Something went Bad Wrong!

["Matthew Stanley" <mstanley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I went to a customer yesterday about 5:00pm. He said the alarm system
stopped working. I installed this system about 4 months ago from a takeover.
He had a DSC system that was installed by a Larger Company. (With the Blue
three letter logo). But since I like to upload and download I replaced the
board. Had to run a few new wires because it seemed they had a 6 zone panel,
but only 4 zones were used. This company loved to double up zones. I don't
like that. Well, after arriving at his house, I checked the voltage on the
AC terminals... it was at 0 volts. So I checked the transformer. Transformer
was not putting out any voltage at all. So I replaced the unit. Panel still
didn't work. I checked the voltage back at the panel and found 16.5 VAC. so
it must be the board...I told him I would have to replace this board but
thought it was strange that it didn't last very long. Well, I came back with
the new board. Wired everything up and was getting ready to wire the AC
wires to the terminals... Just as I grabbed one of the wires, I got a shock
of my life. It held on to my hand like I have never felt before. It seemed
like forever but I finally got away from it... I think I almost pissed my
pants. After I came too, I grabbed my volt meter and checked to voltage. The
meter read 140. I told the man what I found and he was kind of shocked... I
asked him what it could be from and he didn't know. I asked if anything
happened the same time that the alarm quit working. He said no.





A long story short, the other alarm company ran the AC line from the garage
where it is plugged in an outlet, (using 22/4 wire) all the way to the other
side of the house then down to the basement. Well, I found after tracing the
wire, it ran next to the 120 volt wire for the sump pump and there was a
nail that was used to hold down the 110VAC wire. But the other installer
also used that nail to hold the power wire down for the control panel. He
must have pulled in through the nail because the insulation was rubbed off
showing copper on both wires. When the sump pump kicks on, it sends voltage
through the low voltage wire and it blew up the alarm panel. I guess I will
not use other company's wires again. When I first arrived to bid the system,
the wiring job looked nice... Man.. I was wrong.







M