Guest teabelly Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 I have an oldish veritas 8 control panel and I'm pretty sure the back up battery wants changing as the panel is getting hot and smelling strange but only when there has been a powercut and for a couple of days after. Now I am assuming the battery lives in the control panel itself rather than up on the wall in the sounder box. Am I right in this assumption? If so does anyone know a brand and model no of battery I replace it with (preferably from Maplin as there's one locally). If it is a ladder job can anyone recommend a good company in Stoke On Trent to do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian c Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 It sounds like it is the backup battery in the control panel that is causing your problem. I would recommend a service visit from a professional installer to check over the rest of your system, as faulty batteries can cause other faults. I'm sure someone in your locality will reply shortly. If you don't know......ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RICHL Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 As a rule, smelling strange is not good. It may be too late for a batt change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teabelly Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 It sounds like it is the backup battery in the control panel that is causing your problem.I would recommend a service visit from a professional installer to check over the rest of your system, as faulty batteries can cause other faults. I'm sure someone in your locality will reply shortly. 37492[/snapback] I will get someone to look at it properly in a few months but I could do with just changing the battery just at the moment. I am going to be adding a garage zone in the next couple of months so I wanted to keep it down to one visit for everything. I don't think I can ignore the battery for a few months so it seemed easier just to get an electrician friend to swap the batteries for now. If there is anything black and smouldering in there I'll definitely get in a professional It is mostly smelling like burnt dust like you get when you switch on a dusty fan heater. I hoovered it and it was a lot better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldtimer Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 Batteries are my favorite subject. Why ? because as far as I am concerned these units are responsable for about 70 % of false alarms. Let me explain. Batteries should be changed every 5 years. How is this ? BS states that a battery should be replaced when it reaches 80% capicity and if you look at the manufacturers technical info you a battery if stored in the right conditions (mostly temperature) it will reach 80% after 5 years. If you get an proffessional alarm engineer he will mark the installation date on a battery and every 5 years send you a reminder that it should be changed during a service of course. If this is done then your system should be trouble free. How is this ? Well many moons ago about 20 years ago I used to fit Avenger 3 Micro 3 Deluxe alarm panels and I duly sent out a srvice reminder every year and a battery reminder every 5. The customers who opted for this are to this day still useing the same panel the ones who disregarded this advise had to get their panel replaced. Why ? A modern day alarm panel is a wonderful peice of equipment but what people do not realise it is also a battery charger. Hence if you do not replace the batttery then every passing year (ie 7-8 years old) the battery completly fails and if you are lucky the panel is ok if not then its big bucks to fix. I agree if you take a maintenance contract out then yes if the battery fails then it gets replaced (free of charge) The only problem with this is that companies are run by beancounters who instruct engineers to only change the battery when and if required not as a matter of course. The problem is that not all engineer mark the date on the battery or test the battery (apart from switching the mains off and on during a service) via a battery tester (ACT) and the industry does not train engineers correctly or change out the batteries when required. If they did then false alarms would drop significantly and people would have more confidance in alarm system. So next time there is a power cut in your street and a couple of alarms go off then you will know their battery is goosed and useally it will be under a maintenace contract from a large multi national Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teabelly Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 So next time there is a power cut in your street and a couple of alarms go off then you will know their battery is goosed and useally it will be under a maintenace contract from a large multi national 37528[/snapback] The bean counters are the reason I avoid maintenance contracts The alarms that go off in my street are both on business premises so you're spot on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S TEK. Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 The problem is that not all engineer mark the date on the battery or test the battery (apart from switching the mains off and on during a service) via a battery tester (ACT) and the industry does not train engineers correctly or change out the batteries when required. If they did then false alarms would drop significantly and people would have more confidance in alarm system. 37528[/snapback] good points, a multi meter should do the job as good as a ACT tester. also if engineers did no how to test them proply, think of the profit the nationals would lose, i swear they take incompitent engineers on to make more money on call, take longer finding faults or add return visits and they can charge the customer more money!! chris Trade Member As Mr Kingswood said "Dont forget the 6 P's when installing.....Proper Preperation Prevents P*** Poor Performance!!!" John Kingswood(alais Nobby), Paul Earl Ltd 1985-2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 the last 3 posts.......you talk some //.B.W.F.//!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RICHL Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 the last 3 posts.......you talk some //.B.W.F.//!!!!!! 37542[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 BS states that a battery should be replaced when it reaches 80% capicity and if you look at the manufacturers technical info you a battery if stored in the right conditions (mostly temperature) it will reach 80% after 5 years.The problem is that not all engineer mark the date on the battery or test the battery (apart from switching the mains off and on during a service) via a battery tester (ACT) and the industry does not train engineers correctly or change out the batteries when required. If they did then false alarms would drop significantly and people would have more confidance in alarm system. 37528[/snapback] The requirement is 60% actually, unless ACT have their sums wrong, and i dont actually record seeing it in the BS. ACT's Unit is fine, however when you put a brand new 7amp under load and get a reading if between 8 and 9 Amps it makes you wonder as to its usefulness. Just playing devils advocate here. I still instruct all my engineers to use the ACT device howvere they are instructed to record its initial capacity and change at 60% of that figure. Big Jig Big Jig. Trade Member Quality Manager Direct Security Systems (Midlands) Limited NSI Gold. Good engineers always ask questions!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.