Got a call yesterday afternoon to attend a system which the user had been unable to silence. It was down as a 'must-be-done-today' as the customer was afraid it would go off again, and she would be unable to silence it. I was given a whole sob-story over the phone about the customer's situation - how her husband had left her, and she was really struggling, and that it was all just proving too much for her etc etc. I did feel for her - until I arrived on site.

I asked what had happened, and apparently it just went off whilst unset. The customer could not remember her code (which I later discovered was 1234!), so she opened the panel. And cut the LIVE 220 volt feed!! When that didn't work, she took her scissors to every single cable in the panel. When she realised that the bell box wouldn't silence, she removed the battery from the panel and threw it at the bell box. Fortunately she missed, but that didn't help the battery much!!

No apology - but a COMPLAINT that she didn't know how to get in touch with us to ask for help! All I could do was point to the log-book on a nail next to the panel (phone number on the cover), the panel itself (with our phone number on it).

Three hours later, system back up and running, but I replaced the panel screws with snake-eyes to stop her doing it again!

D7

She cut every cable???

Unbelievable. Some people just can't do the obvious. Ring for Help LOL.

Dave

she cut the 240 mains cable my god lucky lady how stupid is that but it takes all sorts i suppose keeps us in work

pete

Just had the same thing last night , except my call was at 01.45am , the old guy had took the scissors to the wiring , after removing the mains fuse and the battery , but the siren just kept on going...he just turned off his hearing aid and went back to bed !! ........ and guess how long a 12 year old ADE RSCB can last ........ 6 hours.

Scissors and electric really dont mix lol.

Dave