We had a power cut last night for just over 1 hour. When we went to set the alarm it does not work. The power light is lit on the panel and there is a red and green light on the power supply unit. Salamander Alarms Ltd say the control panel has dropped out and an engineer will need to visit at a cost of £150. We are pensioners and that is a lot, can anyone help please
Chances are its backup battery has failed.
Most alarm systems can last for a while on their emergency battery reserve and recover gracefully from a powercut. If they don't then you probably do need a service visit (unless you happen to know the engineers access code and dismantle sequence for the anti-tamper features on the control panel). Get it wrong and the external bell and maybe internal ones will panic by ringing until its battery runs out (which may not be all that long if it has an ancient battery in too).
You could try cycling the power a few times and crossing your fingers.
Back in 2007 there are few threads on alarm forums recommending junking this model when they go seriously wrong (perhaps an overreaction).
The external sounder will usually have its own batteries. These can run a piezo-electric siren for bloody ages.
Tim
If you get the Engineering manual, perhaps by download it is possible to look after the alarm yourself.
The manual will most likely tell you how to reset the alarm to clear the engineer login code so that you can then set a new one.
If you look after the alarm yourself that may have an impact on your property insurance.
If you look after the alarm yourself don't tell the insurance company that you have an alarm. The saving in premiums for having an (maintained) alarm and BS approved door/window locks is usually insignificant.
unless they insist on you having these.
Then you are probably not a poor pensioner.
I set of an alarm(silent) at a house by not closing a certain internal door and then opening another certain internal door. A monitored system.
The butler forgot to warn me.
I've learnt over the years you do not need an alarm engineer to change the batteries. You unscrew the panels on each battery sensor but the control panel just beeps tamper. You go and press reset on control panel. Change batteries. Do this for each sensor. I've been paying out for years and watched an alarm engineer 2 years ago. It may be different for the large back battery that is in the other panel. Usually stored in your loft. Same for the key fobs. Just buy the round flat batteries in tescos or on amazon. Saves you on engineers labour fee. Hope this helps
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