Electronic Alarms and Home Security Devices - DSC 832: Help! System is armed, has trouble light, but no access codes

I purchased a house with a DSC 832 w/ two 8-zone LED keypad installed by the prior owner. I've had the house for months and never armed it. The system told me when doors and windows were open and closed. I was not using the alarm features (obviously).

I don't have a monitoring contract though it is tied into the phone line. I didn't think their was a siren (wrong!).

A trouble light came on with a chime to call attention to it. It was the middle of the night. I fumbled with the keypad and managed to arm it (that was a surprise). I knew enough to wait until the morning before I opened any doors. I also researched at 1 AM how to fully power it down. Later in the morning I unfortunately exited the house to get screwdrivers and tripped the alarm. That's when I discovered a siren was installed though hidden from sight in the attic.

Fortunately I correctly understood how to power the system down and the morning wake-up call to my block only lasted about 20 seconds. I'd like to bring the system back online but don't have any of the access codes.

I have downloaded the Installer manual. I agree with other posts that this was not intended as a tutorial.

I have not defaulted the system ...yet.

1. If I power it back up, will it still be armed? Will it start sounding the siren? I can disconnect the siren.

2. Is there anyway for me to disarm it without defaulting it?

3. If I default the system, will I loose the programming? (If I understand the installer manual, I will not loose the programming.)

4. Is there a way to tell if the defaulting the system was successful?

5. If the system cannot be defaulted using the hardware short, what are my options? I don't know the installer code.

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

(This exercise may give me the excuse re-run wire in the attic. It is a rat's nest!)

-SonicRealism

Only thing I can suggest to prevent a "scare" if the siren goes off when you power up, by disconnecting the wire leads going into the panel for it.

More than likely, it will power back up armed. It's a pretty standard option. It won't go immediately into alarm unless a zone is faulted, but disconnecting the siren wire is a good idea.

If you use the hardware default, all of the programming will reset to the factory defaults (assuming no installer lockout), which means reprogramming all of the zone configuration and settings.

Basically, if the hardware default works, then the installer code will be 5010, and the master code will be 1234. If you key in *8 5010 and it goes into program mode, then it worked.

If the installer lockout is set, then short of a lucky guess at the installer code, the only practical option is a motherboard replacement.

Thanks. I did disconnect the siren. Thankfully the hardware default option worked. Now I am working through reprogramming it. It's safe to say that the installer manual is indeed more of a reference for trained folks. Not the most user friendly thing I've read (or written for that matter).

Now I need to do a few things like put a resistor across Bel terminal so it doesn't show up as a trouble code. I also must solve the original problem which I now know to be a low battery voltage.

On the positive side of things, I have been forced to learn a good bit about my system. The fog is beginning to clear and new options are presenting themselves.

I'll probably have a couple of new posts here soon but under new titles.

Again, thank you.