I just moved into a new house that has an ADT system. I don’t want to pay for the monitoring service, but I need the smoke detectors to work. I think they get power from the alarm system, but when I checked the panel, it had no battery and nothing in the closet where the system’s brain should be. I ordered a new battery and plugged it in, but still nothing. The alarm panel and smoke detectors are still without power, and ADT won’t send someone unless I sign up for a contract. Any ideas?
It sounds like there’s a transformer that’s been unplugged somewhere in your house. I’d start by looking in the attic, basement, or near outlets to see if it’s just hanging around.
If nothing happened when you plugged it in, it’s likely the previous owner disconnected the system. You can probably see the wiring has been moved from the ADT panel to another system. Looks like they installed a 2GIG GC2 and converted all the wired zones to wireless using a TAKE-345. You’ll need to reconnect everything to how it was with the original ADT system.
You expect us to know what equipment you have with such a vague description?
Bob said:
You expect us to know what equipment you have with such a vague description?
You’re right, my bad. The panel is a SafeWatch Pro 3000. I’m not sure about the smoke detectors, but I can check if needed.
Everything runs off the main panel. There’s a transformer that powers it, and a backup battery for when the power goes out. Post some pictures of what you’re working with.
Warmington said:
Everything runs off the main panel. There’s a transformer that powers it, and a backup battery for when the power goes out. Post some pictures of what you’re working with.
I can’t post images directly here, but here’s a Google Drive link with some photos: Alarm - Google Drive
I found the transformer and plugged it in a couple days ago. The brain seems to have power now, but the keypad still doesn’t.
@Sebastian
Wow, that’s a pretty typical ADT setup. When you say ‘panel’, are you talking about the keypad?
Warmington said:
@Sebastian
Wow, that’s a pretty typical ADT setup. When you say ‘panel’, are you talking about the keypad?
Yeah, sorry, still figuring all this out. My last place had a similar system that wasn’t monitored, but everything worked fine, including the smoke detectors and keypad.
Could you post a picture of the smoke detectors you have? Maybe they’re wireless.
Davis said:
Could you post a picture of the smoke detectors you have? Maybe they’re wireless.
Here’s the link: Alarm - Google Drive
That system won’t work on battery power alone. You need to get the AC transformer hooked up first.
First thing I’d check is whether the system actually had smoke detectors installed. If they don’t have a backup battery, they might be powered by the system. Is the keypad even on? If it’s not, someone probably unplugged it, and the battery is only for backup. You might want to get new smoke detectors, maybe wireless ones that connect via WiFi. That way, you know exactly how old they are because you installed them yourself.
Sebastian said:
@Vance
Here’s a link with some pictures that might help explain things: Alarm - Google Drive
The plug goes into the wall, and you should trace it back to the panel. Plug it in and see if the keypad powers up.
@Vance
I plugged it in, like in the picture, but the keypad still has no power. Any other ideas?
Sebastian said:
@Vance
I plugged it in, like in the picture, but the keypad still has no power. Any other ideas?
It could be the transformer, the outlet might not work, or the transformer itself could be bad.
Sebastian said:
@Vance
I plugged it in, like in the picture, but the keypad still has no power. Any other ideas?
The keypad is connected to the main control board. The transformer powers a smaller wireless translator where all your detectors are plugged in.
Honestly, I would stay away from ADT if I could. I’ve heard so many bad experiences.
The only way to get the smoke detectors running again with the ADT system is to move the AC wire back to the main control board so it powers the keypad. The original ADT system was hardwired, but it looks like the homeowner switched to another company and used a wireless translator.
@Leila
That Safewatch 3000 system has zone 1 for the smoke detectors, and it looks like they’re still wired. The new company probably didn’t mess with them.