Trouble with home security


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Old 06-08-21, 04:01 PM
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Trouble with home security

I have a home security system that is about 16 years old. Was installed when house was built. It is a DSC
power series 453. It doesnt have any bells or whistles but has served us well until lately. I have my shop connected to the system and has been fine for 15 years. I have 3 garage doors a walk thru door and a window all connected with hardwired sensors. The problem I am having now is that none of the sensors will trigger or show an open situation. The ready green light on keypad will stay on no matter which door is open. I tried disconnecting the wires from a sensor and that will cause an open condition on key pad. I tried that with each and every sensor one at a time with Same results. It’s like all the switches are stuck in closed position. I have had switches go bad before but I would get a not ready condition on the keypad. The is the opposite situation.
this is over my pay grade. Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks
 

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06-09-21, 02:40 PM
MrRonFL
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Seldom used openings can simply fail stuck closed (these things are a strip of spring steel the thickness of a fine mechanical pencil lead), and sometimes the metal sticks to itself. One quick and dirty fix is to open the opening, and give the contact a sharp rap with something like a screwdriver handle. About half the time it will pop loose and start working.

I would still replace them, because once this problem starts, it usually repeats.
 
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Old 06-08-21, 07:02 PM
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It is very possible to have bad contacts.
I've had accounts where the same problem has happened after a major storm.

I have one house in particular on top of a mountain.
Some switches blow open and some get frozen closed after an electrical storm .

You've proven your switches are stuck closed.
 
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Old 06-09-21, 07:23 AM
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Would it be likely that all 6 contacts on that loop would get stuck closed at the same time. we have had some pretty bad weather lately.
 
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Old 06-09-21, 08:58 AM
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Possible but unlikely that all 6 wired switches would go out at the same time. Could be something in the panel itself or could be something to do with the monitoring function of the wiring. Do you have end of loop resistors? Are all the switches on the same circuit? Have you had any lightning storms/power surges recently? Have you replaced any of the switches?
 
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Old 06-09-21, 09:34 AM
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There are no resistors. The switches in question are all on same circuit and as i stated earlier, when you remove the wire from any switch you get an open door light on key pad just like you would if door was open. I have replace switches before but not in several years. We have had some bad weather with a lot of lightning lately.
 
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Old 06-09-21, 10:24 AM
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You have six switches in series. Removing the wire from one side of each switch shows circuit open.
That means you have six shorted switches !
 
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Old 06-09-21, 02:37 PM
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PJmax is correct. I've seen this happen multiple times over 40+ years in servicing alarm systems. A nearby lightning strike can fuse multiple switches in the system. The consensus seems to be that induced current from a lightning discharge will fuse the highest points of resistance in a hardwired zone loop, which are the contacts of switches (assuming you don't have loose connections or splices). Even if all the switches in your system weren't fused closed, I would recommend replacing them all, becaiuse they're all suspect after that happens.
 
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Old 06-09-21, 02:40 PM
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Seldom used openings can simply fail stuck closed (these things are a strip of spring steel the thickness of a fine mechanical pencil lead), and sometimes the metal sticks to itself. One quick and dirty fix is to open the opening, and give the contact a sharp rap with something like a screwdriver handle. About half the time it will pop loose and start working.

I would still replace them, because once this problem starts, it usually repeats.
 
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Old 06-10-21, 06:57 AM
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You guys were right. I had a couple of new door sensors hanging around so i changed those 2 out and that did the trick for those 2 openings. Had to order the 3 garage switches and some window switches to finish out the repair. How does lightning damage the switches and nothing else. I would have thought there would have been a lot more damage. Thanks to you guys. Nothing beats getting advice from experts.
 
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Old 06-10-21, 03:24 PM
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That wiring is basically a big antenna, and it's even worse with metal framed windows. The panel has some protection built in, but its such a brief induction, that the damage ends up at the closest and weakest points. And again, unless you have been routinely testing, these contacts could have been frozen for months, or even years with you only noticing when a more frequently used opening didn't work.
 
 

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