Hey everyone,

This forum has been invaluable as I've tried to hack an old Power 832 back to life, but I've hit a wall on an issue and need some help. We purchased a house with an existing alarm system (I'm guessing it's 1832, it has a PC5010 main board) and no Installer Code with Install Lockout enabled, and I could not get the hardware reset no matter what I tried. I purchased a different PC5010 used, but with all programming reset and the default code back to 5010. I have two sirens, a SD15W and SD30W. I tested on a bench before I wired it up in the box on the wall, and I never got any Bell trouble codes (I kept the bell +/- wires connected to each other on the bench, but never wired up a siren).

Everything was going well, I'd wired up my doors and motions and everything worked, but a couple of days ago I suddenly received the Bell Circuit trouble code. I still had the Bell +/- wires connected together in a closed loop, because I didn't want to disturb the family as I'm wiring things up, but I decided I'd better test with the sirens before I went much further. I cannot get the trouble code to clear no matter what, and I can't get the sirens to sound. Here's what I've tried:

• Remove all wires from +/-
• Wire the bell +/- to both sirens (and each siren individually)
• Place a straight jumper between +/-
• Place a 1000ohm resistor between +/-
• Place a 1000ohm resistor in-line on the + to 1 siren
• Disconnect the wires for each siren from the PC5010, and place a 9V battery on the end to confirm each siren works end-to-end (they both sound) so I can confirm there's no wire breaks
• Do a factory reset (999)

So far everything that was previously connected is working as expected, and when I put the 9V battery on the wires I get the sirens to sound, so I think it's going to be something the in the programming/board/resistor setup but I'm stumped. Any other ideas on how to clear a Bell Circuit error and get my sirens sounding?

 

You aren't supposed to do this. Everything was fine without trouble until alarm goes off and as you made short circuit, it draw too much current from board in siren circuit. Which blow a fuse or it could damaged PTC or even switching transistor/mosfet. If all fuses is good then either replace panel board, or ask local RTV electrician service guy if he can troubleshoot board and replace blown components on it (althrough, for security reasons, I will never suggest doing that work on security panel boards).
Instead of short circuting a siren output at first, you could place 1000Ohm resistor between Bell +/-. It will get rid of siren trouble, and wont cause short circuit.

 

Have you checked the fuse for the bell output? Depending on which version you have, it may be a PTC device instead of a fuse. Failure of either would get you the trouble you describe.

 

I tested on a bench before I wired it up
I suddenly received the Bell Circuit trouble code.

>What haven't you tried?
Built-in intelligence seems to fight the knowledgeable homeowner. If this is a software booby trap designed to punish DIY'ers your odds are not good.

I have some anecdotal evidence that car makers set these traps to punish independent repair shops & DIY'ers..

 

I hadn't, and that was it! On my board (PC5010 v4) right above Aux there's a small glass fuse (there's a printed box around it tagged "BELL" and "F3"), and it was fried. I pulled the old one out of the original board and to the dismay of my family, I now have working sirens. Thanks!

KriKon, yeah I'm sure this was 100% self-inflicted. This is my first rodeo, and knowing what I know now I'm surprised it didn't pop the first time I powered up the board on my bench! Lesson learned, and luckily I'm not buying another board on eBay and having to rewire everything with the box hanging on the wall.