Buzzing comin from Alarm

[snadge]

Hi all...

Im new to the forum

Im not an electrician by trade and have a question - we recently moved into a home we bought, the ex-owner had an alarm but didnt leave any code and we could not contact her so yesterday we arranged for someone to come out to look at it and give us a price for reset etc... he got here and immediatley got into the Job and checked it was working which took him about 20 minutes of testing - he wanted to sink the cables under the floor upstairs etc but we said just a reset... he also installed a 3rd motion detector in passage and new battery, the total was rounded off at £100 for paying cash.... a little more than we hoped for 30 mins work... anyway, tonight ive noticed a buzzing/humming coming from it, it can even be heard up top of stairs and in bedroom in silence, that will drive me mad as i try to sleep... now I just know when I ring him back tomorrow hes gunna say "its just old and needs replacing" and we cant afford that, I think its the battery he put in or isnt hooked up right, i do remember him saying something along the lines of "i dont know why that keeps dropping though" referring I think too the GCH fuse switch on a fusebox - theres the MAIN fusebox then a seperate one that has GCH on - after he had been we had to switch it back on to get heating on - im just wondering if this has anything to do with it as I didnt realise the noise when he serviced it?

I ask as we just cant afford to keep paying this man for new parts and service - she wasnt bothered about an alarm - I could install a wireless one myself at a later date, I wished we just ripped it out and all the cables now hehe


thanks

 

[Phil]

i went to look at one for a mate of mine that was making a buzzing noise. turned out to be the transformer. tightened up the screws and job was a good-un where abouts are you ? someone reputable on here might give you a price and an honest answer

 

[snadge]

i went to look at one for a mate of mine that was making a buzzing noise. turned out to be the transformer. tightened up the screws and job was a good-un where abouts are you ? someone reputable on here might give you a price and an honest answer

Blaydon, Gateshead area (Tyne and Wear)

I went to unscrew the panel to take a look chancing that with it being old from 1994 or so it probs wouldnt have tamper protection and it did - 11:20pm and alarms went off - i didnt know what to do so entered code then reset and it was fine, she started shouting down from bed "what the bloody hell you doing" hehe - he only showed us how to ARM it when leaving and DIS-ARM when entering - I had to ask how to change the code if we wanted...wrote it down...

 

[Phil]

Blaydon, Gateshead area (Tyne and Wear)

I went to unscrew the panel to take a look chancing that with it being old from 1994 or so it probs wouldnt have tamper protection and it did - 11:20pm and alarms went off - i didnt know what to do so entered code then reset and it was fine, she started shouting down from bed "what the bloody hell you doing" hehe - he only showed us how to ARM it when leaving and DIS-ARM when entering - I had to ask how to change the code if we wanted...wrote it down...

11:20pm thats you off next doors crimbo card list.too far from me mate or i would have had a look for you. there may be a few that will offer to quote you mate keep an eye on the thread

 

[snadge]

11:20pm thats you off next doors crimbo card list.too far from me mate or i would have had a look for you. there may be a few that will offer to quote you mate keep an eye on the thread

Aye I know he probs get his petrol strimmer out at 6am hehe

thanks

 

[Phil]

people that use a petrol strimmer that early in the morning really need to take a sleeping tablet. i used to go jogging that early but strimming and annoying decent peoples sleep really deserves an asbo

 

[Golden_Boy]

Blaydon, Gateshead area (Tyne and Wear)

I went to unscrew the panel to take a look chancing that with it being old from 1994 or so it probs wouldnt have tamper protection and it did - 11:20pm and alarms went off - i didnt know what to do so entered code then reset and it was fine, she started shouting down from bed "what the bloody hell you doing" hehe - he only showed us how to ARM it when leaving and DIS-ARM when entering - I had to ask how to change the code if we wanted...wrote it down...

What make / model is the panel?

 

[AIM]

I had a similar problem with the alarm mounted on a wooden cupboard. Tightened screws on the transformer to reduce the noise. The noise could be totally eliminated by mounting the alarm, screwed through tap washers to act as a screen between the alarm body and the wooden cupboard.

 

[snadge]

its IS the transformer buzzing/humming - i had it the front off and put my ear to it...
its mounted on a plasterboard wall

its an old OPTIMA XM6 and was installed 1994 - the guy installed a new battery other day too....

what can I do to fix it? it didnt seem loose although I didnt thoroughly check, i was frightened it would go off and i wouldnt be able to stop it hehe, well, without completely breaking it like cutting wires to kill power hehe which would have been £100 wasted for reset/re-program

 

[alarm man]

depends on how old the battery was before he replaced it,old faulty batterys drag the guts out of these panels,sound like the charging circuit as the panel cant cope with the new battery,thats worse case,try and press the panel against the wall if it stops,sounds like loose fixing screw as mentioned in a previous post,£100 seems fair for a service,battery change and an additional pir,even for a fiddle job

 

[snadge]

the date on back of front panel is 1994 and old battery was bulgin so its likely its been in from then... - 16 years... i moved the transformer 2mm in its slot and the humming reduced by about 40-50% so thats better - you can only hear it near the box.,...top of stairs in silence and good hearing lol

thanks for help guys

it probs needs a new transformer.... were just looking to leave it for now and when we come to finish the house next year we will get wireless installed - probably by me

 

[alarm man]

id keept away from wireless unless your gonna pay for the top end stuff (dont use that cheap stuff from b&q etc youll end up ripping it out soon after),just get a new panel and rkp and use the exsisting cable,go for a scantronic/menvier,decent stuff,or maybe texecom all pretty diy freindly and you can get built in diallers/texters with them too..

 

[oldtimer]

First of all what is the name of the panel ie optima paragon etc also is it a metal control panel or plastic and lastly before you pay the bucks post a question here and who knows.

I operate in Edinburgh so if i get a call like this I charge £40 service visit (fixed price) and £25 for a battery and this includes resetting the customer number

 

[snadge]

thanks guys - yeah I will be DIY next time...wished i'd come here first as im sure we could have got it runing anyhow...

the sensor was £25 ... dunno how much battery was , so the diff w his service charge for 30mins work

its a plastic panel...horrible old thing , dated 1994 install on back.. just says OPTIMA MX6 ?

went back just now to check for name and its buzzing loud again - sheesh!

 

[oldtimer]

Optima XM6 is is a NVM type panel that need 2 terminals linked out to reset it to factory conditions its a pity you did not post on the forum beforeyou got the guy out I could have sent you the instructions.

 

[snadge]

Optima XM6 is is a NVM type panel that need 2 terminals linked out to reset it to factory conditions its a pity you did not post on the forum beforeyou got the guy out I could have sent you the instructions.

i Know im KICKING myself now... ah well lesson learnt, I always search for help online too - I think it was just cos i was busy in garden and she kept nagging at me to get it sorted and my sister was also ringing to fix her laptop and i just couldnt get anything done lol , stupid thing is AFTER ringing him she said she wasnt bothered and would rather rip it out and get a good wireless one next year - i said "ring up and cancel him then" but she just shrugged her shoulders and walked off???? lol

anyway, anychance you could post the instructions anyway? just so i know how to operate it fully should I actually knock it off or change the transformer or whatever, kinda scared to try and fix the hum in case it goes off and i dunno how to fix it


cheers

 

[oldtimer]

Send me your email address and I will send them

Forgot to add do not repair it replace it with its modern conterpart the optima compact as they are not expensive you may want to go for the RKP an relocate the panel into a cupboard

PS and if yo want that manual mail me via my site Electricians in Edinburgh