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Testing Battery Backup

Ice storm today with many outages and resultant surges. My security
system console is showing a low battery indicator. There is a 9v
transistor battery in there to hold the zones and detector info.

When I replaced the battery the low battery status light does not go
out, so I am beginning to wonder whether the leads have detached inside
the console or worse, that part of the electronics got fried.

Is there a way I can use a multimeter to touch the battery contacts
that would attach to the 9v battery to know if things are o.k.? Am I
looking for continuity? And, do I test with the AC power on or off to
the console?

Thanks everyone
 
C

Chris

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ice storm today with many outages and resultant surges. My security
system console is showing a low battery indicator. There is a 9v
transistor battery in there to hold the zones and detector info.

When I replaced the battery the low battery status light does not go
out, so I am beginning to wonder whether the leads have detached inside
the console or worse, that part of the electronics got fried.

Is there a way I can use a multimeter to touch the battery contacts
that would attach to the 9v battery to know if things are o.k.? Am I
looking for continuity? And, do I test with the AC power on or off to
the console?

Thanks everyone

The first thing you might want to do is to find and read the
documentation that came with the security system. There is usually a
troubleshooting guide which might help you solve your problem, talk
intelligently with a tech rep on the phone or, worst case, give them
the information they need to be able to get you up and going with only
one service call.

It's likely there's a gel cell or small lead-acid 12V DC battery which
provides backup power to your security system, and that is likely the
cause of your LOBATT indicator. You might want to look around for that
battery (usually it's in the console cabinet). If you replace that, it
just possibly might solve your problem.

The thing is, you may need to reset some parameters once you've changed
the 9V memory backup battery, and you'll probably need the manual to go
through with that.

To answer your immediate question, your 9V transistor battery is used
for memory backup. You can set your multimeter on the 20V DC Volts
range and measure the battery voltage. It should be around or close to
9V DC with AC power on or off. If it reads less than 8.5V DC in either
case, the battery is probably worn out.

To check the 12V gel cell battery, put your DMM on the 20VDC range, and
measure -- both with power on and with power off. If the battery
voltage doesn't start to charge up when power is restored, or if the
battery voltage collapses (meaning going below 11V after a period of
recharging), it's probably bad. You can find suitable replacement gel
cells and small lead-acid batteries at industrial supply houses.

Good luck with your troubles. Unfortunately, there are such a wide
variety of security systems taht I don't think anyone on this forum is
going to be able to provide you with specific advice unless they happen
to have or be familiar with the system you're using.

Good luck
Chris
 
Chris said:
The first thing you might want to do is to find and read the
documentation that came with the security system. There is usually a
troubleshooting guide which might help you solve your problem, talk
intelligently with a tech rep on the phone or, worst case, give them
the information they need to be able to get you up and going with only
one service call.

It's likely there's a gel cell or small lead-acid 12V DC battery which
provides backup power to your security system, and that is likely the
cause of your LOBATT indicator. You might want to look around for that
battery (usually it's in the console cabinet). If you replace that, it
just possibly might solve your problem.

The thing is, you may need to reset some parameters once you've changed
the 9V memory backup battery, and you'll probably need the manual to go
through with that.

To answer your immediate question, your 9V transistor battery is used
for memory backup. You can set your multimeter on the 20V DC Volts
range and measure the battery voltage. It should be around or close to
9V DC with AC power on or off. If it reads less than 8.5V DC in either
case, the battery is probably worn out.

To check the 12V gel cell battery, put your DMM on the 20VDC range, and
measure -- both with power on and with power off. If the battery
voltage doesn't start to charge up when power is restored, or if the
battery voltage collapses (meaning going below 11V after a period of
recharging), it's probably bad. You can find suitable replacement gel
cells and small lead-acid batteries at industrial supply houses.

Good luck with your troubles. Unfortunately, there are such a wide
variety of security systems taht I don't think anyone on this forum is
going to be able to provide you with specific advice unless they happen
to have or be familiar with the system you're using.

Good luck
Chris

Thanks, Chris.

To be more specific, this is a little wireless security unit and the 9v
battery is all there is. The system is back to working fine except for
the low battery indicator which is lit whether or not there is a
battery in there. What I would like to do is check the circuit without
the 9v attached and determine if there is a short or problem with the
harness from the 9v. Not sure how to do this with the meter.
Shouldn't touching the empty +/- contacts show me something at the
right setting on the multimeter?
 
E

ehsjr

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks, Chris.

To be more specific, this is a little wireless security unit and the 9v
battery is all there is. The system is back to working fine except for
the low battery indicator which is lit whether or not there is a
battery in there. What I would like to do is check the circuit without
the 9v attached and determine if there is a short or problem with the
harness from the 9v. Not sure how to do this with the meter.
Shouldn't touching the empty +/- contacts show me something at the
right setting on the multimeter?

Measure the voltage across the battery with your DMM
while the battery is installed. With a new 9V battery,
it should read 9 volts. If it reads low, get a brand
new battery and measure the battery *before* you
install it. Then, measure it again while installed.
If the readings don't match, you have a problem in the
unit.

There is a chance that you need to disconnect both the
battery and the AC power for a few minutes, then reinstall
the battery and after that turn the AC supply on or plug
it in. That might reset the indicator.

Ed
 
ehsjr wrote:

Measure the voltage across the battery with your DMM
while the battery is installed. With a new 9V battery,
it should read 9 volts. If it reads low, get a brand
new battery and measure the battery *before* you
install it. Then, measure it again while installed.
If the readings don't match, you have a problem in the
unit.

There is a chance that you need to disconnect both the
battery and the AC power for a few minutes, then reinstall
the battery and after that turn the AC supply on or plug
it in. That might reset the indicator.

Ed

Measured 9.5v at the battery, then attached it to the unit, touched
both sides of the connection cap and got 9.5v. Does this indicate a
complete circuit and therefore something else is wrong? thx
 
E

ehsjr

Jan 1, 1970
0
ehsjr wrote:





Measured 9.5v at the battery, then attached it to the unit, touched
both sides of the connection cap and got 9.5v. Does this indicate a
complete circuit and therefore something else is wrong? thx

No - all it indicates is that the battery is good and
is not being shorted by the device.

To see if the device is drawing current, you could
try connecting the battery to only one side of
the snap on connector. Connect your volt meter
across a 1 meg resistor. Then connect the resistor
between the other terminal on the battery and the
unconnected snap on the battery connector. If you
get a reading, it means the device is drawing
current from the battery. Without knowing the
specifics of your device, it is impossible to say
how much voltage you should see. But if you do
get any voltage reading, it means the wires from the
battery connector to the device's circuit board
are still attached. If you get no reading, it
may be worth disassembling the device to visually
inspect that the wires are connected.

Ed
 
J

John

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ice storm today with many outages and resultant surges. My security
system console is showing a low battery indicator. There is a 9v
transistor battery in there to hold the zones and detector info.

When I replaced the battery the low battery status light does not go
out, so I am beginning to wonder whether the leads have detached inside
the console or worse, that part of the electronics got fried.

Is there a way I can use a multimeter to touch the battery contacts
that would attach to the 9v battery to know if things are o.k.? Am I
looking for continuity? And, do I test with the AC power on or off to
the console?

Thanks everyone

This sounds like an X10 or similar alarm controller.

It may require a full "Edison reset" (remove the AC adapter and the
backup battery). You will have to reprogram the controller
(re-install all the sensors and remote control units, put in the phone
numbers to be called, re-record the announcement).

I've had to do this once in two years of using an X10 alarm system -
when the power was off long enough for the backup battery voltage to
drop too far.

John
 
John said:
This sounds like an X10 or similar alarm controller.

It may require a full "Edison reset" (remove the AC adapter and the
backup battery). You will have to reprogram the controller
(re-install all the sensors and remote control units, put in the phone
numbers to be called, re-record the announcement).

I've had to do this once in two years of using an X10 alarm system -
when the power was off long enough for the backup battery voltage to
drop too far.

John

Thanks, John. It is an X10 console. I've tried the battery out no
power reset, but I'll try it again.
 
John said:
This sounds like an X10 or similar alarm controller.

It may require a full "Edison reset" (remove the AC adapter and the
backup battery). You will have to reprogram the controller
(re-install all the sensors and remote control units, put in the phone
numbers to be called, re-record the announcement).

I've had to do this once in two years of using an X10 alarm system -
when the power was off long enough for the backup battery voltage to
drop too far.

John

Left the battery out and the X10 Protector Plus console unplugged for
an hour. Unfortunately, as soon as I brought it back online, it
stopped recognizing the 9v battery. Guess I'll have to tear it apart
to review the battery harness connections.
 
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