Iceblue Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hi, Stumbled upon this forum by accident - but its one of those accidents that aren't painful Found some really useful stuff here - wish I had been a member much earlier! Back in 1999, my brother installed a ADE Karizma Plus alarm system in my place, with Pyronix PIRs & an external sounder, panic buttons and door contacts - I was the tea boy and didn't really pay attention to the installation procedure or how the system was wired or initiated. In 2008, the keypad displayed 'Low Battery' and so I decided to investigate. Between 1999 and 2008 the only problem I encountered was the keypad wearing on the digits used for the codes, so much so that I changed the code so that those digits were no longer used and also the clock began to lose approx an hour over the year, which I remedied by resetting the clock. I guess I was lucky that the system lasted so long without problems - I just expected it to work without giving it a thought! Never had it serviced either, again didn't realise it should as I thought it only needs attention if something goes wrong. My brother emigrated so no help there but I knew the engineer code and opened up the control panel, noted down the battery and turned the system off so I could also find out what battery the bellbox used. Thankfully ADI Gardiner is less than an hours drive, so I ordered the batteries. The sales guy asked about my system and then told me how old it was and that it needed to be changed and handed me flyer for different systems. Installed the batteries and looked up Karizma Plus online and was directed to eBay where I found a used keypad for sale in newly new condition so bought it and swapped it over. As soon as I turned on the system a 'NVM' error flashed up. So I was thinking of getting a new system, and again looked on eBay and found someone selling a used control panel and bought it cheaply. I found an Engineers manual online and it turned out the NVM chip was faulty so reprogrammed the system with the new control panel from scratch. Looked online and found a website offering advice on servicing the system for the DIYer. I opened all the PIRs and door contacts. The bellbox had a new battery and whilst trying to work out how to install the new battery, I took down it down completely and cleaned it all out of cobwebs and dead spiders, and washed the cover - these bellboxes do become dirty over the years. As soon as I opened up the door contact the iD biscuit broke, so I went back to ADI bought new biscuits and all new door contacts. System was back up and running and has been great since. It cost much less than a new system, and since it worked, I felt I should replace faulty parts rather than install a new system. Recently I've just changed the bellbox to a Pyronix Deltabell Plus from a Pyronix Decibell as it looked really weathered and I was thinking if a burglar saw it, would he think the system is old and so the property is worth breaking into. I can't praise the Pyronix support team enough for helping me with understanding the wiring procedure, although it was all here on this forum I've just discovered. The box glows in the night and looks very modern compared to many I've seen. Also I've now developed a bad habit and started to notice other peoples bellboxes more now since I've changed mine, and there are are so many old metal boxes out there rusting and looking completely outdated. I was thinking mine was old, but some I've seen are hanging off walls, others are so rusted, that that internals are showing - I guess we just get them fitted and never bother with them again. I was wondering, how long do alarms systems last? When do they really need changing? My system has been patched up and I've been changing parts as and when but when would a professional say it really needs changing? Looking at my system as a DIYer, I've changed the bellbox and dummy, all door contacts, keypad, Karizma Plus pcb, batteries and new iD biscuits. The total cost has been much cheaper than a new system but more costlier in that time was taken in diagnosing problems and fault fixing (although I loved learning how it all worked) I looked at new systems and not sure how much more advanced they've become in the last 12 years apart from some having keytags to disarm the system. The Karizma Plus can do more or less what brand new systems can do now or am I mistaken? Also, I never changed my PIRs or Panic buttons, so when do you think they need changing (they're 12 years old now)? And finally can I add a smoke alarm to my system? I was thinking of adding a GSM dialer or speech dialer - any advice would be really appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHappy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I was wondering, how long do alarms systems last? When do they really need changing? My system has been patched up and I've been changing parts as and when but when would a professional say it really needs changing?I was thinking of adding a GSM dialer or speech dialer - any advice would be really appreciated alarms are meant to be maintained every 12 months for bells only and last until they break, 20+yr old controls are not uncommon, a battery will last 3-5 yrs, with anything else if you had it 10yrs you've had your value out of it. Mr Veritas God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anusoflannigan Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Karizma + are a good little panel.It does the basics but no where near to what today's systems are capable of.. just depends on what you want it to do! You can add smoke or heat detectors to the system using the next unused numbered id buscuits. You can have up to 30 zones on that system. Texecom smoke detectors are very reliable and easy to install. You only need to change your pir's if you want to update them or they become unreliable. Adding a dialer is easy, you can wire it into one of the outputs which are programmable rather then just across the bell trigger. Well done getting all the parts as they are quite rare now! Just hope you dont get the checksum error as that usually spells the end for the K+! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceblue Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 Karizma + are a good little panel.It does the basics but no where near to what today's systems are capable of.. just depends on what you want it to do! You can add smoke or heat detectors to the system using the next unused numbered id buscuits. You can have up to 30 zones on that system. Texecom smoke detectors are very reliable and easy to install. You only need to change your pir's if you want to update them or they become unreliable. Adding a dialer is easy, you can wire it into one of the outputs which are programmable rather then just across the bell trigger. Well done getting all the parts as they are quite rare now! Just hope you dont get the checksum error as that usually spells the end for the K+! Many thanks for the info. I was just looking at it from a home owners point of view, and was wondering whether a new system was warranted but if some systems last 20+ years, I guess I'll just wait until I can't repair it no more! I'll look around for the smoke alarm and a dialer as my next project - should be quite fun! Does the dialer allow remote dial in? Maybe to arm/disarm the system, and what would you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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