# House alarm ringing when switched off.



## BOXtheFOX (28 Jul 2008)

We were in the house yesterday afternoon and our house alarm was disarmed/switched off when all of a sudden it started ringing on its own accord. Never seen this before in all the years and all the alarms that we have had. It hasn't happened since.  Any thoughts as to why this might have happened?


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## z105 (28 Jul 2008)

Perhaps an electrical surge ? or maybe this is what happens to your alarm when the back-up battery is about to go ?


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## galwegian44 (28 Jul 2008)

Just started happening to me recently. The message is saying that there's potentially tampering with my box so I called security company to check it out and give it a service. They segregated my internal siren and the box from the same connection as they couldn't tell which was causing the alarm, checked the box and said it was OK.

However it's still happening so I need to get them back. Check the message on your display and this will tell you the particular issue you have. It's not uncommon and needs to be checked.



BOXtheFOX said:


> We were in the house yesterday afternoon and our house alarm was disarmed/switched off when all of a sudden it started ringing on its own accord. Never seen this before in all the years and all the alarms that we have had. It hasn't happened since.  Any thoughts as to why this might have happened?


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## galwegian44 (28 Jul 2008)

Don't believe it's battery related as I had mince changed during the service and I'm still having the problem.



Havealaugh said:


> Perhaps an electrical surge ? or maybe this is what happens to your alarm when the back-up battery is about to go ?


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## Leo (28 Jul 2008)

If the alarm is sounding while unarmed, then there's a fault in one of the tamper circuits. Check all sensors are secure and intact. Was there any decoration work carried out recently that might have affected any of them?
Leo


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## amgd28 (28 Jul 2008)

This happened to me a couple of years back. I ended up getting an electrician in to disconnect the whole thing!


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## lou2 (28 Jul 2008)

This happened to me too but I couldn't turn it off no matter what I did. Had to get the whole alarm system replaced (it was quite old). It happened on a Sunday and I was just really lucky that I knew someone who could do it on the day otherwise it would have driven the neighbours (and me) completely mad!


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## BOXtheFOX (28 Jul 2008)

Leo said:


> If the alarm is sounding while unarmed, then there's a fault in one of the tamper circuits. Check all sensors are secure and intact. Was there any decoration work carried out recently that might have affected any of them?
> Leo


 
Painted a back door with sensors about two weeks ago. I don't understand how it can ring when unarmed though. Are you saying that a switched off alarm, can still ring if a sensor gets a knock or something?


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## dem_syhp (28 Jul 2008)

To anyone who does want to disconnect it (say it goes off at the weekend and you can't turn it off) 
1. flick the trip switch for the power to the alarm
2. Disconnect the battery - depending where you panel is this, can be a bit of a pain, but it's just two connectors

And yes - my alarm went off when trying to paint around the panel where I set it. Alarm was not set at the time.  

Similarly yes it will go off, though sounding rather ill, if the battery goes - there is some beeping in advance of this - last time it happened me, I couldn't work out what the beeping was, kept checking my fire alarm. But then the full alarm went off in the middle of a dinner party (cue working out how to disarm alarm while serving suptious meal simultaneously)


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## Leo (28 Jul 2008)

BOXtheFOX said:


> Painted a back door with sensors about two weeks ago. I don't understand how it can ring when unarmed though. Are you saying that a switched off alarm, can still ring if a sensor gets a knock or something?


 
Yes. When unarmed, it will still monitor the tamper switches and the power. A tamper switch opening or the power failing will cause the alarm to sound.
Leo


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## galwegian44 (28 Jul 2008)

Had the security guy around again today to take a look and it seems that with the software version I had the outside box (rather than the cabinet) was the culprit. And yes, even when unarmed the alarm will sound if it detects that someone is trying to tamper with the cabinet or outside box(es).

Anyway he looped out the Bell tamper (outside box) until I get around to replacing it; the strobe isn't working so I will need to replace anyway. This will get me over the next few weeks at least.

Good luck.


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## colm (28 Jul 2008)

amgd28 said:


> This happened to me a couple of years back. I ended up getting an electrician in to disconnect the whole thing!


That was a bit drastic. 



BOXtheFOX said:


> Painted a back door with sensors about two weeks ago. I don't understand how it can ring when unarmed though. Are you saying that a switched off alarm, can still ring if a sensor gets a knock or something?


Your alarm is never fully switched off. There are 24 hour circuts which are monitored constantly. Ie Tamers & Panic zones


galwegian44 said:


> Had the security guy around again today to take a look and it seems that with the software version I had the outside box (rather than the cabinet) was the culprit. And yes, even when unarmed the alarm will sound if it detects that someone is trying to tamper with the cabinet or outside box(es).
> 
> Anyway he looped out the Bell tamper (outside box) until I get around to replacing it; the strobe isn't working so I will need to replace anyway. This will get me over the next few weeks at least.
> 
> Good luck.


For a new external SABB expect to pay arount €120 + call out if you dont have a service contract.


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## BOXtheFOX (29 Jul 2008)

Is the battery for the alarm in the little box where you key in the code, the outside box on the wall or the other box where the internal alarm sounds from? Is it easy to disconnect, any danger of electric shock etc?


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## colm (29 Jul 2008)

The Battery is in the main control panel. Ther is also a smaller battery (or capacitor) in the external bell box. Have you determined that the battery is the problem?


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## Leo (29 Jul 2008)

You should be able to get Astec, among other SABBs for €55.


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## Grizzly (11 Feb 2010)

Toward the end of January I predicted to my family that our house alarm will start ringing for no apparent reason as we approach St. Valentines Day. This is based on the last three or four years of our alarming ringing even when unarmed around this time of the year for no apparent reason.
This morning at 5 a.m. our alarm started ringing even though it hadn't been set, just as predicted.
Is it possible that the alarm installer input some sort of dormant code to activate the alarm every year to ensure that he might get a call out fee or service fee.
It is just too much of a coincidence that this has been happening.


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## Leo (11 Feb 2010)

I've never heard of an alarm panel having anything like that kind of functionality. What fault is being reported?


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## chlipps (11 Feb 2010)

We had similar alarm problem. mainly went off when un-set. turned out to be a loose connection for one of the zones. 80 euro for less than 5 mins work for the installer to fix...




Grizzly said:


> Toward the end of January I predicted to my family that our house alarm will start ringing for no apparent reason as we approach St. Valentines Day. This is based on the last three or four years of our alarming ringing even when unarmed around this time of the year for no apparent reason.
> This morning at 5 a.m. our alarm started ringing even though it hadn't been set, just as predicted.
> Is it possible that the alarm installer input some sort of dormant code to activate the alarm every year to ensure that he might get a call out fee or service fee.
> It is just too much of a coincidence that this has been happening.


 
... must be the mrs reminding you that Valentines day is on the way.


amgd28*Re: House alarm ringing when switched off.*
This happened to me a couple of years back. I ended up getting an electrician in to disconnect the whole thing!

amgd28,,,, did you notify your house insurance that you have disconnected the house alarm?


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