If not already done, remove all power from the alarm panel (AC and Battery) and test one of the smoke detectors Using either the push to test button or by using canned smoke (check at a hardware store or maybe a "different" local alarm company.
Most first alert smoke detectors that wire to an alarm panel do not have a battery in the unit itself but use the back up power from the panel. I could be wrong since I am not all that familiar with devices dating back to the FA147 era. (any help here?)
You haven't said if there is a spouse or family involved here but I recommend that you don't allow your family to spend even one night in a house without functioning smoke detectors.
One night is all it takes.
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T
tourman
No, don't worry about libelous statements catching up to you on a newsgroup. If that was the case, all the hard nosed industry nutcases on this ng would have long ago been sued to death (including me)
Go for it !
RHC
T
tourman
WHAT..????....you mean I beat out your bid...nice of Professor B to let me know.......
RHC
T
tourman
Yeah, I guess that clause requiring an industry standard 100 year term turned even their stomach....
RHC
R
Roland Moore
This practice may not be legal in your state and is certainly not ethical. If a company has to use strong arm tactics to get or keep your business then I would definitely look elsewhere.
C
CROUP MONSTERATOR
if you don't want to name them outright then give us a hint. is it Br*nks, A*T, M*nitr*nics, etc, you get the drift?
I'm not sure who the exact installer was as they didn't leave a card or anything, but that company is an authorized dealer for my monitoring company. The website for Guardian is
formatting link
It is them that I've had difficulty with. They used Guardian- branded First Alert keypads (or at least did at the time my alarm was installed). After my treatment so far, there's no way I'd ever use them for monitoring, so don't worry about that. At some point I'll probably hook it up to a monitoring company, but probably not for awhile. Perhaps I'll leave everything as it is for now and replace it with a modern system in a year or so. I'm just finding it hard to justify a $150 expenditure on old hardware that few people are going to have experience with. It's a tough decision.
Honestly, there's no way I can go after these guys. While they say on the phone that I own the system, I have no proof that's indeed the case. The word of some rep on the phone wouldn't hold up in any court, so that's not the way to go. I'm going to try again in a little while to get them to change their minds and come out and fix the thing. If I pay them for their time to make the change I simply don't see what the big deal is. Maybe I can get a hold of someone more sympathetic.
As for the smoke detectors, these particular units do have 9V backup batteries in them. There are two separate cables coming out of them, so I think one goes back to the alarm and one to the house's breaker panel (can't tell for sure, breaker and alarm are 4" apart and covered with insulation). I'll try the posted method tonight to ensure that they'll work without the alarm enabled. The house is not currently inhabited, so there's no immediate risk. I'll make sure that's taken care of before we move in for sure.
. It is them that I've had difficulty with. They used Guardian-
Ok Where are you located?
A
Apu Inmypants
sounds like u talked to a telemarketer/ sales type? maybe if u can get service dept on phone? nah. prob not.
R
Roland
I think that is the whole point. It is not the alarm company's gear to lock out. Some panels you can't default with a lock out code installed. If the gear is yours, lock it out if you wish. If it isn't yours then the use of a lock out code might not be legal in some areas and is just plain wrong in the areas were it is not already illegal.
M
Mark Leuck
Damn you beat me to it
M
Mark Leuck
First Alert panels are generally installed by their own network but they get reprogrammed around to everyone, I've downloaded a bunch of them
You are correct at the FA147 is a custom-made panel for Guardian
J
jasonextras
It appears that I'm alright with the smoke detectors. They seem to work even with the system disabled. But it does get worse. The owner had every exterior light on the house (save the porch light) hooked through motion detectors controlled by the security system so I have no exterior lighting. Guardian still claims that I own the board and they own the programming, so I'm at an impasse with them.
If the total replacement cost was $30, I wouldn't have any problems. Unfortunately it's not. And that leaves me with many questions. If I'm reading the manuals properly you can't program the boards with the standard fixed keypads. What should I be looking for in a replacement? I can't seem to find a FA147C anywhere. Is the equivalent Ademco model the Vista 10SE? I believe so, but I'm not certain. I'll be able to retain all my old sensors, but will have to replace the keypad, correct? Will any alpha keypad work or do I need a specific one? Will the wiring run for the fixed keypad be able to run an alpha keypad? I see the 6139 and 6160 pretty commonly. Are the sensors compatible throughout the Vista line? For example, if I find a Vista 20 kit or something with keypads and all would it work with the current sensors? Since that include my exterior lighting, I'd prefer to not replace those unless necessary.
J
jasonextras
And it's not even completely about the money. I'm getting berated for not swapping out my board immediately, but once I pull that thing out I lose all information about my system. If you're familiar with alarms and are professional installers, as I'm sure many of you are, replacement is the obvious and easy choice. For someone with little knowledge of how the system works, it's a little daunting. I like to tinker and have a decent electronics background, so I'm not afraid of doing it myself, it's just that I don't know what I'm doing. The installation and programming manuals seem woefully short of details on proper zoning, and the portion on programming the zones seems almost indecipherable. Just a little worried, is all.
N
Nelson Muntz
The security system is not controlling your lights. If anything there is an X-10 module that makes them blink. Take a picture of the transformer and send it to snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com
Tell ya what --- I'll send you a Vista-15P brand new board and program it for $100.
You need to provide the telco hookup so I can connect to it with my down loader.
C
Crash Gordon
before you rip it apart figure out what the zones are and write it down. tag the wires so you know EXACTLY where they go...then maybe take Nelson's offer and you can get it back up and running with new board.
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