FAQ

A battery’s lifespan is determined by its deep cycles or how many times it can fully discharge and recharge. When a battery discharges, it happens much faster than it recharges. It can take up to 24 hours for a battery to reach a full charge. If the charging process is interrupted, which often happens with loadshedding, the battery discharges quicker and deeper.

Unfortunately, standard alarm batteries aren’t designed to cope with frequent loadshedding. They don’t get enough time to fully recharge before the next power outage, significantly reducing their lifespan.

South Africa’s unreliable electrical supply, primarily due to loadshedding, significantly impacts alarm system battery performance. When AC power fails, the battery discharges. Upon power restoration, recharging begins, but this process takes considerably longer than the discharge. Frequent and repetitive outages mean batteries often do not fully recharge, dramatically shortening their lifespan.

• Deep Cycles (Lifespan): Gel batteries handle fewer deep discharge and recharge cycles compared to lithium batteries. This makes gel batteries less durable under constant loadshedding conditions. Lithium batteries are designed for a much higher number of deep cycles, offering a significantly longer lifespan in such demanding environments.
• Recharge Speed: Gel batteries recharge slowly, often requiring up to 24 hours for a full charge. This slow recovery means they rarely reach full capacity between loadshedding events. Lithium batteries, conversely, recharge much faster, ensuring more complete and efficient power restoration.
• Voltage Stability: Gel batteries experience a gradual voltage drop as they discharge. When the voltage falls too low (e.g., below 10V), it can trigger false alarms as security sensors lose stable power. Lithium batteries maintain a stable 12V supply for longer and often feature an intelligent cutoff, preventing excessive discharge and avoiding false alarms.

ABC Security offers solutions to address these challenges: we can upgrade your system to a lithium battery or install an ABC Security designed solar panel with a backup battery for continuous power.

An alarm system’s siren will only activate for specific reasons, even if you believe it was not armed:

• User Error: The system was armed accidentally (e.g., via a keyfob) or purposefully but forgotten. Similarly, a panic button may have been pressed inadvertently.
• Low Battery Voltage: In rare cases, if the AC power supply to the system has failed (e.g., a disconnected plug or tripped breaker) and the backup battery’s voltage drops below 10V DC, the system may trigger. While often a user oversight in addressing power issues, it is advisable to log a service call as the battery might require replacement.
• 24-Hour Tamper Zone Activation: A tamper switch, typically found on the control panel lid or door, which is active 24 hours a day, may have been triggered.
• Damaged Panic Wiring: Accidental or purposeful damage to the wiring of fixed panic buttons can cause a short circuit, leading to an alarm activation. Panic switches are normally open circuit.

Regular testing of your alarm system is crucial, much like any other electronic or mechanical device, to ensure end-to-end functionality.

• Battery Health & Signal Integrity: Loadshedding significantly impacts battery life. An optimal battery voltage and amperage are vital for radio communication devices, which can draw up to 3 amps during signal transmission to our control centre. Regular tests confirm the battery’s ability to support these critical functions.
• Wiring Integrity: Wiring can be accidentally or purposefully damaged by contractors, furniture movement, or general activity, compromising sensor connections.
• RF Transmission: Radio frequency (RF) signals can be disrupted by nearby metal obstructions, large structures, or changes in line of sight, potentially affecting wireless device communication.
• Panic Remote Batteries: Batteries in panic remotes degrade over time, drastically reducing the transmitter’s range. Regular testing ensures these are replaced when necessary.
• Sensor Coverage: Home renovations or upgrades can alter sensor coverage areas, necessitating repositioning for optimal security.
• Wireless System Batteries: Wireless alarm components operate on batteries that require periodic replacement to maintain functionality.

To test your system, always inform our control centre first. They will temporarily place your system in “test mode” to avoid dispatching armed response.

The method for setting the time and date varies depending on your specific alarm system. Below is a list of common suppliers;

• Orisec
• Texecom 
• Paradox 
• Ajax 
• DSC 

Please the relevant supplier website for more information and for a step-by-step guide tailored to your system.

Regular end-to-end testing of your alarm system is essential. It is equally important to inform our control centre of your intention to test. This prevents unnecessary dispatch of armed response vehicles, which can involve more than one unit, to a non-emergency. Uninformed testing wastes valuable resources that could be attending to genuine emergencies, potentially leading to asset loss or property damage elsewhere.

System testing should occur regularly, ideally at least twice a year, depending on your system’s size and risk profile. These tests verify the functionality of all components: actual sensors, wiring to the control panel, RF transmission for wireless systems (including battery condition), and communication with the control centre. Optimal battery voltage and amperage are crucial for a strong signal transmission to our receiving base station.

ABC Security’s technical division can also perform these comprehensive tests at your premises upon request. A call-out fee will be applicable for this service.

While rare, issues with open and close signal reception can occur. As highlighted in the importance of regular testing, several factors can contribute to this:

• Battery Condition: Deteriorated batteries, particularly exacerbated by frequent loadshedding outages, significantly impact signal transmission reliability.
• Damaged Communication Device: The alarm system’s radio communication device at your premises could be damaged, either accidentally or intentionally.
• Incorrect Operation: The system might not be operated correctly, leading to the assumption that it is armed or disarmed when it is not.
• Lack of Regular Testing: Failure to test your system regularly means potential operational and communication problems go undetected, only to become critical when an actual emergency occurs.

Regular testing helps identify and address these issues proactively.

We provide automated email notifications to all our CCTV monitoring clients to keep them informed about the status of their systems.

These notifications contain detailed information regarding possible causes for your cameras being offline and outline the steps you can follow to bring your system back online. Please refer to the specific notification for guidance.

Information on how to switch off your alarm will be provided here soon.

Please check back for updates.