Vista 20p Intermittently Going Off on Entry

I've got a Vista 20p setup and typically it's running fine. Occasionally it ignores the entry door delay and the alarm goes off immediately on door open. I can't figure out why it would do this. I'd think even if the magnetic sensor were bad, it would trigger the 30 second delay and not go off immediately. Any ideas?

 

On my DSC panel I have one zone that monitors for low temperature and is set to only sound the local alert. When activated it notifies the central station but it does not sound the alarm siren. One night when the temperature dropped and the system was armed, a motion detector that normally would only activate the alarm after entry delay went into alarm immediately when I entered. I think it was because the panel registered the low temp alert and ran the entry timer but did not activate the alarm siren.

Is there something in your system that could cause the delay time to elapse but then not activate the alarm until you enter?

 

One problem that happens is that if you don't actually leave by opening and closing the delayed door.... the alarm sets to stay automatically and will trigger immediately if door is opened.

 

I've run into what you describe. Each time the problem was a sticky mechanical switch (IIRC) occasionally not opening on exit, creating what PJmax described.

 

Funny you should mention mechanical switches.
I have an entire complex with roller balls on the garage service door which is the typical main entrance for most of these units. Those balls get stuck constantly.

I have replaced many with 3/4" press fit magnetic switches.

 

I don't have temp sensors, or anything like that, but do have wireless motion sensors..I also have Eyezon installed and it shows away was set by user 2. When alarm goes off it shows entry door alarm , so it appears to be the door and not the motion. No mechanical switches either, all magnets.

I was thinking maybe door sensor, but would expect that if defective it would just trip the door and setoff the delay timer.

 

From the description, my best guess is the tamper switch on the battery cover for that transmitter is starting to fail. Sometimes, _carefully_ bending the tip of the metal switch arm up so it makes better contact with the cover can fix it; but, usually the transmitter needs replacing.

 

What kind of sensor is on the door [wired, wireless, combination]?

 

Wired sensor at door.

 

It sounds like this system was acting as if it were in the INSTANT armed mode instead of AWAY. I never used INSTANT mode but from what I understand all door delays are ignored if you arm in INSTANT mode.

Maybe I have a newer (or older) rev level but on mine if you have a door with EXIT and ENTRY delay, and you arm the system to AWAY, it doesn’t matter whether or not you exit. On mine the display shows AWAY and a 60 second running EXIT timer.

During the 60 second window the door is totally ignored and you can open and close it as many times as you want and the timer keeps running. When the timer runs to zero the display just continues to show AWAY but will start the ENTRY timer if the door is opened.

 

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too (instant), but it literally displays Away (also mirrored in Eyezon app).

Anyone know if there is a debug mode I can put the system into to get more info?

 

No debug mode, other than putting it on test at the monitoring station (if monitored). Then set the problem door to chime and open and close it repeatedly. It should chime each and every time the door is opened.

If it is a magnetic contact, I've seen them fail open and sometimes fail closed, but only very rarely be intermittent. Can you post a picture of the contact on the door frame?

 

A not uncommon problem with door contacts, especially the hidden style ones, is that the door warps or sags a bit, and moves the magnet just to the edge of the actuation zone. Sometimes, just replacing an aging contact and magnet can resolve it. Other times you have to look at how well the magnet lines up with the switch and may need to mechanically adjust the door in it's frame.

 

The *84 field (“Auto-Stay Arm” p 4-6) in the following link is what PJmax referred to. I did not know that.

VISTA-15p, VISTA-20P, installation instructions (nationwidesecuritycorp.com)

If you enter programming mode you can examine many variables both before and after the problem occurs. I used to go into programming mode with my old vista-p50, but I haven’t done so with the p20. I think there are fields that have the error reporting code(s) when a problem occurs. Maybe those would have some useful information. Maybe some surprises. Can’t hurt to look.

ManualsLib - Makes it easy to find manuals online! (honeywellmanual.com)

(I just assumed you had a wired keypad – don’t know why, my bad).

You could also just check the entire zone setup in programming mode,

 

I think the other guys here know much more about these systems than I do, and maybe the following was already implicit in the comments - but over my head ( a lot goes over my head now that I’m late elderly, and I mean a lot -lol).

If the door sensor has a problem such that when you open the door the signal sometimes bounces rapidly from OPEN-to-CLOSE and back and forth very rapidly, maybe the firmware detects the chatter when you open the door and just treats that as an instantaneous problem, and does not start the ENTRY timer, but instead reports it immediately as an ENTRY door problem. Don’t know if that’s possible though, and I don’t know how you could check that. I guess it comes down to making sure the sensors are good.

I replaced a rotted window sill and forgot and ripped the magnetic sensor right out. I spliced a new one into the existing wiring and did a poor job. Worked fine until one night, years later, the wiring fell apart and the cops were called in the middle of the night and – I almost had a heart attack – lol.