Veritas 8 blowing 125mA fuse on mains in

bazzanw · Aug 7, 2015

Hi,
I had an Omnicron alarm panel for about 20 years that died on me in March.
I searched for a replacement and came up with a Veritas 8 which looked like it would be a straight swap with my original cabled etc.
Bought it and fitted it at the beginning of April complete with a new strobe box.
All seemed well until it started bleeping on it's own and I found this 125mA fuse had blown.
Fitted a new one and all was well again.
It's just gone again, which is the third time since April.
I just spoke to tech support at Texecom and was told something is drawing too much current.
All that is on the panel are contacts on both doors and all windows, no PIR's or anything else.
I have a mains filter/spike box on the mains inlet so shouldn't be spikes.
Just wondering if anyone has come across this before or has any ideas what it might be?
By the way I'm not an electrician, I'm an audio visual engineer and I fitted my original alarm 20 years or more ago which worked faultlessly until it died.
Nothing else has been changed apart from the box and strobe box.
Any help most appreciated.
Thanks
Barry

telectrix · Aug 7, 2015

although uprating fuses is not generally recommended, 125mA seems a bit on the low side . i'd try a 250mA fuse, preferably slow blow and see how you go on.

shanky887614 · Aug 7, 2015

telectrix said:
although uprating fuses is not generally recommended, 125mA seems a bit on the low side . i'd try a 250mA fuse, preferably slow blow and see how you go on.

to add to tels post, check what fuse size manufacturer recommends they might say a lot bigger

tazz · Aug 7, 2015

There is no 125mA fuses on the Veritas 8 panel, incoming power F5 1.6 A

bazzanw · Aug 7, 2015

tazz said:
There is no 125mA fuses on the Veritas 8 panel, incoming power F5 1.6 A

F5 1.6A fuse is for power supply output.
In the manual on page 27 Specifications. the first fuse listed is FTB Mains 230V 125mA, 250V, 20mm
There is also a label on the transformer saying 125mA, and the original fuse fitted from new was 125mA and the spare fuse in the casing was 125mA.

bazzanw · Aug 7, 2015

shanky887614 said:
to add to tels post, check what fuse size manufacturer recommends they might say a lot bigger

Manufacturer says 125mA, as does manual and label on transformer.

micknew · Aug 7, 2015

bazzanw said:
Hi,
I had an Omnicron alarm panel for about 20 years that died on me in March.
I searched for a replacement and came up with a Veritas 8 which looked like it would be a straight swap with my original cabled etc.
Bought it and fitted it at the beginning of April complete with a new strobe box.
All seemed well until it started bleeping on it's own and I found this 125mA fuse had blown.
Fitted a new one and all was well again.
It's just gone again, which is the third time since April.
I just spoke to tech support at Texecom and was told something is drawing too much current.
All that is on the panel are contacts on both doors and all windows, no PIR's or anything else.
I have a mains filter/spike box on the mains inlet so shouldn't be spikes.
Just wondering if anyone has come across this before or has any ideas what it might be?
By the way I'm not an electrician, I'm an audio visual engineer and I fitted my original alarm 20 years or more ago which worked faultlessly until it died.
Nothing else has been changed apart from the box and strobe box.
Any help most appreciated.
Thanks
Barry

You say you have you have changed the box and strobe box, there's the clue.

bazzanw · Aug 7, 2015

specs from manual

bazzanw · Aug 7, 2015

micknew said:
You say you have you have changed the box and strobe box, there's the clue.

which means what?

The original box was over 20 years old, things die. I changed the bell box because I thought I might as well have all new.

micknew · Aug 7, 2015

bazzanw said:
which means what?

The original box was over 20 years old, things die. I changed the bell box because I thought I might as well have all new.

Which means what it says.

ian.settle1 · Aug 7, 2015

bazzanw said:
which means what?

The original box was over 20 years old, things die. I changed the bell box because I thought I might as well have all new.

Did you check that they where compatible?

ruston · Aug 7, 2015

A bit of reverse engineering may help.

tazz · Aug 8, 2015

So you are stating the incoming mains fuse terminal is blowing, not the pcb F5 fuse. If so this, this can be only 2 things, battery is over 5 years old and on its way out, or mains filter fault....you can remove filter, not needed on Veritas

bazzanw · Aug 8, 2015

yep the mains fuse, I've never mentioned fuse F5 on the PCB.
The battery is brand new also, I will try with filter removed. cheers

bazzanw · Aug 8, 2015

yes they are compatible

DuaneMHunt1976 · Aug 9, 2015

bazzanw said:
Hi,
I had an Omnicron alarm panel for about 20 years that died on me in March.
I searched for a replacement and came up with a Veritas 8 which looked like it would be a straight swap with my original cabled etc.
Bought it and fitted it at the beginning of April complete with a new strobe box.
All seemed well until it started bleeping on it's own and I found this 125mA fuse had blown.
Fitted a new one and all was well again.
It's just gone again, which is the third time since April.
I just spoke to tech support at Texecom and was told something is drawing too much current.
All that is on the panel are contacts on both doors and all windows, no PIR's or anything else.
I have a mains filter/spike box on the mains inlet so shouldn't be spikes.
Just wondering if anyone has come across this before or has any ideas what it might be?
By the way I'm not an electrician, I'm an audio visual engineer and I fitted my original alarm 20 years or more ago which worked faultlessly until it died.
Nothing else has been changed apart from the box and strobe box.
Any help most appreciated.
Thanks
Barry

So its a Omnicron Alarm for 20yr and died
Replaced it with a Veritas 8 (as you believe the wiring from the old Omnicron will just slot in) MARCH
and its blown 3 Fuses in 3 Months.

personally i like to (sounds dam kinky) smell the PCB in case i can smell any Smoke/burning Damage.

Without knowing when the Fuse Blows and if any common element
i wonder buy a load of Fuses and then Disconnection Half of the Sensors, and forcing them to go off to see if they will trip it.

Other thinking if the 125mA fuse was a Slow burn one than a Fast blow