable with a partial short to common or even a data wire.

Easy to test, twist all 4 wires on one end then ohm out from wire to wire to make sure you get a direct short between all the combinations (16).

Reply to
G. Morgan

Try connecting right to the panel. It may just be the cable with a partial short to common or even a data wire.

Easy to test, twist all 4 wires on one end then ohm out from wire to wire to make sure you get a direct short between all the combinations (16).

Reply to
RTS

ection is active.

The only other thing I can think of is a ground fault (or partial ground fa ult) on the keypad wire run which could be proved if you connected the keyp ad directly to the panel. Actually, a ground fault with the right amount of resistance on any power run could be the cause. Just enough to draw the ba ttery down but not enough to blow the fuse.

Have you tried to disconnect all wiring, short out the zones, wire the keyp ad direct, disconnect the bell and see what happens?

(You may have tried this, sorry if I missed it)

Reply to
Jim

Yeah, that's what I was getting at by ohm'ing out the cable and seeing if it's the culprit.

Reply to
G. Morgan

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