We have a house alarm that has not been actively used for the last 10 years. Primarily due to having teenage kids that were coming and going after I had went to bed and the constant alarm/disarm tones and sounders would wake me up. Had asked the alarm company at the time if anything could be changed but apparently not.
Suddenly this week the internal alarm sounded with a fault on the keypad showing fuse / battery fault. I silenced it with the PIN and the same happened the next morning at the same time. And again this morning.
Looking in the control box there is a big battery and there is a separate wall mounted fuse going into the box. I thought it would be as simple as disconnecting the battery and pulling the fuse but when I did this the external wall mounted alarm siren blasted out. So I am guessing there is another battery back up, possibly within the sounder itself?
Any idea how I can physically disconnect the whole thing from power? I could call the alarm company out but that would be a cost that I'd rather avoid.
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The external box (which should be mounted in an inaccessible position) will have a rechargeable battery.
Without knowing all the details of your alarm, I would suggest that if you can bear the alarm (or do not wish to remain friends with the neighbours), you cut the cables to the outside box, remove all sources of internal power, and go out for the afternoon.
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Yes there's normally a battery in the external sounder. There shouldn't be any more beyond what you've disconnected., unless there's another internal sounder?
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The external sounder will have anti tamper on the cover - so if you can get up to it, balanced on 1 leg on a high ladder, be prepared for the blast of sound when you remove the cover. You may find that it has security screws or similar just to make life difficult.
My first suggestion (above) remains favorite.
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When I last had an alarm installed I said it was on condition they gave me the engineer code. Otherwise you are hostage to silly charges for getting back up batteries replaced etc. and there's a good chance they will have died/gone bust.
The last house I bought had an alarm and the seller had lost the code, at some point it had started going off, and he had cut every wire in sight and stuffed the bell box with old towels. Thanks a bunch! I settled for leaving the box on the wall as a deterrent which worked without any trouble for 20 years :)
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Disconnecting a house alarm - sherlock47
