Scantronic i-on40H Hybrid Control Panel - resetting the engineer/installer code for new company to service

[thelonelygoat]

Long story short I have a Scantronic i-on40H Hybrid Control Panel with a KEY-KPZ01 Keypad and it's due for servicing soon (and I'd like to make some changes).

 

However I'd like use a different company than the original installer to make these changes and service it.

 

To do this the old company wants a small fortune to come out and reset it to an engineer/installer code of my choice which I can then give to the new installer/servicer. It's an issue because they are going to charge more to do this and give me this code than to service it which is obviously designed to keep me stuck with them for servicing and changes.

 

Question - can a new company simply reset this or would they have to install a new control panel? It's not clear to me if the old installer was able to lock the panel to prevent this sort of thing.

 

Thanks in advance!

[PeterJames]

12 minutes ago, thelonelygoat said:

Long story short I have a Scantronic i-on40H Hybrid Control Panel with a KEY-KPZ01 Keypad and it's due for servicing soon (and I'd like to make some changes).

 

However I'd like use a different company than the original installer to make these changes and service it.

 

To do this the old company wants a small fortune to come out and reset it to an engineer/installer code of my choice which I can then give to the new installer/servicer. It's an issue because they are going to charge more to do this and give me this code than to service it which is obviously designed to keep me stuck with them for servicing and changes.

 

Question - can a new company simply reset this or would they have to install a new control panel? It's not clear to me if the old installer was able to lock the panel to prevent this sort of thing.

 

Thanks in advance!

They should be able to reset it unless its locked. Most good companies dont lock the engineer codes, there is little point in burning bridges. 

[thelonelygoat]

Thanks PeterJames - that's what I wanted to check. I strongly suspect this company will have locked the engineer code!

[james.wilson]

I disagree I'd lock it, but would charge to unlock. But would reset it for free if the board was dropped off. It's not to lock in a customer it's to protect the company from malicious claims. 

I'd assume the outgoing firm would do something similar 

[sixwheeledbeast]

It's down to the ethics of the company. I'm sure some would lock just to make it awkward to move maintainer.

There are genuine reasons to lock panels from the installers POV tho:-

You are protecting the company from a malicious claim, say if the system failed to operate because it had been modified by an end user or another maintainer.

Making sure the system is maintained as per any out of hours agreement and that expiry of this is displayed on the system.

Maybe the system hardware isn't fully owned by the customer, it could be leased or yet to be paid off in full.

There is also a possible argument that the programming of the system is the intellectual property of the maintainer, even if you own the hardware.

[al-yeti]

2 hours ago, thelonelygoat said:

Thanks PeterJames - that's what I wanted to check. I strongly suspect this company will have locked the engineer code!

No unlikely it's locked 

[PeterJames]

22 hours ago, james.wilson said:

I disagree I'd lock it, but would charge to unlock. But would reset it for free if the board was dropped off. It's not to lock in a customer it's to protect the company from malicious claims. 

I'd assume the outgoing firm would do something similar 

I do get that the programing of the system is the intellectual property of the installer.  But once the system has been taken on by another, legally the incumbent has released all responsibility as the contract between the incumbent and the customer has ended. Not to mention that they have no control of what any incoming party does to the system theron. In same way that when we take over a system we will re-program and walk test it, as we are taking on the responsibility.  There is no way that an incumbent can be held responsible for a fail to operate if its under a service contract with someone else and any court of law would understand that. 

 

[james.wilson]

Not if the incoming Co doesn't default as the original programming remains. If the original programming for whatever reason is argued to be at fault because the original programmer can't prove it has been changed may be liable. An insurer won't take that risk

[al-yeti]

43 minutes ago, james.wilson said:

Not if the incoming Co doesn't default as the original programming remains. If the original programming for whatever reason is argued to be at fault because the original programmer can't prove it has been changed may be liable. An insurer won't take that risk

But don't you take on a contract based upon a survey, based upon detection being present, and it complying to the type of service your providing and you then give them a contract based upon this , walk test it service it and means you are saying that it works according to the contract you have given them 

 

How can you then say sorry we don't guarantee anything because previous company programmed it , and we are just giving you contract based on nothing ?

 

 

I must be missing something?

[james.wilson]

You are Al

If new Co did as they should no problem. But if new Co isn't approved and or not insured the sites insurance will look to the firm that is. 

Modern times of litigation you need to protect yourself or you will find you may have breached your own insurance terms.