UPDATE: DSC 6-zone keypad - defective?

[Charles Booth]

[Original post was on 2-12-04]

Well, I finally got to the house, entered the code in the good keypad;
the red led lighted. Without disarming the system, I checked the red
led at the "bad" pad and found that the red led was not on. I then
entered the code in the "bad" pad to see if the red led in the good
pad would shut off; it did not.

Conclusion: something wrong with the "bad" pad.

Note: the green ready led in the "bad" pad went off and on when the
nearby door opened and closed.

I repeated the above sequence of checks two or three times to be sure
of my test procedures.

Conclusion: something wrong with the "bad" pad.

"Not so fast," I said to myself. "Let me enter the code again in the
"bad" pad."

I pushed really hard, slowly and deliberately and in turn, on each of
the four code keys of the "bad" pad. Presto! The red led came on! I
tried several more times, and with less pressure, and the red led went
on and off per normal.

I asked the elderly homeowner to watch me arm/disarm the system; I
then had her do it several times.

She happily thanked me for my magic fingers, and off I went to the
next service call.

As I drove the highway, mulling over the tests I performed, and the
cure that seemed to result from depressing hard on the keys, I
realized that there is still one unanswered question:

Why didn't the red led on the "bad" pad light up when I first armed
the system (several times) from the good pad?

Those of you familiar with DSC equipment may be able to answer a
further question: Is is possible for the green ready led to operate
properly when any one of the four wires connecting it to the panel is
disconnected? My recollection of the panel diagram is that the
red/black is for power. What are the yellow and green for?

 

[Frank Olson]

[Original post was on 2-12-04]
As I drove the highway, mulling over the tests I performed, and the
cure that seemed to result from depressing hard on the keys, I
realized that there is still one unanswered question:

Why didn't the red led on the "bad" pad light up when I first armed
the system (several times) from the good pad?

Dunno... sounds a bit "wonky" if you ask me..

Those of you familiar with DSC equipment may be able to answer a
further question: Is is possible for the green ready led to operate
properly when any one of the four wires connecting it to the panel is
disconnected? My recollection of the panel diagram is that the
red/black is for power. What are the yellow and green for?

It can "appear" to function, but you shouldn't be able to arm or disarm it
no matter how hard you press the keys. Next questions:

Did you get a corresponding "beep" every time you pressed one of the keys.
When the system "armed" did it beep three or four times. Do the zone lights
turn on and off when the corresponding doors/motions are tripped?? Did you
have a look at the keypad board? Is it really "grungy"? They can get like
that and the corresponding intermittent keypad function can be pretty
frustrating for the end user (I had one customer almost drive the "six" key
right out the back of the board).... I have a feeling you're gonna go back
there. This time leave your "magic fingers" in the van and use the "noggin"
He gave you instead... )

 

[Jackcsg]

It's pretty rare having a bad DSC Keypad in general. I have had installers
use too large of a screw on the mounting plate, and causing intermittent
problems, such as the one you described. There also could have been, and
still could be, a loose device on the PCB board of the keypad itself. It's a
mystery...one to keep watch of.

Jack

 

[Charles Booth]

[Original post was on 2-12-04]
As I drove the highway, mulling over the tests I performed, and the
cure that seemed to result from depressing hard on the keys, I
realized that there is still one unanswered question:

Why didn't the red led on the "bad" pad light up when I first armed
the system (several times) from the good pad?

Dunno... sounds a bit "wonky" if you ask me..

Those of you familiar with DSC equipment may be able to answer a
further question: Is is possible for the green ready led to operate
properly when any one of the four wires connecting it to the panel is
disconnected? My recollection of the panel diagram is that the
red/black is for power. What are the yellow and green for?

It can "appear" to function, but you shouldn't be able to arm or disarm it
no matter how hard you press the keys. Next questions:

Did you get a corresponding "beep" every time you pressed one of the keys.

My ears (now almost 68 years old) no longer hear high frequency tones,
unless the ear is positioned close to the keypad.

When the system "armed" did it beep three or four times.

Can't say; bad ears.

Do the zone lights turn on and off when the corresponding doors/motions are tripped??

Don't know. I was focused on the red and green leds.

Did you have a look at the keypad board? Is it really "grungy"? They can get like
that and the corresponding intermittent keypad function can be pretty
frustrating for the end user (I had one customer almost drive the "six" key
right out the back of the board)...

I did not remove the pads from the wall.

I have a feeling you're gonna go back
there. This time leave your "magic fingers" in the van and use the "noggin"
He gave you instead... )

You may be right.

All good questions. Had I been more familiar with the product, its
normal behavior, and its idiosyncracies I would have checked the items
you suggest. This was the first DSC system I have run into. The
house belongs to the mother of one of my customers. I was doing him a
favor by looking at the keypad.

Will file an update if I'm called back.