Car alarm keeps going off by itself
lincann
8 years ago
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lincann
8 years agoRelated Discussions
alarm system goes off after being armed for 12 days consecutively
Comments (6)At this point, I wouldn't start swapping zones right now - it may just add more confusion. As far as relocating, the sensors can be sensitive to RF interference and, although they shouldn't be, temperature changes on the wall. But first, if you have the installation/service manual - not the owners manual - you can see if zone-4, or all the zones, are "supervised alarm zones/circuits." When I mentioned it may contain a resistor (end of line), it is because of supervised circuits. Supervised circuits, in simple terms, the alarm control panel is acting in a tri-state mode. It it always looking to see a certain resistance across the circuit; let's just say 1k, it's a NC circuit, and the resistor is in series. A cut of the wiring triggers a high resistance error and sets the alarm mode. Somebody who places a jumper across the wiring, triggers a low resistance error and sets the alarm mode as well. The resistor value that must be used will be listed in the installation manual. Since ambient temperature affects resistor values, placement on a wall heated by the sun could cause enough change on a high tolerance resistor to cause an error - but that's just in theory and there's usually enough tolerance in the system, but it could happen. A simple test to help determine sensor, wiring, or controller fault would be to first determine if this is a supervised circuit and it's resistance value. Disconnect zone-4 wiring, at the controller, and either jumper with the appropriate resistor (or just a short wire if non-supervised) and disable all zones but 4. Let it run for a couple weeks and see what happens. Just kind of flowchart logic from there. But actually, I also have another thought here. You mentioned zone-4 is master bedroom and home office, so I'm thinking a PC in the home office... maybe a UPS power supply? Maybe one with an "auto test feature?" I even had an APC unit that by default ran an auto test mode "about every two weeks" - now with the full cycling of the UPS, and it's temperature changes, that could possibly trigger an IR detector... just a thought....See Morealarm system goes off every year during vacation
Comments (20)I'm an alarm tech. Apart from things, bugs (silicone the holes in the back of the motion sensor to seal where the wire comes in) triggering it, a moving blind or curtain can trigger it too. A wall hanging could also, if the hvac makes it move. This is why it's not desirable to have two motions on one zone. If it faces a window or something sometimes that can cause falsing. If it's curtains, you can mask the back of the motion's fresnel to block that part off, the motion installers's sheet will explain it (you can usually download these.) Brands generally don't mind being mixed. One thing you could do is disconnect the zone in the panel (are there resistors in there? Another possible issue) put a jumper wire in there across the zone, then put a small relay that's switched by the 'loop' - the sensor output from the motions - and a buzzer, if the bedrooms aren't in use. Watch it for a few days, and see if you can figure out what's causing it. This is an intriguing issue. Another thing that can trigger them is if the dc to the motions is interrupted...they go through a warm up cycle and of course, because they're probably Normally Closed, when the current to the motion is interrupted, the panel sees it as an alarm event. What could be causing it is a loose connection or damage to the wire in the wall. If there's enough slack at both ends, very carefully restrip the outer sheath an inch or two and remake all connections. If it's typical alarm wire, station z (old style 4 conductor phone wire) it's quite easy to nick one of the conductors when stripping the outer sheath, so a nick is likely close to the end. How are the two motions wired together? Are there two wires that run to the panel and are connected in series? Does one motion run to the other and have a splice inside? There may also be a splice in the wall, in which case it could be bad, but I don't know why it takes 2 weeks to have an issue. There are a lot of possibilities here. Timers and electrical interference are two, but unlikely - alarms are generally robust and simple. As for cable length, there ARE limits but in practice some runs can be hundreds of feet without issues. I've attached a link to an alarm forum, you might try for some fresh ideas there. Another thing to try is to remove and bypass one motion, then the other, either reprogramming the motion as a door so you can chime it, or using the buzzer as I suggested. A word to the wise about programming, none of the systems are terribly user-friendly, so you may not want to do that yourself. Another possibility is to see what that zone is programmed as. Also, can the motions see out of the bedrooms into a hallway, and could something in there be tripping them? Here is a link that might be useful: DIY security forum...See Morehere's a strange one: new light fixture sets off alarm
Comments (19)The pic I posted shows my left thigh after surgery for a broken femoral neck bone when I fell only a few feet off a ladder after unsuccessfully trying to use a broom to disengage a battery in a hard-wired smoke detector. I fell onto carpet and carpet pad, and even though my bone density tests showed all was well, and I'm tall (5'9") and in good shape, I must have hit the carpet and pad really hard because it stopped that detector and the others from going off. The detectors had been going off for years, only in the very early morning hours and very late at night only on weekends and holiday since I bought this house in Peoria, Arizona. But no one told me. Not one person, including the sellers, bothered to disclose this. I guess seeing the battery dangling from one of the smoke detectors and wires to electrical outlets in the living room and master bedroom hanging out that the Realtor told me was something the painters did should have given me a clue. But it didn't. I guess I expected that the home inspector -- who I paid -- would have said something, but no. Even when I had no electricity in the living room, part of the kitchen and master bedroom when I moved in, and had to pay a professional "electrician" after the home inspector and Realtor said they were clueless, I still was so stupid I didn't realize that the entire house in this "upscale" section of Peoria, Arizona, had been improperly wired! The detectors would still be going off if the City of Peoria (Arizona) Fire Department hadn't taken them all down cause they were tired of responding and as they said, they aren't electricians. After this major injury and surgery (and a total hip replacement after this surgery failed) since I never cook and don't smoke (nor does my dog), I decided to investigate why the smoke detectors had been going off. I checked to see if they had been recalled, but no. I called the electric company, APS, that serves this part of Peoria (Arizona), but they say there has never been, at any time in history I presume, any problem with their electrical service that could have caused the issue with the detectors. So I believe anything about electricity, wiring, etc., and home systems at this point. When the air conditioning turns on, my Internet service freezes, drops, etc., although Century Link says it "shouldn't". When I shower, when I turn the water to hot (so I guess it uses more of the water heater power?), the lights flicker. The plug for an electric toothbrush I never had any problems with at my old house (in an older part of Peoria that the city allowed to deteriorate even though I asked the city and council for help) began to smolder, smoke and melt while I was out for a few hours (I kept it). So I don't believe what companies, home builders (stay away from TowneHomes aka HBT and whatever else), city officials, building inspectors (approved lots of badly plumbed houses in this part of Peoria), home inspectors, real estate agents, and anyone else says. They don't know anything about electricity, so of course they're going to lie. And if they can get us to keep paying them (monthly bills, taxes, etc.) for lying to us, then the top officials are happy. They don't care about us. I believe all of you with bizarre problems with smoke detectors and everything else electrical. No one knows how to build homes anymore, especially in the U.S., nor do they want to learn. Those who do know don't want to do the job right because it's "too much work". I have never run into so many people in the last several years who hate to "work". I don't know why they don't try to get a job as a sleep study subject. How much work can that be?...See Morecar alarm going off at odd times
Comments (3)What sort of alarm do you have? What are its features? If you have an alarm that senses the presence of moving objects near the car, that could be the cause. At night, roving, good sized, animals can set it off. At our location, the usual triggers are deer, big dogs, racoons, and people. If you have an alarm that senses when the car is bumped, wind gusts can set these off if the sensitivity is set too high. Also, a loud sound such as a thunder clap can shake the vehicle enough to set off an alarm. If your alarm has none of these features, and senses when the auto is tampered with, It likely has a remote function. In rare cases, military aircraft flying overhead may set it off if that aircraft is using the same frequency. I know of one case whne Cadillac first introduced their remote key fob, all over town in random locations, the trunk lids were popping open. GM and owners traced the problem to fighter jets flying overhead. The Military never responded to GM's inquiry, but the problem went away when GM changed their frequency and the coding for the key fobs. This brings up another possibility and that is your own key fob. Where is your key fob when the alarm sounds? Is it in your pocket with other assorted items such as a pocket knife? If you should take a nap with your car keys in your pocket, you could be accidentally pressing the fob switches. Most remote key fobs have a "panic" function that will sound the horn. Sometimes, the act of sitting down with the key in your pocket can press the key fob button. Does the cat like to play with your keys, maybe pouncing on those? There could be a radio transmission such as someone's garage door opener that is triggering your alarm. These days, auto makers are aware of thee possibilities, and design against these, but if there is a maverick transmitter in the vicinity or some off-brand device that does not adhere to the rules, that could be the source. And then, it is possible that the unit is bonkers and needs replacing. In this case, a likely suspect is the receiver....See Morelincann
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