Re: New House Alarm - Am I locked out?

[JoeRaisin <joeraisin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Crash Gordon wrote:
> End Of Line Resistor. Which theoretically should be...well...at the END of
> the line.
>
> Different alarm panels use different value resistors, so if they were
> installed where they theoretically belong (at the end of the line) then
> you'd maybe hafta dig them out of the wall(s) to change them...theoretically
> speaking of course.
>
> Some panels use different values on the same board...like one for burg zone,
> an different one for fire zone...and sheesshhhhh another for zone-doubling
> (yikes on that one)
>

End of Line resitors are used to supervise alram circuits and inform the
panel that someon has either opened a circuit (cut the wire) or has
shorted a circuit (trying to bypass the protected opening.

If you don't see resistors connected to the zone terminals then either
the resistors are out in the field or they weren't used at all (can a
147 do this?).

If its an ademco built panel then I would guess that each zone uses the
same value.(will a 147 zone double?)

Using the diagram on the inside of the cover (at least one should be
there) remove the wires from the two terminals that make up one zone and
check the resitance.  I would guess that you are looking for either one
or two K Ohms.  of course you have to veryfy that the circuit you are
checking is in working order so you will have to identify which opening
the zone covers and then check it with the door open and then closed.
If it is a motion detector then you have to apply power to the device in
order to get proper readings.

If Zone doubling was done (two independent zones operating from a single
set of zone terminals by employing two different valued resitors in
paralell that in the normal state equate to the typical resistance the
panel looks for.  When the resistance changes the panel knows which zone
has been faulted by the remaining resistance) you will then have to
identify which two openings (or groups of openings) are covered and by
the resitance values which zone they are.

If you want replace the panel and the reistors are in the field then you
have to find a panel that matches those values.

Let's just hope that isn't the case since this would take an experienced
tech (or two) quite a while to map out.  It's doubtful.

Anyway, if you want replace the panel and the reistors are in the field
then you have to find a panel that matches those values.  You are in
luck there since Ademco (now Honeywell) made the First Alert line of
products and hasn't played around too much with resistor values so any
First Alert o Vista panel from that era will likely work.

I say all this with the caveat that I have never worked on an FA147 so
my musings could be way off.