CS250 - "Low Power" after electricity outage

Deliberator

Hi,

My alarm keypad is just displaying "Low Power" after a recent electricity outage. From what I understand I will need to replace the battery. If I open up the control panel, to check the type of battery, I guess the alarm is going to go off, and I won't be able to enter my code due to its current state. Do I have this right?

Can anyone advise on the battery type / spec., so that I can purchase this in advance of opening up the control panel?

Thanks

Deliberator

With further searching, I see that the Yuasa NP-7 has been recommended. Thanks guys. Great resource!

KoolKid

A 12 volt DC 7amp battery is whats required. You will be better off powering down the system completely anyway to clear the Low Power notification.
Even after you power up the panel again you many have to wait a minute or 2 before the keypad becomes responsive again.
Also check the battery voltage on the battery leads before connecting the new battery. There is a well known issue with this panel where the charge voltage drops over time.If its below 13vdc try adjusting the pot at the top left og the PCB by turning clockwise to increase the charge voltage.

altor

Deliberator wrote: »

With further searching, I see that the Yuasa NP-7 has been recommended. Thanks guys. Great resource!

If the event happened after a power outage you know what the problem is.
No need to get a meter out just yet

KoolKid

I check every one of those panels I come across now.
Its a very common problem.

Sequence 365

Most good engineers
Will always check battery voltage from panel & fuses.

Evolution1

On the CS250 what fuses apart from the mains fuse would you be checking?

Sequence 365

It was a general statement
Wasnt getting into specfic panels

Deliberator

Thanks. I got a new battery from Kellihers, for 13 Euro +Vat. Arrived within a couple of days. Signed delivery today by DPD for a 5 Euro +Vat P&P. I'll certainly have no hesitation in using Kellihers again.

I powered off the mains. Removed the casing of the control panel - no alarm. Had a general look for future reference. I noted the small pot for adjusting the charging voltage, thanks. I took out the old battery, and the external alarm went off. As soon as I fitted the new battery the alarm stopped. I had already put a meter on the new battery and it read approx. 12.5v.

After a few minutes, as advised, the keypad beeped to life and the full alarm went off. I put in my code and it stopped. I noticed the time and date had reset back to 00:00, 01 Jan 1997. After a bit I was able to set the time and date properly. (the keypad light flashes on and off annoyingly just to make things interesting)

The problem I now have is that the wired fire/smoke optical sensor keeps triggering and setting off the alarm. Unscrewing it and putting it back again resets it but it triggers again after a short time of maybe a minute. Resetting it from the user menu has the same effect.

I tried hoovering around the sensor unit, as I have seen done before, but this has not helped.

Current status is the keypad beeping, looking for me to reset the fire sensor, but I can't or else it will trigger the alarm again. Possibly beginning to annoy the neighbours at this stage...Any ideas gladly welcomed?

KoolKid

Enter your code and select user settings >reset fire.

Deliberator

Thanks. I have done that too, and it has the same effect. It triggers again within about 30 seconds.

I just tried switching the sensor with the another identical one from upstairs and the alarm still triggered. As somewhat expected though it is now the upstairs sensor triggering, if that makes sense.

KoolKid

I would again check the 12 volt supply from the panel. Can you post a pic of the wiring on the detector that is giving trouble and we can see if we can help you silence it for now.
Also try power down the system completely and power back up again. The CS250 can be sometimes slow to clear faults.

Deliberator

Powered off at the mains again. Opened the control panel and I disconnected the battery. Powered the mains back on again, and keyed in my code to turn off the alarm. Used a multi meter on the wires that would connect to battery. It is only getting 11.22v. I adjusted the pot and the voltage only went down, all the way to 9.5v as I turned it fully anti-clockwise. Turning it fully clockwise it went back up to 11.22v.

I guess this means I have a fault on the control panel board for charging the battery as well then.

I took pictures of the fire sensor and its wiring. If I can use the alarm without the troublesome fire sensor, it will at least be of some use until I can get something done about the control panel.

KoolKid

Guess there was a need to get the meter out after all. 11.2 is not going to hold the battery up too long.

Deliberator

Good news is that, I took apart the Fire/smoke sensor and washed the plastic bits. There was the thinnest layer of fine dust. I don't know for sure that this was the fix but after I thoroughly dried the sensors and re-fitted them, and did a fire reset, the fire alarm did not trigger again.

Are there any possible fixes for the battery charging issues?

(I'll definitely be following up with KoolKid offline to look at possible service / upgrade options!)

KoolKid

The battery will drop down and will draw down the panel voltage output.

altor

Evolution1 wrote: »

On the CS250 what fuses apart from the mains fuse would you be checking?

You would be a while checking for fuses on the CS250

altor

Deliberator wrote: »

Good news is that, I took apart the Fire/smoke sensor and washed the plastic bits. There was the thinnest layer of fine dust. I don't know for sure that this was the fix but after I thoroughly dried the sensors and re-fitted them, and did a fire reset, the fire alarm did not trigger again.

Are there any possible fixes for the battery charging issues?

(I'll definitely be following up with KoolKid offline to look at possible service / upgrade options!)

The fire detectors on these system need to be replaced every 5 years.
Most people will wait till there is a fault. If the faulty only happened after a power outage then there could be a problem with a wired device connected to the system, could be the smoke as its the one that has being given the issue. With any device that is taken power from the system disconnected the leads should read 13.7v. If not it would indicate a issue with the panel. I have services and this system use to be my panel of choice for an install but have yet to come across one with this issue. I have heard of it but never seen it.