Intermittent Tamper Fault

[rustic]

Intermittent Tamper Fault - Help Please...

My alarm system comprises:

Texecom Veritas R8+ Control Panel (7ah Battery)

with ACT1313 12V Spike Suppressor & ACT2323 Mainspike Suppressor fitted,

wired from the ring main using an unswitched Fused Spur

Texecom Mirage Dual Technology PIR's (some "Petwise")

Texecom Speech Dialler

3xTexecom Veritas + 1x Excel(LCD) Remote Keypads

Texecom Odyssey 1 Bellbox

Surface Contacts

The system was installed in August 2005 and has been operational ever since with no alterations.

None of the cabling has been compromised by other works.

On 16 April the system was "part-set" at 14.30.

At 16.50 the alarm sounded and the panel showed a Tamper fault. The Enginers log shows as a "Bell/Global Tamper"

Since I could not find any problems the system was reset on "part-set" as before. No tamper fault light was on.

The problem re-occurred on 17 April at 2.44 (am), and was reset - again no tamper light.

The system functioned normally until, four days later, another "Tamper Fault" on 22 April at 9.03 (when unset) (Reset-no tamper light),

and yet another at 14.39.

Each time the unit was on mains power and no power problems were observed.

The battery was nearly 3 years old but has performed its back-up duties several times during the previous few weeks.

Nevertheless, I replaced the battery on 22 April at 15.00 hoping that this might solve the problem.

Alas no:

Today (23 April), it had "Tamper Faults" at 15.23 / 15.42 / 15.57 and 16.17 !! (Reset each time - no tamper light)

I have currently "omitted" the tamper zone from the RKP.

It would seem difficult to pinpoint the fault in the absence of a "firm" tamper.

I am aware that I can link-out the tamper circuit at the panel to determine if it is the Global Loop or the Bell Box but in view of the intermittent nature this may take some time to eliminate.

Help ! - Any suggestions ?

[lawandorder]

Intermittent Tamper Fault - Help Please...

My alarm system comprises:

Texecom Veritas R8+ Control Panel (7ah Battery)

with ACT1313 12V Spike Suppressor & ACT2323 Mainspike Suppressor fitted,

wired from the ring main using an unswitched Fused Spur

Texecom Mirage Dual Technology PIR's (some "Petwise")

Texecom Speech Dialler

3xTexecom Veritas + 1x Excel(LCD) Remote Keypads

Texecom Odyssey 1 Bellbox

Surface Contacts

The system was installed in August 2005 and has been operational ever since with no alterations.

None of the cabling has been compromised by other works.

On 16 April the system was "part-set" at 14.30.

At 16.50 the alarm sounded and the panel showed a Tamper fault. The Enginers log shows as a "Bell/Global Tamper"

Since I could not find any problems the system was reset on "part-set" as before. No tamper fault light was on.

The problem re-occurred on 17 April at 2.44 (am), and was reset - again no tamper light.

The system functioned normally until, four days later, another "Tamper Fault" on 22 April at 9.03 (when unset) (Reset-no tamper light),

and yet another at 14.39.

Each time the unit was on mains power and no power problems were observed.

The battery was nearly 3 years old but has performed its back-up duties several times during the previous few weeks.

Nevertheless, I replaced the battery on 22 April at 15.00 hoping that this might solve the problem.

Alas no:

Today (23 April), it had "Tamper Faults" at 15.23 / 15.42 / 15.57 and 16.17 !! (Reset each time - no tamper light)

I have currently "omitted" the tamper zone from the RKP.

It would seem difficult to pinpoint the fault in the absence of a "firm" tamper.

I am aware that I can link-out the tamper circuit at the panel to determine if it is the Global Loop or the Bell Box but in view of the intermittent nature this may take some time to eliminate.

Help ! - Any suggestions ?

Although the problem is manifesting itself as an intermitent tamper alarm the problem is likely to be easily rectified using a good old fashioned digital ohm/volt meter.

Firstly check the resistance of the global tamper circuit and compare it with the notes which were hopefull made by the original installer. Secondly check the voltage coming back from the SAS on the tamper return.

The exact figures are academic, what you are looking for is instability.

Bell box tamper switches are always a favourite because they tend to be realtively exposed to the elements, I'm not sure how experinced you are but it might be worth measuring the resistance of the microswitch which should be less than 0.5 ohms.

Hope this helps.

[kka]

battery three years old, some may its time to replace it............

[arfur mo]

battery three years old, some may its time to replace it............

oh! keep up kka - he already has

bell box tamper always a strong candidate, the global tamper covers all the lid contacts and the cable protection to each device, so check a pir casing has nor been biffed.

as your 'servicing' yourself please be careful or lethal mains voltages within the alarm main panel, confidence is an often dangerous replacement for competence and experience.

this is a bit long winded but unless you know what to do and have a decent meter then here go's -:

if nothing obvious have you had crpets fitted since the alrm was installed? very common for the cables to be sliced but work perfectly for several years until finally the corrode and cause problems.

with the main panel lid open you should see several series joints from the tamper terminals.

using a spare piece of wire link out half of them, use the system for a short period of a week or so, if all is quiet chances are the problem is on the half you have linked out, if reoccurs obviously then it's on the half you did not link out.

either way halve the problem again, either re-introduce half of those you linked out or link out half of those you did not link out accordingly.

as earlier stated an engineer with a quality fast meter set to low ohms and a bucket of experience and trade tricks, will normally find this sort of fault very quickly, and given every time your alarm false signals it is treated with less respect by your neighbours and key-holders and eventually ignoring it crying wolf, remarkin it's that bl&^%

[Guest anguscanplay]

and given every time your alarm false signals it is treated with less respect by your neighbours and key-holders and eventually ignoring it crying wolf, remarkin it's that bl&^%

[rustic]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Arfur - I presume that when eliminating parts of the Global Tamper circuits I will have to link out the SAB (bell) tamper to exclude the SAB.

I believe I should do this by linking Panel Terminals "C" and "D" which represent the Negative Tamper Return (-VE TAMP) and the Permanent Negative Supply (0V) - can you confirm this for me please.

I will have a look with your guidance in mind and hope the problem can be found fairly simply - else it will have to be the professionals !

Fortunately, in the meantime, I can minimise neighbourhood disturbance (and sleep undisturbed) by omitting the tamper zone at the RKP.

Again, thanks for your time.

[arfur mo]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Arfur - I presume that when eliminating parts of the Global Tamper circuits I will have to link out the SAB (bell) tamper to exclude the SAB.

I believe I should do this by linking Panel Terminals "C" and "D" which represent the Negative Tamper Return (-VE TAMP) and the Permanent Negative Supply (0V) - can you confirm this for me please.

i'm not so sure if this panel discriminates it as a the bell tamper, or it is part of the global tampers. so disconnect the negative return to see what happens when you try to reset, this will tell you if it shows a bell tamper individually.

I will have a look with your guidance in mind and hope the problem can be found fairly simply - else it will have to be the professionals !

Fortunately, in the meantime, I can minimise neighbourhood disturbance (and sleep undisturbed) by omitting the tamper zone at the RKP.

oh no you won't that way . the tampers are never omitted, only the detection is (if programmed to allow it), but if you have any spare zones i suggest split the tampers up onto them and prog '24 hour' so they are monitored full time.

Again, thanks for your time.

regs

alan