Hi, we bought our house with an Ademco Vista Alpha alarm system in it. We don't have it set as back-to-base.
Periodically it will start beeping constantly - all hours of the day and night. It's not the chime function, it's beeping from the console. We've had the alarm guy out to check the battery several time and that is not the problem. It just seems to have a mind of its own. And it's driving me out of mine
I saw a previous thread with a similar issue but it was a different model Ademco.
When this beeping is happening there are various 'error' messages displayed; disarmed chime press * key
fault 01 fault 02 etc. It also says 'comm failure' - but backup battery is ok.
Also while the beeping is going on, often you can't enter anything into the key pad.
This will happen for a couple of hours, or only 10 minutes and then just stop and not do it again for a few months, or as short as a few days.

I'm going insane with the noise!

 

Vista Alpha isn't a proper model number. It's a keypad descriptor. Look inside the system can door for the proper model number.

Most likely, the comm failure is your main problem. It means that the system is failing to communicate with the monitoring center. If you are using a digital phone system, these often have problems with alarm communication.

 

I have the same problem as the previous poster. That is random beeps from a Ademco 6139 keypad. Panel is a Vista 40. BTW I am not connected to a monitoring service. I believe the problem may be the keypad itself and I intend to swap it out. I'm suspicious of those rubber buttons. I sure as heck hope the panel isn't crashing given the headaches of programming the thing as a do it yourselfer. Also perhaps the keypad wiring is faulty. I say that because the crazy beeping seems to happen more when it is humid or in the cooler evenings ( I am in a subtropical location ) and we have been known to have mice and rats chewing on my security wiring. If MMetro found his answer I'd appreciate him letting me know. Anyone have any better ideas?

Dan

 

What does the display show while it is beeping? Rapid beeping is almost always accompanied by a trouble indication. You may have to press the * key to get it to display the fault.

I rather doubt that the keypad itself is the issue.

 

Typically it is lit but blank. The buttons are frozen. The beeps come erratically. I can only stopped it by unplugging the pad. The LED has said other things but frankly I can't remember since none of it made any sense.

That is why I thought something ( buttons or pad wiring) was shorting out. It is like the thing is overloaded.

Dan

 

If I had to guess, based on available information, I would say that the system may have lost it's AC power supply, and has been running on a failing battery.

Otherwise, there is insufficient information to provide a meaningful answer.

 

It is interesting you mention power outage because we have been plagued with a series of power outages recently. ( US Virgin Islands). Are you suggesting that the panel or keypad
are damaged by operating on a poor battery? The problem doesn't occur necessarily during an outage Also shouldn't I get a Lo Bat message if the system battery was flagging?

How would I test the battery?

Another point of info. I noticed this morning the LCD message was as usual ( normal), red armed light on but again no button worked. I had to disarm with a handheld remote. I unplugged the keypad / replugged and voila the buttons worked again.

Does that help?

Dan

 

Yes, that is more specific information.

Based on the fact that powering down the keypad/unplugging the flying lead and restarting it makes it start responding again, leads me to think that you do have a failing keypad.

Your prior infomation gave the impression that the keypad was blank _all the time_.