False alarms with DSC wireless keyfob

[tourman]

Has anyone heard of this problem before ? I have a client with four
keyfobs (WLS919-433), one of which shows a low battery when dialing in
with DLS software (customer has a DSC Power 832 with the usual
wireless module on the bus). The client put the unit in a drawer and
in one day, when he wasn't using it, had two separate panic alarms
transmitted to the station (confirmed with the station and showing in
the event log as well). The other three wireless units were not
present, being held by other family members who were not at home the
whole day

Could this problem be related to the simple fact that the battery was
low. If it is, it has to be the first time I have heard of this
problem as I have many other clients with the same setup......????

Any of you guys had this experience ?

 

[alarman]

Has anyone heard of this problem before ? I have a client with four
keyfobs (WLS919-433), one of which shows a low battery when dialing in
with DLS software (customer has a DSC Power 832 with the usual
wireless module on the bus). The client put the unit in a drawer and
in one day, when he wasn't using it, had two separate panic alarms
transmitted to the station (confirmed with the station and showing in
the event log as well). The other three wireless units were not
present, being held by other family members who were not at home the
whole day

Could this problem be related to the simple fact that the battery was
low. If it is, it has to be the first time I have heard of this
problem as I have many other clients with the same setup......????

Any of you guys had this experience ?

I have had a few unexplained panics from DSC WS4939 key fobs. In a couple
cases I suspect they were caused by accidentally pushing on the button. But
in two separate cases, customers insist they were nowhere near the units
when it happened. These were new units though, and neither showed a low
battery.

Conversely, I replaced a low battery on a very old 900MHz key fob about 3
months ago, but never had a false panic there.
--
js

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the
support of Paul. ----George Bernard Shaw

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong
enough to take everything you have.

- Thomas Jefferson

 

[mleuck]

Has anyone heard of this problem before ? I have a client with four
keyfobs (WLS919-433), one of which shows a low battery when dialing in
with DLS software (customer has a DSC Power 832 with the usual
wireless module on the bus). The client put the unit in a drawer and
in one day, when  he wasn't using it,  had two separate panic alarms
transmitted to the station  (confirmed with the station and showing in
the event log as well). The other three wireless units were not
present, being held by other family members who were not at home the
whole day

Could this problem be related to the simple fact that the battery was
low. If it is, it has to be the first time I have heard of this
problem as I have many other clients with the same setup......????

Any of you guys had this experience ?

I hope I'm wrong on this but what version wireless receiver is on it?

 

[alarman]

I hope I'm wrong on this but what version wireless receiver is on it?

I know what you're thinking, but there was no mention of panics with that
receiver.

 

[A.J.]

http://www.dsc.com/dealer/assets/manuals/NA_TAB_003_01_PC5132_V420_low_battery_issue.pdf

 

[Jim]

Has anyone heard of this problem before ? I have a client with four
keyfobs (WLS919-433), one of which shows a low battery when dialing in
with DLS software (customer has a DSC Power 832 with the usual
wireless module on the bus). The client put the unit in a drawer and
in one day, when �he wasn't using it, �had two separate panic alarms
transmitted to the station �(confirmed with the station and showing in
the event log as well). The other three wireless units were not
present, being held by other family members who were not at home the
whole day

Could this problem be related to the simple fact that the battery was
low. If it is, it has to be the first time I have heard of this
problem as I have many other clients with the same setup......????

Any of you guys had this experience ?

I don't use DSC but here's my take on things of this sort.

Every great once in awhile, a transmitter will go into an alarm
condition for no discernable reason. Changing the battery stops it.
Here's what I think may be happening. Lithium batteries are used
because they maintain their value for a long period of time. That is,
they don't gradually drop of in voltage output over time. However when
they get to the end of their life, they drop off rapidly. I think that
somtimes a lithium does drop to a lower voltage output and hangs there
and/or when it come time for it's polling signal or battery status
signal to be sent, a *defective* battery could drop considerably in
voltage causing the polling or status transmission to be mis-
transmitted as an alarm condition. It's just a theory, but changing
the battery has worked for me. However, there are times when it will
occur again. Then, of course it's time to change the transmitter.

If I'm called in for a service call, I don't mess around with changing
the battery ..... I just change out the unit. If the customer wants to
play around with it himself, he may want to try the battery exchange
before paying for a service call and new unit .... (if out of
warrantee) So I'll put that particular zone on hold for a period of
time until he's satisfied it worked or needs a service call.

 

[tourman]

I don't use DSC but here's my take on things of this sort.

Every great once in awhile, a transmitter will go into an alarm
condition for no discernable  reason. Changing the battery stops it.
Here's what I think may be happening. Lithium batteries are used
because they maintain their value for a long period of time. That is,
they don't gradually drop of in voltage output over time. However when
they get to the end of their life, they drop off rapidly. I think that
somtimes a lithium does drop to a lower voltage output and hangs there
and/or when it come time for it's polling signal or battery status
signal to be sent, a *defective* battery could drop considerably in
voltage causing the polling or status transmission to be mis-
transmitted as an alarm condition. It's just a theory, but changing
the battery has worked for me. However, there are times when it will
occur again. Then, of course it's time to change the transmitter.

If I'm called in for a service call, I don't mess around with changing
the battery ..... I just change out the unit. If the customer wants to
play around with it himself, he may want to try the battery exchange
before paying for a service call and new unit .... (if out of
warrantee) So I'll put that particular zone on hold for a period of
time until he's satisfied it worked or needs a service call.

RHC: Your logic sounds OK. I suppose it could just as easily be this
as well as anything else. I've found over the years that a lot of
alarm equipment on the market has "quirks" or "bugs" in it that
sometimes makes it do totally unexplainable things from time to time.
It seems to be more prevalent in wireless devices, but regardless, it
can drive you bananas trying to diagnose exactly what the problem is,
and how to solve it. I hate "solving" a problem but not actually
knowing why it did what it did; there's no way to know if you have
actually fixed it long term.

For the moment, I have deactivated the suspect device until he gets
another battery for it, or has me do a service call to fix it.

Thanks

 

[G. Morgan]

http://www.dsc.com/dealer/assets/manuals/NA_TAB_003_01_PC5132_V420_low_battery_issue.pdf

"This is to inform you of an issue regarding the PC5132-433 v4.2 wireless
receiver. Over time, the PowerSeries control panel will display an incorrect
wireless key low battery trouble. The issue is caused by leaving unused
wireless keys programmed with serial number [000000].
Please note that if the issue occurs, panel operation will not be affected in
any way."

So what does that have to do with a phantom panic signal??

 

[Jim]

RHC: Your logic sounds OK. I suppose it could just as easily be this
as well as anything else. I've found over the years that a lot of
alarm equipment on the market has "quirks" or "bugs" in it that
sometimes makes it do totally unexplainable things from time to time.
It seems to be more prevalent in wireless devices, but regardless, it
can drive you bananas trying to diagnose exactly what the problem is,
and how to solve it. �I hate "solving" a problem but not actually
knowing why it did what it did; there's no way to know if you have
actually fixed it long term.

For the moment, I have deactivated the suspect device until he gets
another battery for it, or has me do a service call to fix it.

Thanks-

I've been dealing with wireless for a long time and yes it is quirky.
But afterwhile you sort of know what they are and just deal with it.
If I were an injuneear I'd probably want to know what the specifics
were, bad enough to persue it. But ......... in our business we have
to deal with the symptoms. If we can cure the problem .... the most
expedient way is the best way. Actually knowing the nity grity of what
causes these quirks is not worth the time finding out the actual
why...... cause they don't happen that often and there's nothing you
can do to anticipate a "quirk" (if you will). It's when the problems
recur that you have to get on it and see if it's a product defect or
whatever.