Re: Need Help with odd Ademco Vista 20P problem

["Katerina" <safechecker@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 15, 7:53 pm, JoeRaisin <joerai...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Katerina wrote:
> > On Apr 15, 2:49 pm, "alarman" <alarman2...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> safechec...@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >>> Hi.
> >>> I have anAdemcoVista20P, using ADT monitoring.  I have had the
> >>> system a couple of years with no changes made to it.
> >>> For the past week, on about half of incomingphonecalls, after one
> >>> ring thealarmboard is answering the incoming call, giving the caller
> >>> about 2 seconds of a data squeal, then hangs up on them.  Again, this
> >>> happens only in about half of calls that are made to me, and it just
> >>> started about a week ago.  I know it is thealarmboard doing this,
> >>> because I can hear the relay click when it answers the call and hangs
> >>> up.
> >>> MyVista20P is very simple - nothing fancy...
> >>> -8 zones (all wired, no wireless) just doors and a few motion
> >>> -No X-10, nophonemodules, no PC downloading setups, no wireless.
> >>> -Made no recent changes to phones orphonelines in house.
> >>> I rechecked lines on the RJ31X and everything appears OK, and wired
> >>> properly.  Line seizing capability works fine in testingalarm
> >>> system.  No line work was been done on the phones or thealarm.
> >>> On a whim, even though I do not use pc downloading with myalarm, I
> >>> viewed the settings for *95 and *94 and it is set to 15 rings, with no
> >>> downloadphonenumber (which I believe is correct.)
> >>> Except for having the entire control board replaced, I am stuck for a
> >>> solution as to why thealarmwould answer half of myphonecalls
> >>> (after 1 ring) and give a squeal then hang up.  Frustrating. Looking
> >>> for a solution or a way to bypass please.  Thanks!
> >> Have you tried calling ADT?
> >> js- Hide quoted text -
>
> >> - Show quoted text -
>
> > Got the fix - thanks to Apu.  But I am curious why the board would
> > only recently start trying to answer my incoming calls.
>
> The fix could end up costing you.
>
> If the panel suddenly started answering the phone at random times (and
> not simply after someone called and hung up like it is supposed to do)
> then there is something wrong with it and ADT would likely have replaced
> it at no charge (assuming the board just went kaflooie all by itself).
>
> If you call them now, having messed around with it they are more than
> likely going to charge you for it.
>
> Since you have altered the way that they can get in touch with your
> panel they won't be able to contact it in the normal way and will have
> to send a tech out and that will be a billable call.
>
> Why on earth didn't you just contact ADT in the first place?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I have been with ADT for 9+ years, but ADT doesn't own the equipment -
I do.  I did NOT contact ADT because although they perform the monitor
service, I own every component of hardware (NOT a leased system.)
Experience has taught me that any call to them is met with the same
response... "we need to take a look at it, and there is a base tech
charge of $100+ just for someone to come over, blah, blah."   Three
years ago a lightning strike fried the panel, and I called them - paid
$200 labor plus $125 for the board.  That was before I learned that I
could buy a board from a 3rd party and have it programmed for a lot
less.

ADT is great for monitoring, but I never made a simple inquiry call to
them without either a sales pitch or the sinking feeling that "this is
gonna cost me."