Re: troubleshooting old alarm, worked perfectly till this am....

[Wednesday Rowan <wednesdaytgw@xxxxxxxxx>]

**** entered my questions between *****
are multimeters pretty similar, will a cheap one work?=20
I've not tried a hobby that required one yet ;-)

********

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 3:51:01 PM UTC-7, JoeRaisin wrote:
> If the contact is in the bottom of the window ***it is******, then it is =
not uncommon for moisture to corrode the splice.
>=20
> Pulling the contact out of the frame and checking the leads with a=20
> multimeter *** I don't have a multimeter*********while moving the contact=
, near and then away from the magnet, will verify whether or not the contac=
t is good or bad.
>=20
> You can replace it, if you can get the same size and type (from the=20
> picture it is a normally closed device- meaning the contact creates a=20
> short when the magnet is near.***** q, does it make any difference what d=
irection the magnet is glued into the window + or - ??*************
>=20
> If the contact is bad, shorting the leads the contact is connected to=20
> will,in effect, bypass that window while the rest of the system is good.
>=20
> If you are concerned about the siren, simply remove the positive lead ***=
 which one is that? ********
> from the terminal at the panel.  if it is supervised, you may have to=20
> place a resistor across the terminals.**** place how... screw into contac=
ts... before removing siren wires?... this is new stuff to me.... resistor.=
.. interestingly, there was one in the control box or I would not have one =
of those either, now I know why*****
>=20
> Really though, the panel you have is pretty old. You can replace it and=
=20
> the keypad with a relatively inexpensive one that will be much better.=20
> Contacts are pretty generic.

****inexpensive is relative... right now, no spare money... but, was someth=
ing of what I had in mind, trying to figure out if this is something I coul=
d do myself... after a lot of learning... but there is no money for anythin=
g not essential for a little while...=20
thank you again, I appreciate your patience ****************