1 The manual mentions 3-core mains cable but the installer had chopped the earth, i.e. there was only pos/neg when I fitted Spur. There are also only 2 wires from the connection block to the PCB or wherever they go. Is this correct?

Im assuming you have an old plastic panel. If there is no earth connection then this isnt a problem. But knowing your panel would help. Also you mention 2 wires on the pcb. There are not many panels that take 240v into the main board.

2 Can you tell me where I find the Aux Contact to isolate the PIRs?

Upload a pic. But may not be marked as AUX.

3 Now the dreaded question, how do I get Keypad working again?

Depends what you have done. If its an optima etc then it will lock out till you clear the tamper fault.

1 Probably OK then. I think it is plastic. I saw 2 wires but perhaps they are not connected directly to mains - didn't look too closely. Will try and show in pic.

2 Someone is going to do some pics but probably tomorrow now - will upload asap.

3 As we didn't touch any of the PIRs or try to disconnect them, any idea how we clear the fault to get keypad back?

It is a Honeywell ADE Optima XM6 Alarm - installed 1994.

Thanks

Keith

I would say you have either crashed it, but the tamper on that panel is global. So the fault could be anywhere but probably on the panel lid

If it's an expert we need, might have to abandon it as, given its age, I don't think they wish to spend a lot on it.

So any ideas on anything we could try are very welcome.

Thanks

Keith

You need to find out where your tamper fault is. If you have alook on the panel you will see 1 pair called TAMP. this is the global tamper. To test the panel tamper just gently push the spring in till it clicks and see if that clears it. If its on the tamper pair you will have to track down where it is with a multimeter. Plus there is the SAB (external sounder) tamper which on that panel is marked as SCB (T and A)

Many thanks for ideas.

Keen to try but starting to feel out of my depth, i.e. if using my meter, I don't know exactly what I'm measuring and wouldn't know if I actually find the problem. I will of course try the spring. If it's not possible for you to give more detail on what to measure and how I know when I find the problem, I shall have to think again. If possible, please give me an idea of cost for an engineer to come and clear the fault - it is in Darlaston, West Midlands.

Thanks

Keith

ok pull out the tamp pair and put a link of wire in the there to short the terminals.

If that clears your fault then you do indeed have a tamper on the global tamper. If not then its either the tamper spring or the sounder tamper. If you have checked these then it must be a board fault.

Also might be worth completly powering it down and back up to ensure you havnt crashed it.

How do we identify the tamp pair?

Haven't touched spring yet, as you suggested.

Haven't checked any other tampers as don't know how to.

The other day when it went off suddenly, we did cut mains and disconnect battery to stop the internal siren. Does this constitute powering down?

One other question: why did alarm (sirens) suddenly stop of its own volition after about a minute?

Thanks

Keith

They shouldn't. It has a fault

battery in external sounder is knackered.

ADE panels will lock up if any glitches with the mains, power down, power up, connect battery - should be ok then

press spring down and see it it resets by pressing reset.