Astec 63DV troubleshooting

Waesfjord

Hi all,

Can someone advise on the following, I was on to some of you befoe about changing battery etc on this before and got great help.

The rear loop on alarm has three shock/contact sensors on it (nothing else). This loop is intermittently alarming (twice last night at 2am, 4am), so a bit of a nightmare.

Most times I am either out of the hose or asleep so only hear when alarm rasied, however for the 2nd time last night, I heard the alarm beeping first, like someone had opened a front door contact. However none of the back doors are configured on alarm to allwo e..g. 10seconds to diable alarm, so now wondering whether the fault is an alarm or could actually be with the alarm system itself? Anyone any advice on thi?

For testing contacts:

I know which is the last sensor on loop (has the terminating resistor), I have a multimeter and cable ready to do the resistance test on each.

For last sensor, do I need to remove resistor (attached across terminals 2 & 3) or remove the cables from terminals 1 & 3 or both before attaching my multimeter across terminals 1 & 3, reattaching casing and doing resistance check (or can I leave either or both alarm wiring or resistor in place)?

Similar for other two sensors on loop, they will have alrm loop wiring at terminals 1 & 3 with terminal 2 bridged to either 1 or 3. Can I simply attach my multimeter wiring to terminals 1 & 3 then close sensor casing and start testing?

I would appreciate any feedback as currently alarm is offline until this issue is sorted.

KoolKid

If you have a long length of cable disconnect the pair from the zone input onto a cable & then to your meter. That way you can check the whole zone with the meter in front of you.Plus you don't need to disconnect each sensor.
Remove the resistor from the end of line & connect the 2 wires to the left & right terminal (1 and 3) in the contact (or sensor).

altor

brian1976 wrote: »

Hi all,

Can someone advise on the following, I was on to some of you befoe about changing battery etc on this before and got great help.

The rear loop on alarm has three shock/contact sensors on it (nothing else). This loop is intermittently alarming (twice last night at 2am, 4am), so a bit of a nightmare.

Most times I am either out of the hose or asleep so only hear when alarm rasied, however for the 2nd time last night, I heard the alarm beeping first, like someone had opened a front door contact. However none of the back doors are configured on alarm to allwo e..g. 10seconds to diable alarm, so now wondering whether the fault is an alarm or could actually be with the alarm system itself? Anyone any advice on thi?

For testing contacts:

I know which is the last sensor on loop (has the terminating resistor), I have a multimeter and cable ready to do the resistance test on each.

For last sensor, do I need to remove resistor (attached across terminals 2 & 3) or remove the cables from terminals 1 & 3 or both before attaching my multimeter across terminals 1 & 3, reattaching casing and doing resistance check (or can I leave either or both alarm wiring or resistor in place)?

Similar for other two sensors on loop, they will have alrm loop wiring at terminals 1 & 3 with terminal 2 bridged to either 1 or 3. Can I simply attach my multimeter wiring to terminals 1 & 3 then close sensor casing and start testing?

I would appreciate any feedback as currently alarm is offline until this issue is sorted.

If this is the case re the beeping you may have a faulty contact on the front door. When you disarmed the alarm did you get any indication on the keypad to the cause of the alarm activating.

Yes, take the resistor out of the last sensor and wire the sensor cable back into terminal 1 and 3 on the sensor. Go to the control panel and connect the meter to the loop in question to test the devices. Test the sensors and if you find a faulty one close off that sensor and continue to test the other sensors. By closing off the sensor you are twisting the cables in terminal 1 and 3 together.

Waesfjord

KoolKid wrote: »

If you have a long length of cable disconnect the pair from the zone input onto a cable & then to your meter. That way you can check the whole zone with the meter in front of you.Plus you don't need to disconnect each sensor.
Remove the resistor from the end of line & connect the 2 wires to the left & right terminal (1 and 3) in the contact (or sensor).

thanks for reply. So instead of testing each contact individually, you suggest putting multimeter in loop by connecting at controller under stairs yeah, then do testing? So either have 2* long cable run so can see multimeter when testing each contact or else have two people, one on MM, other testing contact, yeah?

I don't think the cable pairs are labelled on inside of alarm controller so have no way of knowing which pair is which - I suppose I could make the modifications to last contact as describe above, then remove a pair at a time from controller under stairs and do a continuity check till I find the correct loop. that sound right?

KoolKid

brian1976 wrote: »

thanks for reply. So instead of testing each contact individually, you suggest putting multimeter in loop by connecting at controller under stairs yeah, then do testing? So either have 2* long cable run so can see multimeter when testing each contact or else have two people, one on MM, other testing contact, yeah?

Correct. That way the cable is getting tested at the same time.;)

brian1976 wrote: »

I don't think the cable pairs are labelled on inside of alarm controller so have no way of knowing which pair is which

Open the end of line device & the keypad will display tamer & the zone number.
Thats the pair you disconnect & meter out.

Waesfjord

altor wrote: »

If this is the case re the beeping you may have a faulty contact on the front door. When you disarmed the alarm did you get any indication on the keypad to the cause of the alarm activating.

The alarm display stated zone 3 which is the back door contacts, not configured like a front door, so should have no 10second beep beep beep???

altor

brian1976 wrote: »

The alarm display stated zone 3 which is the back door contacts, not configured like a front door, so should have no 10second beep beep beep???

Is there a blue dot on the back door sensor ?

KoolKid

Doesn't everyone take those blue stickers off???:rolleyes:
A faulty device or a faulty connection could still show up as entry exit.

Waesfjord

altor wrote: »

Is there a blue dot on the back door sensor ?

there's the remnant of a red sticker (looks maybe like a red dot ~6mm in diameter when whole) on two of the three sensors, nothing remaining on the other.

if it makes any sense, any time I open the back door (there are three sensor, one on each patio door) when I forgot the alarm was on, the alarm immediately goes off, no timer like front door.

KoolKid

All quite normal.
There is a faulty device or a bad connection on that zone that is giving a false reading that the panel is seeing as entry exit.
Test the devices as you planned to at the start.

Waesfjord

KoolKid wrote: »

All quite normal.
There is a faulty device or a bad connection on that zone that is giving a false reading that the panel is seeing as entry exit.
Test the devices as you planned to at the start.

cool thanks.

will wait for daylight, think the neighbours have suffered enough from last night :rolleyes:

altor

brian1976 wrote: »

there's the remnant of a red sticker (looks maybe like a red dot ~6mm in diameter when whole) on two of the three sensors, nothing remaining on the other.

if it makes any sense, any time I open the back door (there are three sensor, one on each patio door) when I forgot the alarm was on, the alarm immediately goes off, no timer like front door.

They are the correct sensors on the loop. A blue dot is an entry/exit, a red dot is a standard inertia/contact. Testing the sensors as described will find you the faulty sensor on the loop.

Waesfjord

KoolKid wrote: »

All quite normal.
There is a faulty device or a bad connection on that zone that is giving a false reading that the panel is seeing as entry exit.
Test the devices as you planned to at the start.

That test was very easy.

One of the inertia sensors was busted, as when banged, the resistance went up, but only crept back down very slowly. Didn't isolate and retest, just simply pulled oof the faulty interia cover, relpaced with anew one, retested all, all working, happy days :cool:

thanks for the help folks!!

altor

brian1976 wrote: »

That test was very easy.

One of the inertia sensors was busted, as when banged, the resistance went up, but only crept back down very slowly. Didn't isolate and retest, just simply pulled oof the faulty interia cover, relpaced with anew one, retested all, all working, happy days :cool:

thanks for the help folks!!

Good to see you got it all sorted brian1976. It is a good system if installed and maintained correctly. The sensors are very handy to change over as it is only a mater of leaving the base wired then putting the new sensor over it.

Moffo

Hi, I hope i'm not hijacking this thread, but my Mother-in-law has the same Astec Alarm in her house. The alarm has not 'worked' for a number of years, due to a number of broken contacts, broken sensors, and wires chewed by dog, also the external bell does not sound anymore, I think the battery is gone in it. Just this week, the internal sounder has gone off a number of times and a battery message is displaying on panel. She would just like to either disable the internal sounder, or completely disable the alarm altogether. We do not have the engineer code, only the user code, and are reluctant to pay for an engineer to call out. I have no problem having a go at it for her.

Can anyone offer advice on either how to disable the internal sounder, or the alarm completely.

Thanks

altor

Moffo wrote: »

Hi, I hope i'm not hijacking this thread, but my Mother-in-law has the same Astec Alarm in her house. The alarm has not 'worked' for a number of years, due to a number of broken contacts, broken sensors, and wires chewed by dog, also the external bell does not sound anymore, I think the battery is gone in it. Just this week, the internal sounder has gone off a number of times and a battery message is displaying on panel. She would just like to either disable the internal sounder, or completely disable the alarm altogether. We do not have the engineer code, only the user code, and are reluctant to pay for an engineer to call out. I have no problem having a go at it for her.

Can anyone offer advice on either how to disable the internal sounder, or the alarm completely.

Thanks

Unless you can repair the cables to the alarm then powering it down might be the best option. I would never advise this as in the situation with all the break-ins at the moment it would leave the house without an alarm system. I know you say it is broke and dont use it anyway but I would still try to get cables to any points the cables dont work.

To power down the system, turn off the mains going to the alarm. Open the lid on the control panel, remove the fuse and to the left of the fuse you will see a link marked battery. Remove this, put the lid back on without the fuse, then turn back on the mains. The external bell will ring for 15-20 minutes but will cut off after this time.

Waesfjord

Hey folks,

Can somene tell me what is the aprt # for the shock/contact type sensor for the Astec 63DV?

I replaced one of the three sensors as was showing faultyt when tested, hwoever a fault (less intermittent admitingly) still exists, presumably with one of the other two sensors, so will probably just buy two more so all are replaced.

KoolKid

Normally gross 4 pulse 4 would be fine.

Waesfjord

KoolKid wrote: »

Normally gross 4 pulse 4 would be fine.

thanks - besides going to aStec shop on Pearse St, is there anywhere that these can be ordered (e.g. Ebay or equivalent)?

Is manufacturer of sensor Astec or some other generic sensor?

fred funk }{

brian1976 wrote: »

thanks - besides going to aStec shop on Pearse St, is there anywhere that these can be ordered (e.g. Ebay or equivalent)?

Is manufacturer of sensor Astec or some other generic sensor?

What part of the country are you in?

You could ring Astec (016704202) in the morning and they could tell you the nearest supplier to you.

KoolKid

brian1976 wrote: »

Is manufacturer of sensor Astec or some other generic sensor?

For Astec 63/49/D/DV you must use Astec system sensors.
As fred said give them a call & ask for a supplier near to your location.