Re: How to replace battery

[Julian <julian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 3 Jan 2007 03:33:35 -0500, "Robert L Bass"
<robertbass1@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>
>"Julian" <julian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:kulmp2l12i6f46v13m78cffitc1fuchkoj@xxxxxxxxxx
>> On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 11:47:28 -0500, "Robert L Bass"
>> <robertbass1@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>>> Probably because the alarm company
>>>> usually services the system...
>>>
>>>Battery replacement doesn't require any special skill.  There's no reason why the homeowner shouldn't do it himself.
>>
>> Oh REALLY? Ever change a battery
>> on an old DSC Classic Panel?...
>
>Nope.  Then again, I never installed an old SDSC "Classic" panel.
>

Figures.

>> Ever checking the charging voltage?
>> Pretty obvious you haven't...
>
>Well, you're wrong.  I used to check the charging voltage on Napco and Moose systems.  Every once in a while one of them would be
>off kilter but that would almost invariably be indicated by other problems.

So then do you get your 'customers' to check and adjust the charging
voltage? It may not require any special skill, but it certainly
requires knowledge and experience.

>
>> DSC's charging circuit can be varied
>> in voltage from approximately 12.5 to
>> 14+ volts. Should be at 13.8, but over
>> time it will wander.  I've seen over 14
>> volts and as low as 13. If the voltage
>> is high, the battery life will be less,
>> significantly less...
>
>I usually ask clients who call about replacement batteries how long it's been since the old one was installed.  If it's been less
>than 4 years or so, I ask if there's been an extended power outage.  Most of the time they say the battery was installed by the
>"professional" installer and has never been replaced since.  Many times the client says that the system -- and the battery -- have
>been there for 8, 10 or more years.


So you have the cheap, lazy clients who won't change their battery as
required. An eight year old battery is of little use - other than as
an anchor - and is far past its' servicable life.

It's doubtful that a customer like that would produce any tangible
profit UNLESS they're charged FULL PRICE for the battery and the
service call. AND any alarm panel that is that old and unmaintained
NEEDS an EXPERINCED ALARM TECH to properly service the system. I would
never monitor an alarm system that is that badly maintained.


>
>> How's that for reason #1?
>
>Inadequate.

Hey quit looking in the mirror and focus!

>
>> Reason #2?
>>
>> MOST clients are idiots and will not
>> be able to do it or will do something
>> wrong.
>
>If that is the measure of the typical person who hires you, I can understand your concern.  If this newsgroup is any indication of
>things in general, I'd say the *avarage* DIYer is smarter than the *average* professional installer.


I don't pick my customers based on their IQ, only their ability to
afford my services. The average DIYer may be smarter than you, but
certainly not smarter than any professional installer I've ever met.
Then again, I've never met you..... Oh, right that doesn't matter -
you're not a professional installer. You only run an internet store.
Nothing to do with installing or servicing alarms or monitoring
Florida customers.


>
>AT any rate, changing out a backup battery is a 2-minute affair.  That includes time spent looking for the key to open the cabinet.

And what am I supposed to do about the 1/2 hour to go over the alarm
use/features/coverage? If my client wants to have me over to change a
battery, move a motion, program a code or have me over for coffee and
cake, my hourly rate is the same. More time is wasted going over
things over and over again due to the short term attention span of the
client. Not to mention, most people's inability to answer a simple
question with an answer that matches the question, not an answer to a
question that wasn't asked. GOT IT?

Hint: Simple YES or NO.


>>> Smokes are easy to clean.  Homeowners
>>> can clean one in a few minutes.
>>
>> Sure, I LOVE to have homeowners clean
>> their own smoke detectors! I guarantee
>> they didn't listen to the instructions and
>> will BLOW air into the detector instead of
>> SUCKING THE AIR (AND DEBRIS/DUST)
>> OUT.
>
>Do you always suck or do you also blow from time to time?
>
>OK, sorry.  That was rude.
>
>> I sell more smoke detectors that way.......
>> AND I CHARGE A FRIGGIN' SERVICE
>> CALL TOO!
>
>All kidding aside, I'm curious where you learned to "clean" smoke detectors that way.  I always open the cover and clean the entire
>interior with a moist (not wet) cloth.  Then I open the sensing chamber and clean the inside with an alcohol swab.  I find this is
>much more effective than using forced air.  The smokes will often last much longer between cleanings.


ALL clients with smoke detectors are give the same instructions - use
the dust attachment of the vacuum and clean the unit every three
months. No disassembly required. If any client was to do that, then
the units would function for a longer period of time.

My method is to clean the interior of smokes, but c'mon - who the hell
carries alcohol swabs for cleaning the sensing chamber? Another tall
story I guess.

And wouldn't cleaning smoke detectors require a service call to the
premise? Gee, and I thought you only ran an internet store..... must
be the propoganda.....




>> And I'm seriously considering and IDIOT
>> charge, although I will have to remame it.
>
>Hmm.  Do you write "idiot" in bold print on your stationery?

Sorry it's only a line item charge and has nothing to do with the
stationery. I haven't even implemented the damn charge and I've
already had my first question about it. Seems the charge is justified
though.

Great now you owe me $25.00. I take CASH only BTW. Email me for the
snail mail address. Don't forget to put proper postage on the stamp.
Oh and seal the envelpe too. Drop it in the mail box is the last step.


>
>>> Yep.  It's also a good idea to wrap a
>>> couple of turns of electrical tape after
>>> clipping the terminals.
>>
>> 'Cause you just know a dead battery
>> without terminals starts an electrical
>> fire every 16 seconds in the US.......
>
>First of all, my inexperienced friend, the battery isn't "dead" or it would not be necessary to clip the terminals.


I don't know if I'm more offended by you calling me your friend or
inexperienced, but I can guarantee I'm neither.


>Anyone with
>experience in the trade instead of clerking and swapping aliases all day knows that.

How exactly do I clerk an alias? You must know, you've been an alias
swapper for many years - on this NG and others - so you must have
clerked a couple too. I've used two aliases here in the past eleven
years. Yes, I've been here that long, albeit with a long absence
between then and now



>Second, even with the terminals clipped off, the electrodes are still reachable.  In the unlikely event that something metallic iin
>the trash were to come into contact with them, a fire could result.  It takes less than 10 seconds to wrap a little tape around the
>battery to completely prevent that.  But you wouldn't know that, would you?


OMG you are a MORON! So you want to prevent something that is unlikely
to happen and if it did something else could happen. I have more
confidence in winning the lottery next week to secure my retirement.

Just to prove you wrong, I'm going to take a recently changed battery,
leave the terminals on and try to start a fire. Or I could call the
Mythbusters, but the only myth here is your qualifications.

I'll let you know what my results are. At first I'll use the metal
only. Then I'll try metal and paper. Then metal, paper and an
accelerant, maybe alcohol swabs! And if that doesn't work I'll up the
ante to gasoline.

Hey this does sound like a Mythbusters episode. The cell phone blowing
up a gas station episode. I'll download it and let their judgement be
answer to the question.




Julian