Eircom Phonewatch Alarm

Springsteen wrote: »

Hi All,
moved into a second hand house that had eircom phonewatch alarm. Wireless sensors. The previous owners had stopped using the monitoring and therefore stopped using the alarm completely.
We've used it as an unmonitored alarm for nearly 3yrs.
One sensor on a window used to give false warnings, i opened the sensor to see if there was anything obvious wrong ( replaced battery too ), since then I have to bypass that sensor when setting alarm ( hitting the status key, it says " SENSOR SUPERVISORY " for that sensor ). Is there anything I can do to reinstate the sensor working correctly?

Also, recently, 2 other sensors have intermittently raised status warnings " SENSOR TAMPER ", now ok, Any ideas?

Rgds

S

Hi Springsteen,

Do you know what type system is installed ? Sounds like the simon panel, if so the SUPERVISORY is the sensor communicating with the panel, if it has a low battery this could happen. The other thing you could do is there is a moveable aerial inside the panel you can point that more so towards the sensor giving this message. Be careful when you open the panel as there is a live current inside. Turn off the power in the house first.

Any problems, let me know..

Springsteen wrote: »

Thanks Altor,
it does also say " system low battery " on the status. Is that the back up battery in the main panel? is this the one you mean? If so where can i get one? or is it the same as the batteries for the sensors?
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Not sure if its a simon panel or not. Its white, 10 inch by 10 inch, 2 aerials on top, 16 buttons, yellow lcd display....
rgds
S

It is a concord panel you have. It is a different battery to the ones in the sensors. You could open the panel to get the old battery to get the replacement one you need.

Springsteen wrote: »

Thanks very much Altor.

Your welcome, always here to help..

1013 wrote: »

On the theme of batteries....

I'd like to replace the battery in a wireless sensor. It's the Interlogix PIR supplied originally by PW (already installed in the house), but I can't see any obvious way of opening the housing..

I don't want to force it and risk breaking lugs on it. But I can't find a manual on the net, or even a picture of it.

There aren't screwdriver marks on it either, so I presume it's easy enough to open without a screwdriver, once in the know of course....

Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks

Hi 1013,

Yes it is easy to open, you need to remove the top cover, take out the screw that is in behind this top cover, get a small flat head screw driver and lift the plastic just above where the screw was. "you should see a gap where the your going to put in the screw driver" leaver it towards yourself to remove the cover.

Hope this helps..

1013 wrote: »

Hi Altor!

Great - thanks for the quick reply.

Your instructions were perfect.

All is sorted now.

Cheers

1013

Your welcome 1013, always here to help..

phantom60 wrote: »

Hi Altor,

just wanted to say a big thank you for helping me out too.

phantom

Your welcome phantom60, if you ever have any problem with your alarm dont hesitate to ask for help..

screwlox wrote: »

Can anyone 'in the know' tell me what the MINIMUM TERM is for the Phonewatch Monitoring contract?

I had a quote sent out in the post, but I'm not signing anything until I know what I'm getting into. Their TERMS & CONDITIONS make 'reference' to the 'Minimum term' - however, nowhere in the pages does it actually state what it is. (I know its prob 12 months, but lets not 'assume' anything).
Does this mean I'm signing a blank cheque??

I rang their accounts dept to find out, but got put on hold for 20mins (not a good start!) but I got fed up waiting.
I would have thought LEGALLY they would have to specify this clearly on their contract/Terms & Conds?

Thanks

Hi screwlox,

The minimum contract is for 12 months but as Davy said you can get a package for 2-3 years off them. Just ask before you sign, no point thinking your signing up for 12 months then to find out you signed up for 3 years.
You should shop around for your monitoring, there are cheaper monitoring stations out there that all do the same as them. Your better off sending them an email than trying to get them on the phone and then what ever they agree on you have it in an email from them. Always best to get it in writing

t'bear wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this thread, but there appears to be a very knowledgeable person on the other end of it.:D

I have a Phonewatch system, with 3 motion sensors. I have set the alarm numerous times 'from inside the house', in other words with just windows and doors. However one motion appears to activate the alarm. I have an engineer out about a week after the install to look at it (the hall sensor didnt appear to activate) but he explained that to me. I will be onto them during the week to have this one fixed assuming it is indeed a fault.

Ant ideas whats causing this?

Cheers
bear

Hi t'bear,

Do you have the as fitted spec off the alarm ? From what your saying it is a simon panel installed. If so does it tell you what group the sensor your having the problem with is programmed into ?

Springsteen wrote: »

I still have a bit of bother with 2 sensors, one I have to bypass every time, another gives occasional false alarms.

Have you changed the batteries in the sensors ?
Its always best to get faulty sensors fixed rather than bypass them off your system.

ray27 wrote: »

finally got eircom phonewatch fixed thanks to altor, if anybody havin any problems with there panels i would recomend you talk to altor.
finaly b able to hav agoodnights sleep !!!! cheers !!!

Your welcome ray27,

always happy to help if i can..

Springsteen wrote: »

Hi Altor, I have not got around to getting new batteries for the sensors yet. Will do soon, if the problem still exists after new batteries fixed i'll post here for some more wisdom.
Rgds
S

Hi Springsteen,

If the batteries are over 4 years old i would say this is the problem with them. The replacement batteries you need are CR123A LITHIUM for the shocks and motion detectors. The contacts depending on what type contacts are installed use a smaller battery. They are CR2 LITHIUM. If you post a picture i can let you know in advance what type batteries you will need..
These batteries are camera batteries so are very easy to get.

Any problems at all let us know..

Springsteen wrote: »

Will do Altor, on another topic, do you know anything about astec alarms? A friend has one, he said the battery needed replacing. He replaced it and the system locked, he tried to reset the factory settings. He says the system is now in suspend mode showing C fault on both keypads. Any advice would be greatly received.
rgds,
S

As koolkid said powering down the system and powering it back up might clear the fault but to be honest he may need to replace the panel. With replacing the battery in the astec panel it should always be powered down as a shorting of the circuit board can lock the panel which is what i suspect happened.

Springsteen wrote: »

Altor,
The new batteries are in the eircom sensors 5 or 6 days now and are working perfectly. For the first time since moving in to this house 3 years ago, the alarm works perfectly, no status messages or false alarms. Many thanks for all the advice and time, you're a gent. Regarding my mates astec alarm, I have not seen him in a while. I passed on your advice. When I hear back i'll let you know. I fear he may have burnt out a circuit board while changing the battery with the power on!
Rgds
Springsteen

Hi Springsteen,

Your welcome, i am happy it is all working for you now. Like they say, its easy when you know how. If you ever have any problems dont hesitate to ask..

Kind regards,

Altor.

sarahmurphy wrote: »

Hi, sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm urgently looking for some help with an eircom phonewatch system as well. I moved into this house 4 years ago and the system was in place but the phone line disconnected. I have the code to turn off the alarm but not the 4 digit code to work the control panel and the previous home owners say they have forgotten it. I have had several problems, which I have mostly got round, but now me and my three kids are being woken every night at 3am with a message about 'system low battery'. Why does it go off at 3am? What can I do. Any help appreciated.

Hi sarahmurphy,

This is one of there older alarms. The battery is in the back of the alarm so you will have to take the panel off the wall to get at the battery. You need to release the screws at the bottom and push the panel up off the plate at the back. The alarm is set up that way, thats why it tells you this at 3am. This panel is not in use anymore so getting parts for it is a nightmare.

sarahmurphy wrote: »

Thanks Altor! Finally got it sorted, got new battery easily and everything working again. Really delighted

Your welcome sarahmurphy, glad it all worked out.

cruachan7 wrote: »

Altor - I hope you dont mind another question. I have phonewatch and am looking to lower the volume the beeps make when I set the alarm, when i select "motions on" when Im going out it beeps for a few seconds - at night this is too loud and must be disturbing my neighbours. The panel I have has no display - it is all voice.

Always happy to answer questions.

I take it you have a SIMON installed. If you drop the lid on the panel and enter your user code. It will say, please select from start menu, press delete, press option, then enter 01. Press done to accept the change. Any problems let me know.

cruachan7 wrote: »

Also - I was just looking at your website, I have a fake bellbox on my house with no flashing red lights, would it be possible to have flashing red lights installed but keep it as a fake?

Yes you can. They last about 2 - 3 years.

One more for you altor if you wouldn't mind.

I have an old Interactive Technologies PhoneWatch unit installed in 2003. While the unit works well I would like to potentially try and upgrade the unit in a number of ways and was wondering whether any / all of these are possible :

- The unit is currently unmonitored but I am aware that when the monitoring is switched on, then the unit will call the monitoring station when the alarm is triggered. Is it possible to configure the phone number(s) that this unit calls -I would like to have it call my mobile for instance when the unit is triggered. Is this possible ?

- I would like to get an external bell retrofitted. Does this involve direct wiring from the outside bell unit back to the panel, or is the bell unit simply powered and triggered wirelessly by the panel itself ?

Thanks in advance...

Kace wrote: »

One more for you altor if you wouldn't mind.

I have an old Interactive Technologies PhoneWatch unit installed in 2003. While the unit works well I would like to potentially try and upgrade the unit in a number of ways and was wondering whether any / all of these are possible :

- The unit is currently unmonitored but I am aware that when the monitoring is switched on, then the unit will call the monitoring station when the alarm is triggered. Is it possible to configure the phone number(s) that this unit calls -I would like to have it call my mobile for instance when the unit is triggered. Is this possible ?

- I would like to get an external bell retrofitted. Does this involve direct wiring from the outside bell unit back to the panel, or is the bell unit simply powered and triggered wirelessly by the panel itself ?

Thanks in advance...

Hi Kace,

Can you post a picture of the panel you have installed so i can give you more info ? With regard the external bell there would need to be a cable from the panel to the outside bell.