A little help please

[Guest alleycat]

Hi,

I'm new to the site and think it's an excellent source of info and advice.

Could anyone help me with some advice? We just moved house and the new one has an Optima XM6 which seems to be about 10 years old and a bit long in the tooth. I've got a Visonic Powermax + as a replacement which seems to better meet our needs so now I need to remove the Optima.

I've managed to get it set so that opening the panel won't trigger a tamper. Then I removed the fuse. So far so good. However, on pulling the terminal off the battery, the external siren and strobe went off. From this, I've gathered it's a SCB!??

My main question is do I need to get the ladders out to remove the battery from the SCB while I'm tinkering or is it the Optima that's telling the SCB to sound? If it's the Optima, can I remove the SCB connections from the panel before removing the battery or is the SCB triggering because there's no power from the panel, in which case removing the panel connections would trigger it again!

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[Service Engineer]

My main question is do I need to get the ladders out to remove the battery from the SCB while I'm tinkering or is it the Optima that's telling the SCB to sound?

The SAB is activated because you removed the bellbox power supply when you disconnected the mains & backup battery.

The SAB if it has a timer will cut off the bElls after 20 minutes(ish). If it hasnt got a timer itll carry on until the SAB battery is dead.

But its always best to get up there and disconnect the SAB battery, if your not going to be removing the bellbox.

[norman]

Hello and welcome alleycat,

Firstly the sounder is sounding because you have removed the +- hold off (ie it thinks it's cable has been cut)

It should sound for a maximum of 20 minutes.

I personally would use it as a good time to check and possibly replace the external siren, after all it is the bit of the system that the public see, so it would be nice to renew with the new CPU.

[norman]

The SAB if it has a timer will cut off the balls after 20 minutes

Now there's an idea!

[Service Engineer]

Jetlag im afraid..

[Deltaseven]

Alternatively, as a temporary measure (whilst you are wiring up your nice new panel), you could connect the wires from HO+ and HO- to the positive and negative terminals on the battery.

D7

[Guest alleycat]

Thanks to everyone for your help and very swift replies!

I'll remove the SCB battery and also have a good look at the siren while I'm up there - not sure if I can use it with the PM+ anyway, until I know current, recharge voltage etc. I have a feeling the Optimax is sending 13v and the PM+ sends 12v.

Service Engineer's original typo would certainly be a deterrent to anyone!! Mind you, I'd be well afraid of triggering it accidentally!

Thanks again.

Alleycat

[Deltaseven]

not sure if I can use it with the PM+ anyway, until I know current, recharge voltage etc. I have a feeling the Optimax is sending 13v and the PM+ sends 12v.

23099[/snapback]

If the bell works with the Optima, it will work with the Powermax.

Having said that it is probably worth upgrading the bell anyway - just to keep it up to date (it has been up in all weathers for 10 years). I just don't like things to be untidy...

[Guest alleycat]

Thanks - I'd rather it be tidy too so will probably replace. Besides, I could hardly hear it from inside the house so I recon a new one's in order. Thanks also for the suggestion about holding off the bell with the battery but it looks like I'll be up the ladders anyway.... between downpours!