Electronic Alarms and Home Security Devices - PC1555 Panic Button

I've got a PC1555 system by DSC that I've got monitored by NextAlarm. I've got a zone (#5) that I have re-wired from being a glass break to being a NC panic button.

I re-programmed the zone to be a 24 Hour Supervisory Zone by using code 09. When I open the circuit my panel reports a Protection Loop Short until I close it and then I get a Protection Loop Short Restored. Just for giggles I reprogrammed it to Instant Zone with code 03 and the symptoms go away but of course it doesn't report when the system is disarmed and it also provides indicators on the panel.

Any thoughts as to what is going on here?

Thanks

I'd change the zone type to a zone type 12; 24 hour holdup and you shouldn't get any more trouble signals on your keypad assuming that you wired the panic button itself correctly sometimes the panic button gets wired as normally open in your case I don't think u did cause you didn't say anything about not having a ready light on.. program it to a zone type 12-- and if your ready light is on; hit the panic button and the ready light should come off...

That's working 95% perfect. The only problem is that the alarm panel shows the zone being open. But, I can live with that.

-Mike

OK, new problem. I want this zone to be able to be bypassed. It looks like that is an attribute, but I'm not 100% sure on how to set an attribute.

Any hints?

ok; well if it shows open on the keypad you just need to disarm the system with your code; give it a few seconds and the keypad should restore to ready... OR hit the reset button on the keypad if you have one.. it's looks like an arrow going in a circle somewhere on the bottom right of the keypad depending on which keypad you have... and no; you cannot bypass a 24 hour zone; that's the whole point; for the zone to be active whether the alarm is armed or not; there's not much of a point in bypassing a panic button

ok; well if it shows open on the keypad you just need to disarm the system with your code; give it a few seconds and the keypad should restore to ready... OR hit the reset button on the keypad if you have one.. it's looks like an arrow going in a circle somewhere on the bottom right of the keypad depending on which keypad you have... and no; you cannot bypass a 24 hour zone; that's the whole point; for the zone to be active whether the alarm is armed or not; there's not much of a point in bypassing a panic button

I know that normally you don't want it bypassed, but what I've doing here is alarming one of my weapons. I want it to go off any time the weapon is removed unless I'm the one removing it.
So, I either need to bypass it by the keypad or by putting in a keyswitch somewhere.

BTW, thanks for all of your help.

oh cool now I understand you been holdin out on me :) ok without too much info i'm gonna assume you're weapon is in ur bedroom closet... well, you can't bypass a 24 hr zone and that's that.. and you need it working even when alarm is off.. so here's what i'd do.. take that four wire cable that used to be a glassbreak; and make it a SECOND keypad in ur closet; then either run another wire to that door; or get a wireless contact there assuming u have a wireless receiver.. and PARTITION that closet.... meaning that the second keypad only controls whatever contact/sensor you install in that room... so that closet is always armed/protected while the rest of the house is disarmed.. this.. of course.. requires a lot more work.. and programming is a little complicated telling the panel that theres a partition separate from rest of the house.. that what I'd do if you really want it done right.. one small problem.. dsc 1555 panels i'm 99.999% sure u can't do partitions on them do you'd need a new board + kpad which will run u 100 bucks or so.. plus the know how to program it all...

oh cool now I understand you been holdin out on me :) ok without too much info i'm gonna assume you're weapon is in ur bedroom closet... well, you can't bypass a 24 hr zone and that's that.. and you need it working even when alarm is off.. so here's what i'd do.. take that four wire cable that used to be a glassbreak; and make it a SECOND keypad in ur closet; then either run another wire to that door; or get a wireless contact there assuming u have a wireless receiver.. and PARTITION that closet.... meaning that the second keypad only controls whatever contact/sensor you install in that room... so that closet is always armed/protected while the rest of the house is disarmed.. this.. of course.. requires a lot more work.. and programming is a little complicated telling the panel that theres a partition separate from rest of the house.. that what I'd do if you really want it done right.. one small problem.. dsc 1555 panels i'm 99.999% sure u can't do partitions on them do you'd need a new board + kpad which will run u 100 bucks or so.. plus the know how to program it all...

Gotta watch the OPSEC and all. Thanks for the pointer. Let me check with the boss (wife) on that.

-Mike

Reading over your description of what you did; if your system is set to require EOL resistors did you install a 5.6k ohm resistor in series with your normally closed switch? That's one thing that would produce the symptoms you describe.

Yep, I've got an EOL resistor since I am just reusing an existing zone. The slackers that installed the system put the EOL resistor right at the system side though.

-Mike

That's fine. I'm actually surprised that they bothered, most often, people that favor DSC hardware simply turn off the resistor requirement.