X10 Community Forum
🛡Home Security => Problems and Troubleshooting => Topic started by: doughayman on November 05, 2006, 08:03:56 AM
-
Hi everybody,
I have a DS7000 Powerhouse security system.
I'm at a loss here. I have 10 door/window sensors and 2 motion sensors installed in my configuration. All was working for several weeks. Brand new alkaline batteries were placed in every sensor. My console is plugged in (A/C) and has a battery backup. All Zones were installed/registered correctly. I'm in Run 1 mode, so I don't get the chimes. Things were working fine.
All of a sudden yesterday, my Zone 8 (window) starts blinking slowly on my console. According to the user's manual, it means that the main console hasn't communicated with the sensor in the last 4 hours. The documentation says that it could be because of bad batteries. I replaced the batteries in this sensor, to no avail. Same problem.
Now today, zone 10 (window) and 11 (motion) are similarly blinking slowly (red). Changed the batteries on these zones, again to no avail. Something is
amiss here.
Does anyone have any ideas ? I haven't gone through the process of re-installing all zones, because it is a pain in the neck to do so, every time something goes awry. Does anybody have a simple solution or suggestion here ?
Many thanks,
Doug
doug@expss.com
-
I have a similar problem but mine appears to be the remote doing it. I can get the alarm to arm if I bypass the flashing zone. I can also get the slow flashing to go away if I unplug and remove the batteries from the console then reinstall everything from scratch. If Everything works normally for a couple of days and then I am back to the same thing.
-
If the batteries in the window/door sensor did infact go dead and you installed new ones you may have to re-register the sensor with the base. I have not run into any low battery problems yet.
-
Re-installing everything whenever there is a problem OR arming the system bypassing these "malfunctioning" zones is NOT an option. It defeats the entire purpose of having this alarm system.
The batteries are good too - I have a battery strength tester, and they are definitely not dead.
Thanks for your guys' feedback, but I am looking for solutions that I can live with - I cannot afford to short-change the system, for the sake of getting things to work.
Keep the suggestions coming...........
Thanks,
Doug
-
Sounds like an RF reception problem at the base for some of the sensors.
From the base's location, look in a straight line to each of the sensors, particularly the problem ones... visualize all the obstacles the signal has to pass through. Look for stoves, fridges, hidden metal (duct work), etc.
You may have to reposition the base.
-
You also might need a 731 repeater for the more distant ones. However, you said it worked for weeks, so I'm not sure. Reinstall, move the base closer and see if it works, if not you may need a new base unit.
-
I have a DS7000 Powerhouse security system... ...I have 10 door/window sensors and 2 motion sensors installed in my configuration. All was working for several weeks...
...All of a sudden yesterday, my Zone 8 (window) starts blinking slowly on my console. According to the user's manual, it means that the main console hasn't communicated with the sensor in the last 4 hours. The documentation says that it could be because of bad batteries. I replaced the batteries in this sensor, to no avail. Same problem.
Now today, zone 10 (window) and 11 (motion) are similarly blinking slowly (red). Changed the batteries on these zones, again to no avail...
...Does anyone have any ideas ?
Sounds like an RF reception problem at the base for some of the sensors.
From the base's location, look in a straight line to each of the sensors, particularly the problem ones... visualize all the obstacles the signal has to pass through. Look for stoves, fridges, hidden metal (duct work), etc.
You may have to reposition the base.
doughayman: Excellent troubleshooting and detailed post for a NEWBIE! :)
Puck: ON THE MONEY! (as usual ;) )
I'd like to EXPAND on Puck's RF theory.
I have a Door/Window Sensor on my backyard shed door (~50-60' from the PS561). I'm too lazy to go through the effort of looking up EXACT model numbers, but it *WAS* the old style with the 9V battery. Every WINTER, it would go into "slow blink" mode due to the cold reducing the battery voltage. I upgraded to the 2 AAA model and it's better.
Regarding the SR731, I experienced a similar problem as Snoochy: Re: Smart [DUMB!] RF Repeater ( SR731 ) (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=10788.msg61520;topicseen#msg61520) when I bought the SR731 to attempt to solve my "shed in the winter" problem - REPEATS rendering the whole system unusable. >:(
Onto your troubleshooting:
- How far from the base are the "problem" sensors (8, 10, 11) compared to some "non-problem" sensors?
. - Have you installed / moved any electrical device NEAR the base recently?
- It's possible that the "problem" sensors are far enough away that the base was marginally hearing them and you added a "NOISY" appliance near the base that sort of raised the "squelch" level, covering those weak sensors with noise.
. - Raise the base higher - I moved my 2' higher onto a different shelf in my den and it helped somewhat.
. - Change the angle of the base antenna - this is a real TRIAL-AND-ERROR task! 10 degrees left, 10 degrees right, front, back, 20 degrees, etc...
Please keep us informed of your progress. :)
-
Just to add a bit to TTA's antenna tweaking... Every unit I have that has an antenna, I found works better in the horizontal position then vertical. I Have the SR731 and use it to get a signal to my Ninja. The Ninja won't work at all with the antenna vertical but does 100% when the antenna is horizontal. Just something else you can try.
-
Thank you all for your prompt and descriptive problem analysis. I have taken your advice and moved the base to a more central location. Yes, the problematic sensors were all much further away from the base than the majority that were working. So, perhaps that is the issue. I just swapped out my broadband cable service's modem to an upgraded modem (that also supports voice). Maybe this new device is creating more interference ????
In any event, all good suggestions. I have been running successfully with my new central base location for a few hours. I will report back in a week, to let you all know how I fared.
Thanks again for the great community response :)
Best Regards,
Doug
-
Thank you all for your prompt and descriptive problem analysis...
Thanks again for the great community response :)
In addition to saying "Thank You", which is always appreciated (and often NOT communicated :( ), *PLEASE* don't forget to CLICK on "Helpful" for the Member(s) whose information you benefited from! :)
-
I'm not sure if you need the OnAlert software or not, but since I have it, I keep an eye on all my motion sensors and door/window sensors as they report in to make sure they are communicating properly and on a regular basis. Mind you, the report is through the CM15A rather than the DS7000...but since mine are pretty close together, I have a good sense that they are functioning and transmitting.
-
Mind you, the report is through the CM15A rather than the DS7000...but since mine are pretty close together, I have a good sense that they are functioning and transmitting.
GOOD Point Snoochy. That's good for people to know both should be almost next to each other, if possible.
Because if you're away and checking online, OnAlert could be telling you everything is GREAT, but the DS7000 Base has flashed a zone out and ignoring it.
The same will be true for the opposite... the CM15A may miss check ins and make you think something is wrong, when it's not.
I don't have OnAlert, but I guess you almost have to have parallel triggers from the PC as well as the DS7000, just to make sure your security works even when your not sure (unless of course the zone sensor really is bad.)
-
When you register the window/door sensor with AHP, OnAlert the program shows you the state of the sensor. It will also alert you when the batteries are going dead. Does the DS7000 have a low battery indicator for the sensors?
-
Does the DS7000 have a low battery indicator for the sensors?
Sort of, if the sensor's battery is too low and the base doesn't receive the check in, the base just sets the zone LED to slow flash mode and renders that zone dead. But you have no way of knowing this until you get home.
-
...Does the DS7000 have a low battery indicator for the sensors?
YES! Zones blinking (slowly) on DS7000 Powerhouse Console. ;)
-
OK guys, just wanted to thank everyone here. I centrally located my DS7000 console in my house (which was also away from my new Voice cable modem noted above), and all has been well for close to a week now. I no longer have slow-blinking zones - my home and my family are safe ! So, in summary, I guess it was either that my console was at a remote end of the house OR the new modem was causing some kind of RF interference. I'm assuming the latter, since everything was working for a couple of weeks, before the problem manifested, but it could be a combination of the 2.
I "thanked" all the pertinent comments that got me through this dilemma (and quickly, I might add) !
Thanks again to all of your contributions !
Regards,
Doug
-
ok but if you ever need to reinstall a sensor after the batteris are out then you do not have to reset the entire system just install the batteries, press the test button on the unit, put your system in to the install mode and then activate your sensor it will then be installed back to the original coe and position. I also had a unit give me the same proble, i changed the unit and the blinking came back even with the new unit. I taped a peice of wire 9 1/2" long to the side of it and my problem whent away.