Astec 63DV Bell Fault 22 call engineer

clvk07

HI Last night while the alarm was armed it went off and panel showed fault bell 22 call engineer. Following the fault kept showing the error and it wouldn't set again. Later in the morning fault was gone from the panel and now it can be set. Any ideas on what could have cause the problem? Was internal or external bell? Thanks!

fred funk }{

It's an external bell fault. More than likely the bell is knackered. Astec stuff is now obsolete so it will be tricky to get a ditect replacement but you can connect a generic bell with an Astec bell interface.

Might be better off ringing an alarm company.

clvk07

fred funk }{ wrote: »

It's an external bell fault. More than likely the bell is knackered. Astec stuff is now obsolete so it will be tricky to get a ditect replacement but you can connect a generic bell with an Astec bell interface.

Might be better off ringing an alarm company.

Strange it seems fine now......
Is it hard to connect a generic bell? eg. Disconnect the ASTEC and reconnect the new one?

fred funk }{

clvk07 wrote: »

Strange it seems fine now......
Is it hard to connect a generic bell? eg. Disconnect the ASTEC and reconnect the new one?

Could be a dodgy connection in the bell.

clvk07

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Could be a dodgy connection in the bell.

So Maybe I will open the sounder and check? just put engineering code and open the outside box? Wil the tamper set it off? Should I also reseat the connections and the bell? Thanks

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

So Maybe I will open the sounder and check? just put engineering code and open the outside box? Wil the tamper set it off? Should I also reseat the connections and the bell? Thanks

Bell fault would be the internal bell, Sab would be the external bell.
If you go into engineering then into the logs you will see which one is causing the issue.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

Bell fault would be the internal bell, Sab would be the external bell.
If you go into engineering then into the logs you will see which one is causing the issue.

you are right. I checked the memory and memory 24 is bell fault and memory 23 is sab fault. I didn't spot it last night cause only the last error was displayed. I remember seeing 22 call engineer as well. It gets more complicated with two errors, or easier?

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

you are right. I checked the memory and memory 24 is bell fault and memory 23 is sab fault. I didn't spot it last night cause only the last error was displayed. I remember seeing 22 call engineer as well. It gets more complicated with two errors, or easier?

22 relates to the sounder bus. Only the log will tell you which device is activating it.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

22 relates to the sounder bus. Only the log will tell you which device is activating it.

How do I check that? I went into engineering more function 10 and through the memory log, but as I said both bell and sab fault are there. Any other log which I am not aware to check?Thanks

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

How do I check that? I went into engineering more function 10 and through the memory log, but as I said both bell and sab fault are there. Any other log which I am not aware to check?Thanks

In the log it is showing both bell and sab fault?

clvk07

altor wrote: »

In the log it is showing both bell and sab fault?

Yes entry 23 is bell and 24 is sab, same time 04.40 yes night time
I guess sab fault was logged first as it is an older entry

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

Yes entry 23 is bell and 24 is sab, same time 04.40 yes night time
I guess sab fault was logged first as it is an older entry

Could of being either so as both are on the sounder bus.
Disconnection of each and adding them back on should show which one has the problem.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

Could of being either so as both are on the sounder bus.
Disconnection of each and adding them back on should show which one has the problem.

Maybe I will try with the internal first. Do I just open the cover on the internal bell and disconnect the wires? ( Two I guess ) no changes in engineering mode?

I put on the alarm today and it was working fine.

Last night after it went off the error wouldn't clear ( call engineer ) and it wouldn't allow me to set the alarm on again.Only when I woke up error was gone and alarm working again

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

Maybe I will try with the internal first. Do I just open the cover on the internal bell and disconnect the wires? ( Two I guess ) no changes in engineering mode?

I put on the alarm today and it was working fine.

Last night after it went off the error wouldn't clear ( call engineer ) and it wouldn't allow me to set the alarm on again.Only when I woke up error was gone and alarm working again

Go into engineer mode, select command 16.
This will test the internal then external bell. See if a fault appears after they ring.
If not you need to remove the lid on the internal, go to command 72 and program it out of the system. Same with the external sab, command 73.
They are added back in with the same command once re connected.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

Go into engineer mode, select command 16.
This will test the internal then external bell. See if a fault appears after they ring.
If not you need to remove the lid on the internal, go to command 72 and program it out of the system. Same with the external sab, command 73.
They are added back in with the same command once re connected.

Great will give it a go and ;et you know thanks

clvk07

Did the test at the weekend no errors. Put the alarm on the last few days no issues. In case it happens again, I might just open the cover of the sab and check the connection.

Can I just remove the screws on the sab cover and remove the box in engineering mode? Alarm will not go mad?

Thanks

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

Did the test at the weekend no errors. Put the alarm on the last few days no issues. In case it happens again, I might just open the cover of the sab and check the connection.

Can I just remove the screws on the sab cover and remove the box in engineering mode? Alarm will not go mad?

Thanks

If you remove the bell it should sound as its being tampered outside. There is a battery switch you can click out to stop it ringing on the back. If the system is in engineer mode it would not activate inside. There is no harm re doing connection on the external bell plus internal to rule this out.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

If you remove the bell it should sound as its being tampered outside. There is a battery switch you can click out to stop it ringing on the back. If the system is in engineer mode it would not activate inside. There is no harm re doing connection on the external bell plus internal to rule this out.

I thought I could disable the tampers in some way eg. commands.... Hope the switch it is easy to get to

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

I thought I could disable the tampers in some way eg. commands.... Hope the switch it is easy to get to

Once you take the external bell down you will see the switch on the back, Just clicks out

clvk07

altor wrote: »

Once you take the external bell down you will see the switch on the back, Just clicks out

sorry was away.....will try that.....in case it happens again if I disable the external bell I assume if it is faulty it will still going off even dough it is disabled... The alarm is 10 years old, so I assume the battery its gone ( replaced the one inside 4 years ago) but never got a error message for the battery outside


any good place to buy a generic sab in case a re wire will not fix it? I assume the wiring it is quite straightforward?


Thanks

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

sorry was away.....will try that.....in case it happens again if I disable the external bell I assume if it is faulty it will still going off even dough it is disabled... The alarm is 10 years old, so I assume the battery its gone ( replaced the one inside 4 years ago) but never got a error message for the battery outside


any good place to buy a generic sab in case a re wire will not fix it? I assume the wiring it is quite straightforward?


Thanks

If the SAB is faulty you will not be able to turn it off by using your code on the keypad. It should knock off after 20 minutes tho. If you use a S22 you can replace the external bell with a global SABB. Wiring diagrams are in the S22 but if you have any issues let us know. If you completely down power your alarm, battery and mains and your external bell rings then its not the battery in the bell that is gone. The control panel is only checking voltage on the back up battery in the control panel.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

If the SAB is faulty you will not be able to turn it off by using your code on the keypad. It should knock off after 20 minutes tho. If you use a S22 you can replace the external bell with a global SABB. Wiring diagrams are in the S22 but if you have any issues let us know. If you completely down power your alarm, battery and mains and your external bell rings then its not the battery in the bell that is gone. The control panel is only checking voltage on the back up battery in the control panel.

Could you PM me a quote for a S22 and generic bell? I guess my alarm doesn't have a S22..... Also when the alarm went off, it was not armed, and by inputting the code on keypad it went off. So does it mean that the problem is not the Sab?

So the battery on SAB is still ok? I would have thought that after 10 years it would be gone....

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

Could you PM me a quote for a S22 and generic bell? I guess my alarm doesn't have a S22..... Also when the alarm went off, it was not armed, and by inputting the code on keypad it went off. So does it mean that the problem is not the Sab?

So the battery on SAB is still ok? I would have thought that after 10 years it would be gone....

To be honest it sounds more like a connection issue than a faulty Sab.
I would check all connection before replacing anything.
The battery in the outside bell is a rechargeable battery. Life span can vary, I have seen batteries in outside bells working 20 years after the original install.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

To be honest it sounds more like a connection issue than a faulty Sab.
I would check all connection before replacing anything.
The battery in the outside bell is a rechargeable battery. Life span can vary, I have seen batteries in outside bells working 20 years after the original install.

Waiting for a ladder.... will try to do at the weekend... remove bell and check connection before replacing the battery.

it happened again yesterday when the alarm was armed, but again inputting the code turned the bell off. Test showed no fault again.

I checked the internal bell and the connection seems fine. Only the lock seems broken, so the screw on the cover doesn't lock the cover. The clip on the other side keeps teh cover in place, but not locked.

Maybe it is a spider within teh sab touching both wires

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

Waiting for a ladder.... will try to do at the weekend... remove bell and check connection before replacing the battery.

it happened again yesterday when the alarm was armed, but again inputting the code turned the bell off. Test showed no fault again.

I checked the internal bell and the connection seems fine. Only the lock seems broken, so the screw on the cover doesn't lock the cover. The clip on the other side keeps teh cover in place, but not locked.

Maybe it is a spider within teh sab touching both wires

Did you check the log to see what showed up as the alarm activation?
Even if you see nothing wrong when you take off the bell I would redo the connection.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

Did you check the log to see what showed up as the alarm activation?
Even if you see nothing wrong when you take off the bell I would redo the connection.

bell fault 22, and logs showed again two entries one for bell and one for sab.
Once I take the bell down, the plan is to redo the connection and do some test on the battery....

Just to be sure, the connection on the frame has two wires, how are they attached to the connector? with a screw or they just clip?

altor

clvk07 wrote: »

bell fault 22, and logs showed again two entries one for bell and one for sab.
Once I take the bell down, the plan is to redo the connection and do some test on the battery....

Just to be sure, the connection on the frame has two wires, how are they attached to the connector? with a screw or they just clip?

They are screwed into the two terminals in the Sab base. If that does not solve it you may have to disconnect one of the devices for a couple of days to see which one gives the fault when connected.

clvk07

Just removed the Sab didn't go off ??????

clvk07

checked the connection they looked fine. I removed the battery and installed the sab back, it flashed twice, and went off for a sec. When trying to exit engineering mode, it complaint about sab fault. I removed the sab with command 73 ( set to 0) and after it was complaining about bell fault. Removed the sab from the wall and it is fine now.


I checked the voltage of the battery and it is about 6.5V but coming down quickly one point every second eg. 6.50, 6.49,6.48 etc.....

altor

If the bell did not ring the battery is dead.
I would redo the connections either way and disconnect the battery in the Sab. Then re enroll the bell. If it still comes up as a fault you will need to replace it.

clvk07

altor wrote: »

If the bell did not ring the battery is dead.
I would redo the connections either way and disconnect the battery in the Sab. Then re enroll the bell. If it still comes up as a fault you will need to replace it.

I checked and the tamper switch which is meant to be down I think it was up, so not sure if that is the reason why the alarm didn't go off.

When I removed the battery and connected the Sab back I got sab fault. I didn't remove the sab with command 73 when I took down the bell. So The SAB should work without the battery?

Thanks