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home security alarm system repair

There is an alarm system from ranger american that was installed in my
home by the previous owners and there are a few windows that do not
seem to arm when open or close. All the other windows work. The
hardware looks still intact on each window. The contact points appear
to line up when the windows are closed. Any suggestions on repair??
other than calling a technician. thanks
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
... there are a few windows that do not
seem to arm when open or close...

There are several possible causes to investigate.


1. Ranger American does a lot of tract homes in southern Florida. If your home is in this area, lightning is one common problem.
It can freeze magnetic sensors (contacts) closed or open. Mostly they stay open though I've seen it both ways.

2. There could also be a break in the wire somewhere.

3. The panel or a zone expansion device could have failed though this is less common.

The panel is the easiest thing to eliminate so check it first. Pull one of the working zones off the panel and read its resistance.
If it's less than 10 Ohms the system is not using end of line resistors. If it's 1.0K, 2.0K or 2.2K Ohms (these are the most
common), then EOL resistors are in use. Either way, restore the good zone's wiring now.

If there are no EOLs short out the problem zone with a short wire. If the panel still doesn't show ready to arm, the panel is the
problem. If it does, go on to the next step.

If there are EOLs in use, short out the problem zone with an appropriate resistor and proceed as above.

If the tech did a decent job there will be a service loop (extra wire) in th wall behind the magnetic contacts. You can pull them
out and use a meter or continuity tester to see if the contacts themselves have failed. While bringing a magnet close to the sensor
check the resistance between the leads. If nothing changes the sensor needs replacement. They're cheap -- typically between $2 and
$4 apiece retail.

If the sensors are all working, temporarily short them out and see if the panel will arm. If so, the problem is a broken wire.
You'll have to trace and repair it or run a new wire.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ranger American uses the cheapest wire I've ever seen...if you look at it
the wrong way it breaks...cheap cheap cheap krap.


|> ... there are a few windows that do not
| > seem to arm when open or close...
|
| There are several possible causes to investigate.
|
|
| 1. Ranger American does a lot of tract homes in southern Florida. If your
home is in this area, lightning is one common problem.
| It can freeze magnetic sensors (contacts) closed or open. Mostly they
stay open though I've seen it both ways.
|
| 2. There could also be a break in the wire somewhere.
|
| 3. The panel or a zone expansion device could have failed though this is
less common.
|
| The panel is the easiest thing to eliminate so check it first. Pull one
of the working zones off the panel and read its resistance.
| If it's less than 10 Ohms the system is not using end of line resistors.
If it's 1.0K, 2.0K or 2.2K Ohms (these are the most
| common), then EOL resistors are in use. Either way, restore the good
zone's wiring now.
|
| If there are no EOLs short out the problem zone with a short wire. If the
panel still doesn't show ready to arm, the panel is the
| problem. If it does, go on to the next step.
|
| If there are EOLs in use, short out the problem zone with an appropriate
resistor and proceed as above.
|
| If the tech did a decent job there will be a service loop (extra wire) in
th wall behind the magnetic contacts. You can pull them
| out and use a meter or continuity tester to see if the contacts themselves
have failed. While bringing a magnet close to the sensor
| check the resistance between the leads. If nothing changes the sensor
needs replacement. They're cheap -- typically between $2 and
| $4 apiece retail.
|
| If the sensors are all working, temporarily short them out and see if the
panel will arm. If so, the problem is a broken wire.
| You'll have to trace and repair it or run a new wire.
|
| --
|
| Regards,
| Robert L Bass
|
| =============================>
| Bass Home Electronics
| 941-866-1100
| 4883 Fallcrest Circle
| Sarasota · Florida · 34233
| http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
| =============================>
|
|
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ranger American uses the cheapest
wire I've ever seen...if you look at it
the wrong way it breaks...

That may very well be so. I've seen a number of their installations while looking at homes under construction. I didn't check the
wire itself but I noticed they use cheap even for large, custom homes. There's a 2 million dollar home off Clarke Rd not far from
my place where they installed a Power632. There are about two dozen doors (including sliders, French doors, overheads and regular
doors). They installed two motion detectors and three door contacts. There's a wimpy little siren in a closet -- no outside horn
anywhere.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>
 
F

FIRETEK

Jan 1, 1970
0
Did you ever consider that the homeowner may share in the responsibility for
this installation? It's sort of what you get for accepting the lowest bid
and not doing your homework/due diligence. Then they "whine" about the poor
service, installation, and false alarms. Many so called "rich people" are
the biggest tightwads. I guess that's why they're rich. :)


That may very well be so. I've seen a number of their installations while
looking at homes under construction. I didn't check the
wire itself but I noticed they use cheap even for large, custom homes.
There's a 2 million dollar home off Clarke Rd not far from
my place where they installed a Power632. There are about two dozen doors
(including sliders, French doors, overheads and regular
doors). They installed two motion detectors and three door contacts.
There's a wimpy little siren in a closet -- no outside horn
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
Did you ever consider that the homeowner
may share in the responsibility for this
installation?

The homes I was referring to were being built on spec. No homeowner was involved in selecting anything. I looked for a new
construction home when I first decided to move to Florida. Builders almost invariably select the lowest bidder. The homeowner
doesn't even know who did the work until he buys the place.

I found the same practice when looking for a larger home a couple of years ago. That the place I finally bought was prewired by
some sub-contractor during construction but the original owner didn't sign up for service so they never finished the job. I'll have
to run new wires to eight sliders facing onto the lanai since the "technician" didn't bother to wire them. The house has 3,800 sf
under air plus 2,200 sf of lanai and a 3-car garage. All they wired for were three doors and a couple of motion detectors. Idiots!
Many so called "rich people" are

I wonder what would make someone "so-called" rich. I can afford whatever I need but I don't consider myself rich. I would never
settle for a half-olsoned job like these people did though.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yep. We see this a lot.

A million dollar home that the contractor let the electrician wire because
he was there with Cat5...no keypads, no power, no siren, just doors &
windows...or worse than cat5; everything wired with duece...two conductor
keypads and motions.

Yep any old monkey can do it.



|> Did you ever consider that the homeowner
| > may share in the responsibility for this
| > installation?
|
| The homes I was referring to were being built on spec. No homeowner was
involved in selecting anything. I looked for a new
| construction home when I first decided to move to Florida. Builders
almost invariably select the lowest bidder. The homeowner
| doesn't even know who did the work until he buys the place.
|
| I found the same practice when looking for a larger home a couple of years
ago. That the place I finally bought was prewired by
| some sub-contractor during construction but the original owner didn't sign
up for service so they never finished the job. I'll have
| to run new wires to eight sliders facing onto the lanai since the
"technician" didn't bother to wire them. The house has 3,800 sf
| under air plus 2,200 sf of lanai and a 3-car garage. All they wired for
were three doors and a couple of motion detectors. Idiots!
|
| > Many so called "rich people" are
|
| I wonder what would make someone "so-called" rich. I can afford whatever
I need but I don't consider myself rich. I would never
| settle for a half-olsoned job like these people did though.
|
| --
|
| Regards,
| Robert L Bass
|
| =============================>
| Bass Home Electronics
| 941-866-1100
| 4883 Fallcrest Circle
| Sarasota · Florida · 34233
| http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
| =============================>
|
|
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
Crash said:
Yep. We see this a lot.

A million dollar home that the contractor let the electrician wire because
he was there with Cat5...no keypads, no power, no siren, just doors &
windows...or worse than cat5; everything wired with duece...two conductor
keypads and motions.

Yep any old monkey can do it.
Yeah, I love it when the keypads are prewired to boxes set at light
switch heights and motion detectors are all looking at the windows. Two
inch wire coming out of the hinge side of the door jams from a 1/4 inch
hole. Wire coming out from behind the outer edge of the molding by the
windows on the bottom only.

Then the builder asks, how'd ya know the electrician did it?
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ranger American installs the keypads at switch height...really dumb when you
install an LCD keypad...client has to get down on their knees to read the
display. So it aint just the electricians..but yah..electricians should
stick to pulling romex and leave the skinny wires to us:)

I'm gonna have to start carrying my camera to job sites again...we should
start a museum of alarm installation oddities.

Like installing the panel in the back of a tiny hall closet, 7 feet high
with the damn shelf hitting you in the face...idiots. Turns a half hour
panel trim into 2 hours of backbreaking cursing.


|
| Crash Gordon wrote:
| > Yep. We see this a lot.
| >
| > A million dollar home that the contractor let the electrician wire
because
| > he was there with Cat5...no keypads, no power, no siren, just doors &
| > windows...or worse than cat5; everything wired with duece...two
conductor
| > keypads and motions.
| >
| > Yep any old monkey can do it.
| >
| >
| Yeah, I love it when the keypads are prewired to boxes set at light
| switch heights and motion detectors are all looking at the windows. Two
| inch wire coming out of the hinge side of the door jams from a 1/4 inch
| hole. Wire coming out from behind the outer edge of the molding by the
| windows on the bottom only.
|
| Then the builder asks, how'd ya know the electrician did it?
|
 
D

Doug

Jan 1, 1970
0
I once had an electrical inspector insist that a keypad/annunciator for a
commercial fire alarm be installed at switch height, citing ADA
requirements, the Fire Marshall insisted that it should be at 60" AFF.
The electrical inspector claimed that since it was in effect a switch that
controlled the operation of the fire alarm then it had to go at 48"AFF so
that a person in a wheelchair could access it, the fire guy claimed it was
for Fire Dept use and they didn't have any active fire fighters in
wheelchairs. They went round and round for several minutes, with the end
result that the FIre Dept got their way.

Doug
 
I

I brive a dus

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
Yeah, I love it when the keypads are prewired to boxes set at light
switch heights and motion detectors are all looking at the windows. Two
inch wire coming out of the hinge side of the door jams from a 1/4 inch
hole. Wire coming out from behind the outer edge of the molding by the
windows on the bottom only.

Then the builder asks, how'd ya know the electrician did it? <

LOL!
Clients think you're clairvoyant when they call complaining how the
alarm has suddenly damaged their phone lines and you ask if the phone
company was there recently.
Or when the front door won't clear and you ask if the trouble started
when the door was replaced.
"Oh, how did you know?"
It's the crystal ball, baby, it's the crystal ball.
 
D

Doug

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yes we just had the front door replaced but that shouldn't affect it, there
is something wrong with your alarm, not my new door.

Doug
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
I refused to fix a woman's system due to attic rats (real ones). They had
chewed all the insulation off the alarm wires AND electric wires to the AC
unit and a lot of other stuff. Plus there was 2 inches of rat shit
everywhere. I told her she HAD to get an electrician there and a pest
control guy first as that stuff was way more important. Also told her I
wasn't gonna have my guys crawl around in the rat poop (this was back during
the Hanta virus thing) so they needed to get that cleaned out too.

A month later she calls and wants the alarm fixed...I go over there and it
was same deal...nothing was done...so we left and never went back.


| Yes we just had the front door replaced but that shouldn't affect it,
there
| is something wrong with your alarm, not my new door.
|
| Doug
|
| --
|
| |
| > Clients think you're clairvoyant when they call complaining how the
| > alarm has suddenly damaged their phone lines and you ask if the phone
| > company was there recently.
| > Or when the front door won't clear and you ask if the trouble started
| > when the door was replaced.
| > "Oh, how did you know?"
| > It's the crystal ball, baby, it's the crystal ball.
| >
|
|
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ranger American installs the keypads
at switch height...really dumb when you
install an LCD keypad...client has to
get down on their knees to read the
display...

They want the client to get used to that
position in case he needs to call for
service. :^)
So it aint just the electricians..but yah..
electricians should stick to pulling
romex and leave the skinny wires to us:)

I've seen electricians do excellent alarm
work and horrible alarm work. I've also
seen excellent and horrible work done by
alarm installers.
I'm gonna have to start carrying my
camera to job sites again...we should
start a museum of alarm installation
oddities.

Stevens used to have an online album
of alarm installations that were totally
jiminexed.
Like installing the panel in the back
of a tiny hall closet, 7 feet high with
the damn shelf hitting you in the
face...idiots.

I've seen that and I've also seen panels
installed 2" above the floor in a hall
closet full of shoes and God knows
what crawling around.
Turns a half hour panel trim into 2
hours of backbreaking cursing.

At least Jiminex would be happy. :^)

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
It is much better to reach into a dark attic or crawlspace and feel
something wet only to find you have put your hand into a bait tray full of
decaying rat carcasses. Stew just never looks the same after that

I donno about that being the worse thing that could happen.

I'd rather that ...... than finding them alive. Or as a matter for
fact, anything larger than a mouse alive ........

Didja ever find a bee's nest in a siren box or an attic? I don't
think anything will raise the hair on the back of your neck like
hearing that HMMMMMMMMM, right next to your ear, when your up in an
attic with a very tiny attic hatch behind you allllllll tthhhhe
waaaaaaay at the other end of the attic.
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
They don't rot out here, they mummify...which is even scarier when you see
them in the dark attic....rat mummies.


| It is much better to reach into a dark attic or crawlspace and feel
| something wet only to find you have put your hand into a bait tray full of
| decaying rat carcasses. Stew just never looks the same after that.
| | >I refused to fix a woman's system due to attic rats (real ones). They had
| > chewed all the insulation off the alarm wires AND electric wires to the
AC
| > unit and a lot of other stuff. Plus there was 2 inches of rat shit
| > everywhere. I told her she HAD to get an electrician there and a pest
| > control guy first as that stuff was way more important. Also told her I
| > wasn't gonna have my guys crawl around in the rat poop (this was back
| > during
| > the Hanta virus thing) so they needed to get that cleaned out too.
| >
| > A month later she calls and wants the alarm fixed...I go over there and
it
| > was same deal...nothing was done...so we left and never went back.
| >
| >
| > | > | Yes we just had the front door replaced but that shouldn't affect it,
| > there
| > | is something wrong with your alarm, not my new door.
| > |
| > | Doug
| > |
| > | --
| > |
| > | | > |
| > | > Clients think you're clairvoyant when they call complaining how the
| > | > alarm has suddenly damaged their phone lines and you ask if the
phone
| > | > company was there recently.
| > | > Or when the front door won't clear and you ask if the trouble
started
| > | > when the door was replaced.
| > | > "Oh, how did you know?"
| > | > It's the crystal ball, baby, it's the crystal ball.
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
S

spike

Jan 1, 1970
0
Roland said:
It is much better to reach into a dark attic or crawlspace and feel
something wet only to find you have put your hand into a bait tray full of
decaying rat carcasses. Stew just never looks the same after that.

I raised the ceiling tile in a country store on etime and stuck my head up
and was face to face with a LARGE snake. Man I dropped off that ladder
without hitting a step. By the time I got my courage back and looked up
there the snake was long gone.
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
and was face to face with a LARGE snake.  Man I dropped off that ladder
without hitting a step.  By the time I got my courage back and looked up
there the snake was long gone.

Courage back up ?

My response would be ..... hey there, mister owner?

Could you please remove that ceiling tile for me while I go out
to the truck for a minute? As a matter of fact .... could you
please remove all of them?
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'd rather that ...... than finding them alive.
Or as a matter for fact, anything larger
than a mouse alive ........

Scary, huh Jimbo?
Didja ever find a bee's nest in a siren box
or an attic?

Several times. That's what hornet spray is for.
I don't think anything will raise the hair on
the back of your neck like hearing that...

Almost as frightening as the thought of some
competitor meeting you on the street, eh?
 
C

Carnival Midway Hawker

Jan 1, 1970
0
Scary, huh Jimbo?

It would be a surprise, wouldn't it? Oh wait - you're to fucking fat
to get in an attic and your criminal record excludes you from getting
a licence to actually visit a customer's premises. <---- did I use
that correctly in context, fuckwit?>
Several times. That's what hornet spray is for.

Do they make bASS spray? I think so - it's available here:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/378ogm

Almost as frightening as the thought of some
competitor meeting you on the street, eh?

Ha! There are dozens of comperitors he meets everyday on the street
I'm sure. You don't classify yourself as his competitor, do you?
 
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