How to disable a burglar alarm

[pirate]

Can someone please guide me on this? I have virtually no experience of home alarm systems.
The client has an alarm which had been fitted to her flat a few years before she bought it. She wants it permanently disabled. She contacted the company who said the annual subscription had been cancelled a while back by the previous owner and they want a substantial callout fee to attend to this. I know if you switch off the beaker, the bell will ring, just as it does in a power cut. Where will I find the back-up battery? I know it was in the bell box in a house I had many years ago, and if you took the cover off the bell would ring due to a tamper switch, but frankly I can't remember any more than that.
Trial and error would work, but I don't want to mess around with it and annoy the neighbours, plus the client is a fair distance away, so I'd like to be able to go there fairly confident that I can disconnect the battery and leave.

Here are pics the client sent me,




any help greatly appreciated!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

The ONE and only time I did it I had a mate guiding me through it on the phone whilst i did it. Unless you get some very clear step by step help on the forum I would pass on the job to a security company who installs them, otherwise there could be a lot of noise and a lot of cross neighbours.

 

[littlespark]

It’ll only ring until you get to the sounder, remove the lid and disconnect its battery.
Otherwise, they tend to die after about 2 - 3 hours.

Have you tried googling the make to find the engineers code and an installation manual?

 

[pirate]

Indeed, HHD...that is exactly the situation I wish to avoid!
Last time i was there to fit new smokes/heat to comply with the new Scottish regs I attempted to take down the single existing smoke and flipped the breaker...and all hell let loose in the common stairwell...I just switched it back on ...

 

[pirate]

Thanks @littlespark
No I haven't Googled it yet as I thought someone on here would have a trick or two. I don't want it ringing for 2 or 3 hours, for sure.
Will the battery be in the bell box? If so, I'll whip the lid off and disconnect there. My concern is if the battery is remotely located elsewhere, which I believe can be the case.

 

[SJD]

In the absence of reliable info, as mentioned tackle the bell box first. It will likely have a battery in it. Once you get it open, have side cutters ready to cut the wires to the battery / sounder / bell. Just warn neighbours first that you are not burgling the place and it will be shut off fairly quickly!

Oh, and wear some ear defenders!

 

[James]

There will be a battery in the bell box, it will sound as soon as you take the lid off.
Removing the battery will silence it.
However, when you remove the lid, it will set off the rest of the alarm on “tamper”
Any other sounders will activate at the same time.
As a minimum I would expect the alarm panel to have one as well that will have to be removed and the mains supply switched off.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Here is what i do in the absence of codes and the like.
1. Get ladder in position for Bell, check what tool is required to open bell box. Dont touch bell box yet.
2. Cut power to alarm panel, this may make bell sound straight away if battery is dead inside panel.
3. Open panel and remove lead to battery in panel, bell will definitely sound now, if battery in bell is good.
4. Go to bellbox, open and disconnect battery in bellbox (you will need ear protection)

If you are prepared with tools, max noise time should be less than 2 mins.

Good Luck

 

[UNG]

Without the engineer code I put it into walk test with the user code and then open the bell box and disconnect / cut the battery cable or pull the PCB link for the battery

 

[Mike Johnson]

Inside the bell box will be a series of pins with a jumper plug, the pins will be denoted, one combination of pins will disable the bell box siren with the jumper plug.

Factory set engineers code is usually 0000 or 9999, some unusual ones are 1234.

Or as most scrotes do just fill the bell box with builders foam.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Inside the bell box will be a series of pins with a jumper plug, the pins will be denoted, one combination of pins will disable the bell box siren with the jumper plug.

Factory set engineers code is usually 0000 or 9999, some unusual ones are 1234.

Or as most scrotes do just fill the bell box with builders foam.

Bloody ell.. I started reading that and thought I was in mission impossible!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Definitely let us know how this one goes Pirate.
It could be quite funny
As above, take ear defenders up the ladder with you, as it is going to be horribly loud right next to your head.

 

[timhoward]

If it's been there a long time, there's a good chance the bell box battery is approaching uselessness.

Find panel (not just keypad, the main box)
Remove mains power to panel.
Open panel (alarm will go off)
Remove spade terminals from battery from panel.
Panel speaker and any extension speakers will stop making noise.
The only thing left sounding will be be bell box if the battery is any good.

After 15 minutes max the bell box should stop.
The battery will discharge.
Game over.

 

[pirate]

OK guys, thanks to all of you for your advice! The general consensus is wear ear defenders, have cutters to hand, get the bell box open and hope for the best!
I will certainly report back. Fortunately, the bell box, which is in the communal stairwell, is only about 7' above floor level, so hopefully I won't fall far off the ladder! It'll be a while before I do this job due to a recent op which prohibits ladder work for a week or so, but watch this space.

 

[OnlQQker]

Your post reminded me of this...

 

[KWCFC]

Tim has nailed the procedure, also if the battery is not completely dead you could connect the bell cable to it to keep the bell silent until you've got to it.

I've disconnected/upgraded loads over the years, you'll be surprised at how little people actually care about a ringing bell box, as long as its not middle of the night.

 

[timhoward]

also if the battery is not completely dead

...then connecting a wind-up megger to the bell supply can produce useful undocumented results.

 

[pirate]

Oddly enough, I do actually have a wind-up megger! It sits on my curiosity shelf beside my AVO which, sadly, I can't get to work despite buying an expensive new battery for it...I'd like to get it working, but that's for another thread.