Scantronic R500 Alarm Rf Supervision Failure

[Skj10001]

I have moved house 10 months ago to a house with a scatronic r500 wireless alarm system ( it's old, I know!)

Initially gave no bother, until Feb when it said low battery and I called the installer out who did a service and replaced the batteries in all the sensors.

Over the last 3 months the outside alarm has gone off 3/4 times, unexplained and randomly, when the alarm is active and I'm away from the property. When I get back, on entry I can hear 3 short beeps, go to the panel and can see PA, followed by Alarm zone 1/2/3/4 followed by "rf trouble" etc.

This has happened a few times and at first I thought it was a fluke, unlucky, outside interference but recently in the last 6 weeks it has happened 3 times, mainly in evening around 8 -9 PM.

Apart from these instances I can alarm the house and go away for hours e.g 7-6pm and no issues.

Can anyone suggest what may cause this to happen and particularly in the evenings?

[datadiffusion]

There could be so many reasons, but frankly only one answer - time for a new one.

 

There are too many variables and too few diagnostic indicators on a system of this age.

 

One (or none, or more) transmitters could be faulty and causing this, but the system is only 1 way and has no proper interrogation mode.

 

It could also just be the tamper on the outside bellbox, but I would expect this to happen if it was set or not.

 

To check a transmitter at 'base level' or to monitor possible background interference requires an operative ideally equipped with a long obsolete

Scantronic Reciever tuner/tester box.

 

It really is time to upgrade this system to a more modern type of wireless alarm (or, wired if you can).

 

Why put up with an ancient, unreliable alarm, comprised of obsolete parts, to look after the most expensive asset you own?

Edited September 1, 2015 by datadiffusion

[charlie6]

There's not much wrong here, the panel is responding and should last for years. Your clue to the problem is here "...mainly in evening around 8 -9 PM.." Check if there is anything happening in close proximity to the property at that time...even a lorry or motorbike passing... Check inside your property also..You'll probably need two people to check these things (with one remaining at the panel to view the status)..Have you had any alterations to the property or new furnishings perhaps ? If it was just the one device causing this problem, which I very much doubt, the status indicators at the panel would not show all zones and panic. A 'off road' motorbike revving past the property would cause the external warning device to sound.. don't panic, just look for anything which may be interfering with the signals which the panel is supposed to receive..most problems with wireless can be solved purely by observation.
 

[datadiffusion]

There's not much wrong here,

 

Yup, I take it all back, OP has an alarm that has had 3 FA's in 3 months, on a 20 year old + system that was obsoleted relatively early in it's life by Scantronic way back in the 90's, with codes that don't show a definitive reason, but no, not much wrong.

[al-yeti]

Your heating coming on around 8 every day ?

[james.wilson]

PA, followed by Alarm zone 1/2/3/4 followed by "rf trouble" etc.

 

Is it alarming on all ​devices, ie pa 1,2,3 and 4.

 

Plus you say etc, are there more things displayed?

 

If its alarming on everything then id be suspecting the panel is at fault. If it was just one device then id be looking at that device​
​

[Skj10001]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies.

To clarify:

-its not alarming on all sensors at one time- different ones each time this has been an issue.

    * most recent: living room sensor, was the alarm

    * previously: top of landing was the trigger (strange because you have to pass the hall sensor first)

-I have observed the area on different days with the full house alarmed and standing outside between 7-9pm...as luck would have it nothing occurred, it operated as it should and I did not notice anything unusual re: cars/moterbikes/delivery vans etc. I do live at the beginning of the housing development however.

-It has not occurred at night when I alarm the house to go to sleep.

-2 days a week I work away from house 7am-7pm, the house is alarmed- it has not occurred during this time.

-I believe the alarm system is app roc 7-8 years old, bought by previous owners, installed professionally

-No heating or hot water triggers

-Do have a watchman but on the advise of the installer removed it to test. Plus Ive had it 10 months and this issues is only occurring recently.

 

I will continue to observe. The neighbours are good at letting me know, but I feel embarrassed when it happens.

Thanks for suggestions

[Skj10001]

Another question: 

Do you have to enter each room with a sensor at least once inside every 12 hour period for the panel to continue to make a connection with each sensor?

 

I ask because I do not always enter the living room daily (I have a 2nd sitting area off the kitchen that i use). Else I pass through the other 3 sensors multiple times a day.

 

How often does the sensor send a signal to the panel and does this happen when it is both on 'standby' and 'alarm on'?

[charlie6]

Hello SKJ, There's not a problem there, the detectors go to sleep in order to save their batteries and it is actually the other way around... they would prefer 'not to be disturbed'. A system installed professionally just eight years ago should see you right for another few years. and since it is actually setting at night this tells me that there is very little wrong with the installation and panel. Get it checked over by the chap who replaced your batteries if you would be more comfortable with that, but this has the hallmarks of transmission interference so it could be worth continuing to observe since you live at the entrance to a housing development (recently built probably). It is possible, that a 'jamming frequency' from the property next door may be responsible if that signal were strong enough. observation, observation, until the fault is tracked down..    

[Skj10001]

Thanks- this is what i suspected re: continued observations needed.

The chap who installed the alarm did a service in Feb and I rang him for advise also.

The housing development has a lot of traffic i am no 8 of 300 odd houses so a lot of vehicles in and out. I was hoping for tesco delivery or takeaway van to be the cause.

I don't often go out of the house in the evenings for long periods, but when I do this has occurred.

 

On the last occurrence: 

-I was out of the house noon- 6.00pm with house alarmed -no issues

-Briefly entered around 6.00, around hallway & kitchen

-Left the house & alarmed it again 6.30pm-9pm

-Got a text from neighbour that alarm was going off between 8.15 and 8.45pm

Alarm Panel (most recent first) PA, rf, rf, rf, alarm 2 (hallway), rf, rf, rf, alarm 1 (living room)

 

 

For the passed few evenings i have gone outside to the garden, alarmed the house and observed with no luck! In particular, it seemed to occur on 2 fridays 1 month apart, but not last friday when i was observing.

 

Out of 4 houses in the cul de sac only 1 adjacent has an alarm.