Another Alarm Q

[Terry Fields]

The domestic alarm in question has an FM4000E control panel, two sounders (one wirelessly connected), and battery-powered wireless sensors together with a wireless keypad. The system never worked from D+2 following our removal here, it hasn't been serviced since, and the sensor batteries have long since become exhausted.

Today I'd switched off the upstairs lighting system to do some work on a bathroom light switch; I believe the alarm is powered from this circuit. After about an hour, the house sounder went off, for about

20 seconds, and then thankfully stopped. I'm guessing that the battery powering the control box is failing, and the sounder was a warning of this.

You can probably guess I don't like this system much, and I would much prefer it wasn't 'live' at all. If I remove the fuse in its mains supply, and put up with the sounder going off again for a short period, would the system die gracefully?

I should add that in the past I opened the control box, which set off an internal alarm, but it was easy to find the speaker plug and disconnect it.

Are there any magic codes I could type in to 'kill' the system? The installer seems to have gone bust, just to add to the fun, but if I can DIY a 'kill', that would be in the spirit of the group....

Any observations or advice gratefully received. TIA.

[Dave Liquorice]

There will be maintenace/service code so the system can be fiddled with and not set of "tamper" or full alarms but it shouldn't be the default and as the installer no longer exists to ask...

As the external sounder only sounded for 20 seconds about an hour after the main unit lost power I expect the batteries in the main unit and sounder are on their last legs. Remove the mains fuse, open the unit, disconnect battery, sounder will hopefully only run for 20 seconds on it's own battery before going silent. With no mains, no battery and a flat battery in the sounder the system is effectively "dead".

[Peter Parry]

Yes, remove the fuse and disconnect the battery. The outside alarm may (but probably won't) sound for a time, after that the system is dead.

[Bill]

In message , Terry Fields writes

I hope that the alarm isn't mentioned in your insurance policy.

[Peter Parry]

If it is have it removed, the tiny saving on premiums (for a normal dwelling) is swamped by the cost of having the mandatory "yearly servicing".

[Dave Liquorice]

Not to mention that if the OP does suffer a break in and the alarm isn't set/monitored/maintained etc the insurance co have a nice strong hook to hang not paying out on...

[alan_m]

+1 Never say that you have an alarm unless you are paying for an insurance company approved third party yearly maintenance contract. Similarly don't tick the box that says that you have approved locks on _EVERY_ door and window.

The savings on your premium are minimal when admitting to these security measures but if you then fail to set the alarm or leave a window open the cost to you in a contested claim may be a lot higher.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Only, surely, if you'd negotiated a discount on the basis of having a working alarm?

Don't seem to remember even being asked last time I got a quote.

[Peter Parry]

I've never seen a discount which comes near covering the cost of the (mandatory) service contract and annual check.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's more likely an insurance company might insist on an alarm if you try to insure very expensive contents. Or have a record of claims for burglary?

Rather than offering a discount to an ordinary punter.

[charles]

It's not so much reduced premiums as getting insurance at all in some araes.

[Terry Fields]

Apologies for the tardy reply, due to a family illness, which has also prevented the final termination of the alarm system. When I get a day in which all the neighbours are out, I'll do the Dave Liquorice fuse-pulling death-blow.

However, prior to that, the house contents insurance came up for renewal, so I rang the company and told the young lady that the alarm had been decommissioned. She put the amendment into the computer, and the upshot was that my premium went down.....by 1p!

May thanks to all who replied.