Re: DSC 1550

> I believe I have a DSC 1550 alarm system in my home. I have one
> PK1500RK keypad in the house.

Sounds right.

>
> The Trouble light is coming on/going off intermittently and the keypad
> is beeping (very annoying). On the web, I've found some procedures for
> decoding the alarm condition. If I push *2, Zone 1 lights which I
> believe means a bad battery.

That is correct

>
> Questions:
> 1. Where can I find a replacement battery and is this something a
> somewhat competent Do-It-Yourself'er should try?

Any battery supply store, such as Battery Plus. Look in the yellow pages and
you should be able to locate a store that can help you. There are several
on-line stores operated by people in this newsgroup if you cannot find
something local. Take the old battery with you so the supplier can match
specifications. It is only a two wire plug on connection. One black wire and
one red wire. It is low voltage so it is not harmful with common sense
precautions. One does not have a problem with changing these batteries.

>
> 2. Can I just disable the entire system (we aren't having it monitored
> right now)?

Unplug the battery and the power transformer that is plugged into a nearby
electrical outlet. It is a white, beige or black plug in box that is
approxiamately 2" wide and 2-3" long. Should have a small screw in the top
that will need to be removed. These two procedures will power down the
system.You will know when you have accomplished these two steps because your
keypad will be totally dead. This will not effect any of the programmed
information in the panel necessary for its operation.
>
> 3. I don't have the Master Code for the system. Is this easily
> resettable for me?

Now that is another story. If you don't have the master code, than I doubt
seriously if you have the installer code which is necessary to get you back
to a factory setting. Why don't you address that when you are ready to start
using the system again. It may require a board replacement.
>
> 4. We are having trouble with our phone line disconnecting and it seems
> to coincide with the Trouble light going on. Could this be related?

Yes, but if this is happening you should be receiving more than just the #1
when you ask the panel for the trouble conditions unless the panel is still
active to the central station that was monitoring the system for the
previous owner. Check to see if there is a beige square box, approx 1 1/2"
by 1 1/2' located either inside or near the main alarm control box. This
little box should have a telephone cord (usually grey) plugged into the side
of it. Just unplug the cord from that little box. This will disconnet the
phone line for the security panel and your intermittance will go away. After
doing this, check to make sure you have a dial tone on your house phones.

Hope this helps and good luck. Get back with us if you have any more
problems. E-mail me your address and I will send you a user manual.

Bob4Secur