Optima Mx - Replaceable?

[kohini]

Hi all,

I am a newbie... I have moved into a house with a wired Optima MX alarm. Doesn't work, alarm keeps going off when you turn it on. I have changed the battery but still the same. Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

Can the main unites be easily replaced? eg. Keep the existing wiring and sensors in place and just replace the main unit with a different brand of alarm?

Or is this it best to get alarm specialist in to fix it?

Thanks

[Guest RJBsec]

Could be all sorts of reasons, best to get an engineer in to check it otherwise you may replace a part that isn't faulty and still have the problem!

[lawandorder]

Good advice from RJB.

Yes the control panel can be replaced easily and most new control units will be compatible with your existing detectors/wiring and sounders but there is no sense in replacing anything without getting some diagnostic work done.

If you provide a little more detail we may be able to help a bit more.

How long after you set the alarm does it activate?

What indicators are showing on the panel when you turn it off again?

[y-i-out-of-bed]

first cheack all internal doors are closed as older unit could be installed to old regs were all internal doors are alarmed also might have lock with set switch in it on frount door depends when it was fitted so all info would be of help to us & help to you, also cheack detectors if pirs have no power some latch open and would cause alarm do you get a light on detectors when you walk round or any that have light on all the time even with you are sat dead still, could be that a mouse has eaten some wires as well maby thay dident notice as some systems have been sat unused for years what date was on battory when you took it out?

[Fred555]

If you know what you are doing then it is relatively easy to replace the control panel - get something reasonable a Gardtec 595 perhaps. But the control panel may not be at fault - generally it is a failed door contact that intermittently opens, or it could be a motion or a shock sensor that has a loose wire that causes the system to go off or damaged wiring.

Get hold of a user manual, then use that to interpret whatever the indicator lights or display is trying to tell you - that often narrows down the problem to one zone. You then open the control panel as you do not know which zone number relates to which detector find the relavent zone input connection and follow the wire to the detector in question.

The fun really begins if you have a common/shared 24H/tamper zone because it can not only cover every detector in the building but also include the external bell box sometimes and who knows what else - it depends on the design of the control panel the cheaper ones generally lump everything onto a common Tamper zone which is why I have never fitted control panels without individual tampers - everything is fine when the system is new but when it ages you generally find the tamper input has been bypassed as a quick fix bodge which means the alarm can then be sabotaged without restraint and there is no proof what has been meddled with.

Post back once you have got the manual, correctly interpreted the display readout and followed the cable.

[y-i-out-of-bed]

If you know what you are doing then it is relatively easy to replace the control panel - get something reasonable a Gardtec 595 perhaps. But the control panel may not be at fault - generally it is a failed door contact that intermittently opens, or it could be a motion or a shock sensor that has a loose wire that causes the system to go off or damaged wiring.

Get hold of a user manual, then use that to interpret whatever the indicator lights or display is trying to tell you - that often narrows down the problem to one zone. You then open the control panel as you do not know which zone number relates to which detector find the relavent zone input connection and follow the wire to the detector in question.

The fun really begins if you have a common/shared 24H/tamper zone because it can not only cover every detector in the building but also include the external bell box sometimes and who knows what else - it depends on the design of the control panel the cheaper ones generally lump everything onto a common Tamper zone which is why I have never fitted control panels without individual tampers - everything is fine when the system is new but when it ages you generally find the tamper input has been bypassed as a quick fix bodge which means the alarm can then be sabotaged without restraint and there is no proof what has been meddled with.

Post back once you have got the manual, correctly interpreted the display readout and followed the cable.

it is an old cheep though good breed of unit but no eol and all in one tamper so it would be fun

maby accenta g4 would do though if looking at new unit see what is out there as good time to just upgrade the lot.

kohini any news?

[Fred555]

Kohini

If you go with an Accenta G4 get the LCD remote keypad - it makes reading the log easier. Then you can take the easy way out (provided there are no common tamper zones left or more than one detector per zone input) and let the alarm log tell you what goes on.

y-i-out-of-bed

I am not immediately familiar with Accenta G4 specs. - does it do DEOL? (or at least have four wire zone inputs to simplify wiring for a "newbie" Kohini [a Gardtec 816 has 4 wire zone inputs but not a 595]) and is the log detailed enough? I have a distant recollection that the Accenta's have only a global/common tamper loop and if that is Kohini's problem that will not be much help - but am no longer up to date on Accenta's and defer to y-i-out-of-bed on this point.

Kohini - how are things coming along?

[kohini]

Hi guys,

sorry for late reply...

the alarm keeps beeping when i connect the battery... haven't had much time to look at it yet, will take another look this weekend.

thanks for the advice, will try it out

[Fred555]

The cheap ones all bleep when you switch them back on - do not be put off - show it who is boss and type in the user or engineer code - that should silence it until it remembers the control panel lid is open then you have to get it into engineer mode to keep it quiet until you close the lid then you exit engineer mode and type in your user code start to set the alarm and then cancel the set and that should leave you at tick over.

Could you expand on what you mean by going off? Outside bell/siren? Internal sounder? Or just a buzzer next to the keypad?

Do not be intimidated! It is only an alarm (a small one at that - it

[y-i-out-of-bed]

Kohini

If you go with an Accenta G4 get the LCD remote keypad - it makes reading the log easier. Then you can take the easy way out (provided there are no common tamper zones left or more than one detector per zone input) and let the alarm log tell you what goes on.

y-i-out-of-bed

I am not immediately familiar with Accenta G4 specs. - does it do DEOL? (or at least have four wire zone inputs to simplify wiring for a "newbie" Kohini [a Gardtec 816 has 4 wire zone inputs but not a 595]) and is the log detailed enough? I have a distant recollection that the Accenta's have only a global/common tamper loop and if that is Kohini's problem that will not be much help - but am no longer up to date on Accenta's and defer to y-i-out-of-bed on this point.

Kohini - how are things coming along?

yea still same old unit, alarm loop and common tamper loop though if common tamper is done in a long terminal strip one in, one out then if fault dose happen you can just go along it with dmm no advanced log, though is very easy to install and program for a newbie.

if deol required and would be better and with a good log i would fit euro mini in but idealy i would pay a little extra and fit a euro one as both of these are very easy to fit and has every thing a pro or newbie could want, though it would be easyer to swap mx with accenta as should have same terminals and would just be a swap job near anouth.