Eircom Phonewatch Alarm

altor

doctor evil wrote: »

Hello Altor

I am wondering if you could help me please?

Our Eircom phonewatch alarm keeps beeping every few minutes and is driving me nuts!

The date and time is fine albeit an hour out. Whenever I put in the code it comes up as system disarmed and battery low and the beeping continues. It used to do this a few months ago in the early morning but would stop when you put the code in. It was installed in 2003 and I don't think it has been serviced.

I've tried using the keypad to put it on silent but it just brings me to some weird shortcut. I think my parents have the manual safely stored away ie lost!

I'm at the stage where I would gladly smash it with a hammer:)

Hi doctor evil,

If you press the status button on the alarm what does it say ?

Here is a link to the user manual.

rocuronium

i'm looking for some friendly advice...

i want to get an alarm installed in my apartment (a nearby apartment recently burgled). it is an old apartment and not wired.

i saw the adds for eircom phonewatch and rang for a quote. they have quoted me about 750 euro for a wireless system with 4 motion sensors + 25 euro/month for monitoring. they say this is an offer price and only valid until the end of April (when the offer finishes). if i want window sensors instead of motion sensors it will be 850. there's also some gsm thing included as my phone line is VOIP (magnet) and not eircom. my questions

-they say nearly all alarms being installed now are wireless and this is the only system they do now. are all alarms installled now usually wireless if the apartment is not already wired during construction? i don't think i'd mind having wires if it's considered better?

-i'm not sure about a monitored alarm. i' don't have friends that live close by that i could name as key holders if i wasn't around. i do have a some friendly neighbours living in the complex who i'm sure wouldn't mind holding keys but i'm not sure it's fair to ask them as they are older and mostly live on their own. i'd never forgive myself if they came to harm while checking out my apartment.

-the brochure says the box outside is a dummy "..as the alarm is a monitored system". if i decide i just want a "regular" unmonitored alarm, will the eircom one function fully if the outside box is a dummy?

-how does the quote sound?

grateful for any advice anyone might have and apologies for the length of the post

KoolKid

rocuronium wrote: »

my questions

-they say nearly all alarms being installed now are wireless and this is the only system they do now. are all alarms installled now usually wireless if the apartment is not already wired during construction? i don't think i'd mind having wires if it's considered better?

No true, wired systems still outnumber wireless.
If its easy to wire wired is preferable, as well as cheaper. You would also not have the worry of replacing batteries.
Most good wireless systems now would be hybrid, where you could mix wired & wireless.
Perhaps ask Eircom why they do not do those systems?

rocuronium wrote: »

-i'm not sure about a monitored alarm. i' don't have friends that live close by that i could name as key holders if i wasn't around. i do have a some friendly neighbours living in the complex who i'm sure wouldn't mind holding keys but i'm not sure it's fair to ask them as they are older and mostly live on their own. i'd never forgive myself if they came to harm while checking out my apartment.

You don't have to have the system monitored at all.
You could also have the option of self monitoring where the system rings certain numbers directly.

rocuronium wrote: »

-the brochure says the box outside is a dummy "..as the alarm is a monitored system". if i decide i just want a "regular" unmonitored alarm, will the eircom one function fully if the outside box is a dummy?

They will charge you extra for a working external bell. Most other companys would include this as standard. Shop around & insist on an external bell. It is just to easy for an intruder to silence an internal siren.

Re GSM monitoring , take a look around the forum. It is simply no longer a reliable or secure form of monitoring. They can be easily jammed.
Your UPC line (if thats what you have) can be used for monitoring.
Eircom for some reason try to say this won't work. IT DOES.
Some interesting info on that here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056190116
I would recommend getting at least 3 quotes.
Insist on a call out so they can see whats required.
Also insist on windows & doors covered & at least one motion detector.
PiRs alone are pointless, an intruder must gain entry first before they activate.
Also insist on all quotes in writing & show whats covered & whats not. You don't want any expensive surprises later.

altor

They always have an offer, if you wait till next month you will more than likely still get the offer. I would shop around and get a few companys out to give a proper survey rather than getting a quote over the phone. How can they tell what suits you best without looking at the apartment. The reason you would get a wire free system installed is to have no wires. Wires for any alarm system installed to the EN50131 standard need to be protected up to a certain height to comply. A hybrid system can also incorporate wires plus wire free devices to cut down on cost. For monitoring of the alarm by a monitoring station you can get magnet to install an analog line off there system. You would also need the analog line off them to use a voice dialer with other alarm systems.

rocuronium

KoolKid wrote: »

Re GSM monitoring , take a look around the forum. It is simply no longer a reliable or secure form of monitoring. They can be easily jammed.
Your UPC line (if thats what you have) can be used for monitoring.
Eircom for some reason try to say this won't work. IT DOES.
Some interesting info on that here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056190116

thanks for all the good advice kk. i had a good look at the the thread above - it's quite a discussion! [grin]

thanks too altor for the advice. the phone thing sounds like a bit of a headache but i figured it would be.

i've already had a follow up phone call for eircom PW wanting to know if i'll be going with them. i think i definitely get some more quotes as would much prefer someone had actually seen my apt before i go ahead with anything.

altor

rocuronium wrote: »

i've already had a follow up phone call for eircom PW wanting to know if i'll be going with them. i think i definitely get some more quotes as would much prefer someone had actually seen my apt before i go ahead with anything.

I am sure you will get plenty more phone calls off them. The outside bell off P.W. will cost €260 installed. Expensive enough but shopping around is always the best advice that can be given.

bootser

bootser wrote: »

Hi Altor
i want to do the same with my alarm (same one as above), could you PM me bout resetting the engineers code?!
thanks

Altor
Many Thanks for your help:D
Delighted to get rid of eircomPW (was beginning to think burglars would be cheaper!!:rolleyes:).
Just wondering if you would know where could i get extra sensors or maybe an external bellbox? and can more than one phone number be programmed into the dial out?
Again much appriciative of your help!

Mr. G

bootser wrote: »

Altor
Many Thanks for your help:D
Delighted to get rid of eircomPW (was beginning to think burglars would be cheaper!!:rolleyes:).
Just wondering if you would know where could i get extra sensors or maybe an external bellbox? and can more than one phone number be programmed into the dial out?
Again much appriciative of your help!

Assuming its a Simon panel you have; you can buy more sensors from one the suppliers list. Its possible to add a hkc external siren but you need a wire going to the bellbox from the panel..


Hope this helps.

KoolKid

Mr_Grumpy wrote: »

Its possible to add a hkc external siren but you need a wire going to the bellbox from the panel..

Its possible to add any global SABB . It would not have to be HKC.

altor

bootser wrote: »

Altor
Many Thanks for your help:D
Delighted to get rid of eircomPW (was beginning to think burglars would be cheaper!!:rolleyes:).
Just wondering if you would know where could i get extra sensors or maybe an external bellbox? and can more than one phone number be programmed into the dial out?
Again much appriciative of your help!

Your welcome, always happy to help.
The sensors are easy enough to get, they are Aritech 433 frequency sensors. With this system it will only ring one phone for self monitoring which is a pity as it gives a detailed description of the alarm activation.

altor

KoolKid wrote: »

Its possible to add any global SABB . It would not have to be HKC.

Not on the Simon system. It can use the HKC bell but not the global one. It has to be the 6v sabb made for this panel.

KoolKid

My mistake.
On the Simon panel that is correct.

Jnealon

They call it the "simon sabb", seen them being put together a few years back

bootser

Thanks for the help!!
Will look into it

MuffinsDa

Any recommendation an Alarm installer in South Dublin / North Wicklow that can replace a battery on a (standalone) concord eircom phonewatch?

Or is it easy DIY, in which case any recommendations on where to buy a battery these days?

thanks in advance!
A

phantom60

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Any recommendation an Alarm installer in South Dublin / North Wicklow that can replace a battery on a (standalone) concord eircom phonewatch?

Or is it easy DIY, in which case any recommendations on where to buy a battery these days?

thanks in advance!
A

I'd recommend Altor Security Systems - www.altor.ie
I've no connection with them but Jason did help me out with a problem before.
He's very knowledgeable and helpful, as I'm sure many people here will testify.

KoolKid

The sticky here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055956748
Will give you details of some installers.
There is also a list of suppliers if you want to install it yourself.

altor

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Any recommendation an Alarm installer in South Dublin / North Wicklow that can replace a battery on a (standalone) concord eircom phonewatch?

Or is it easy DIY, in which case any recommendations on where to buy a battery these days?

thanks in advance!
A

If you press the star button then enter your user code on the keypad it will give you a list of any batteries that need replacing on the system. If you post up what batteries you need I will point you in the right direction to get the batteries and do this yourself.

MuffinsDa

Thanks alot altor. I am away at the moment, will check that as soon as I'm back and post it here. I appreciate your advice.

altor

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Thanks alot altor. I am away at the moment, will check that as soon as I'm back and post it here. I appreciate your advice.

Your welcome, always happy to help.

POOKIE75

hi dont know if anyone can help me moved to a new house which has a ge simon panel from eircom not monitored need to find engineers code to change settings and battery sensors. previous owners did not keep any documents, anyone any ideas to find it.

KoolKid

If you can get any paperwork on the alarm you can get the engineer code.
You can change the batteries without having engineer access.

altor

POOKIE75 wrote: »

hi dont know if anyone can help me moved to a new house which has a ge simon panel from eircom not monitored need to find engineers code to change settings and battery sensors. previous owners did not keep any documents, anyone any ideas to find it.

Hi POOKIE75,

If you drop the front lid on the control panel and enter your user code. It will say, please select from start menu. At this stage you can open the sensors without the alarm activating and change the batteries in the sensors. When you have them changed. Press sensor test, done. Walk test all the sensors on the list it is providing. When finished close up the lid again. Press the system status button to see if there are any faults on the system. Here is a link for the user manual for the Simon alarm.
If you have any problems, let us know.

POOKIE75

Hi altor thanks for that will give that a go in the morning will this allow me to bring back in two sensors which have been taken out of system(prob faulty) or will I still need another code

altor

POOKIE75 wrote: »

Hi altor thanks for that will give that a go in the morning will this allow me to bring back in two sensors which have been taken out of system(prob faulty) or will I still need another code

Afraid so POOKIE75, you can only add devices in engineering, You could ask the previous owner to ring P.W to ask for the code if you know them.

POOKIE75

Hi altor,
thanks for your help got the batteries replaced with your easy to follow instructions just waiting on the estate agent to get in touch with previous owners to get engineer code or any paperwork.

Have another problem if you can help, the mother has an old p.w panel haven't seen it on any threads, installed in 1997 it needs batteries and maybe a couple of sensors. Any idea where to get batteries(saft ls14250c) and sensors. Would you get an updated system or would you repair it? Having a nightmare sourcing the batteries. Would appreciate your expert opinion.

altor

POOKIE75 wrote: »

Hi altor,
thanks for your help got the batteries replaced with your easy to follow instructions just waiting on the estate agent to get in touch with previous owners to get engineer code or any paperwork.

Have another problem if you can help, the mother has an old p.w panel haven't seen it on any threads, installed in 1997 it needs batteries and maybe a couple of sensors. Any idea where to get batteries(saft ls14250c) and sensors. Would you get an updated system or would you repair it? Having a nightmare sourcing the batteries. Would appreciate your expert opinion.

Good to hear you got it sorted, all easy will a little help
As soon as you get it send me a P.M and I will get the code off it for you. Do not post any documents here.

If you can post a picture of the panel I will tell you if its worth keeping, some of the older classics are well past there sell by date. I would not even recommend getting a concord upgrade as this panel uses the older 433 frequency. You say you have tried to get the batteries.
The batteries are common enough to get in most of the supplies on the suppliers list here.

Do the sensors look like the sensor in the picture below ?

MuffinsDa

altor wrote: »

Your welcome, always happy to help.

Hi Altor,

I finally got to do this. It just says: "System battery low trouble".

So I guess it's main system battery.

Is it a DIY job or do I need to get an alarm specialist? If it's easy, any idea where I could buy the battery.

thanks a mill

altor

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Hi Altor,

I finally got to do this. It just says: "System battery low trouble".

So I guess it's main system battery.

Is it a DIY job or do I need to get an alarm specialist? If it's easy, any idea where I could buy the battery.

thanks a mill

It is an easy job to do yourself. Very easy battery to get on the suppliers list also. It is a 12v 2.2 Amp battery. Turn off the mains. There are two screws. One on the top and one on the bottom on the right side of the panel. Open these the lid will come off towards you from the right. The battery is located in behind the keypad, to get at it you will need to get a screw driver and prize the top to release the keypad. Is will come down from the top. Release the battery terminals and replace the battery.

Very easy to do yourself, any problems let me know.

RebelButtMunch

Hi folk.
I've disconnected my landline and now my "telecom eireann" phone watch model is complaining in a very loud voice every night.
"Phone call failure"

Is there a way to mute it?

Thanks!