Batteries For Alarm Systems Tutorial

By: Ari Erenthal, Published on Jul 11, 2017

Alarm systems use backup batteries in order to continue working if an intruder attempts to disable the alarm by cutting power to the building. In this guide, we will examine backup batteries, including:

  • Batteries for alarms
  • Sealed lead acid batteries
  • Ni-MH Batteries
  • Calculating power loads
  • Battery replacement
  • Battery costs

Batteries *** ******

*** ******* ***** **** *** voltage ** ***** **** a *********** ******* **** an ******. *** ***** **** uses **** ***** ** operate *** ** ****** ***** to ********* ******* **** as ****** *********, *******, and ******. * ******* ** **** to ***** *** ***** in **** ** ******** tries ** ******* *** alarm ** ******* ***** or ********** *** ***********. By *********** ********* **** to ******* ***** **** losing *****, *** **** remains ********* *** ** long ** *** ******* lasts.

******** ****** **** **** for ********* ****** *** can. ***** ********** ******** use *** ******* *** reserve *** **** ** the ***** ** *** can *** ******* ** additional *********** **** ** zone ********* ** ******, but **** **** ************* often **** * ****** battery ** ***** ** extend *** ****** ** time *** ****** *** run ******* *****. ***** systems ********* **** **** several ***** *****, ******** installers ** ****** *** capacity *********** *** *** application. 

********** ** **** ********* alarms ***** **** * small ******* ****** *** keypad. *** ******* ********** alarm **** *** **** room *** * ****** battery, *** *********** ********* are ********* **** ********* ** a ****** ****. *******, integrated ****** ********* ******* far **** *****, ** it **** *** **** to ****** ********* *****. 

Sealed **** **** *********

****** ****** *** **** integrated ****** ******** ********* **** **** (***) batteries, **** ***** ** valve ********* **** **** batteries. ***** ********* **** well ** *** ***********, allowing *********** ** ***** the ******* ******** ** necessary ** *********** *** battery, *******, *** ***********. Sealed **** **** ********* do *** ******* ******** maintenance, **** *** ********** cleaning. **** ********** ****** *** SLA ********* ** ****. 

*** *** **** ****** voltages **** *** *** batteries *** *** *** 6v, *** **** ** specified *** *** ************. While **** ************* ******* specific ******* ************ *** specific ************, **** ************* will ***** *** ******* current ** ** *** installer ** ******. 

*** ********* **** **** terminals **** ***** ** to ******* ** *** panel. ***** ************* ****** specify ** ** ** terminals. ** ********* *** 3/16" (*.****) ****, ***** F2 ********* *** */*" (6.35mm) ****. ******** ***** allowing ********* **** ** terminals ** ** **** with ** **********.

**** ***** ***** ************* of *** ********* *****. The **** ***** * technician ***** ** ** to ****** ************ ** to **** **** ** use ** *** ********* with ** ******** ****** and ** *** ********* with ** ******** ******. Otherwise, *** *** ******* will **** **** *** panel **** ******** ***. 

Ni-MH *********

**** ********** ****** *** Ni-MH *********. **** *** smaller *** ******, *** are **** ********* ******** to ****. ********** ****** are ****** ****** *** Ni-MH ********* **** ****** alarms *** ******* **** typically ******* **** ******* and ******** ** *******.  

************* **** *** **-** batteries *** ******** **** connectors *** ******** ********, limiting *** ****** ** panels * ********** **-** battery ** ********** ****. While ***** *** **** third ***** ************* ** Ni-MH ********* *** ******, often *** ******* ******* is **** ********* **** the ***** ***** ************.  

Calculating ***** *****

******* ******* ** ******** in ***-*****, ** **. This ** *** ****** of **** *** ******* will ****** *** ***. *** example, * **** ******* will ***** ** ***** system ***** * *** for * ***** ** 10 ***** ***** ******* **********. 

** ***** ** ********* the aH ********, ****** *** the******** ****, ***** *** *** amount ** **** *** alarm ***** ******** ** operate, **** ************ ****, ***** ** *** combined ******** *** *********** require ** *******. **** is ******** ** ** the******* **** ** ******* *****. 

********* ******* **** ** motion *********, ******** ********** detectors, *** ******* **** **** the ******* ********:

**** ********** **** ***** this ****** ** ******* the ****** *** ******* out ** **** ********, but ***** **** ***** that *** ***** *** only **** ****** ***** to *** ***** *** alarm ** *********, **** the ****** ***** ** all ******* *****. **** installers **** *** ***** to *** ***** ** account *** *** *****. 

** ***** *** *** many ******* ********* ** the *****, ** *** become ********* ************* ********* ******* ******************** ** ******** *** auxiliary ***** ********** **** series ** ********. ******** ******** *********** ******** *** ****** circuits ** *****. 

Battery ***********

********* *** **** ***********, generally ~$** ***, *** usually **** ***** **** years. ***** ********* *** be ******* *** **********, alarm ********** ******** ******* them ** *** ***** sign ** *******. **** maintenance ********* ******* ******* testing. 

********* *** ** ****** using * ******* **********. To ****, * ********** places ***** ****** ****** on *** ******* ********* while the ******* *** *********** is ********* ** *** panel. *** ********** **** ******* the *********** *** ******* how ******* *** ******* drops. ** *** ******* drops **** *******, *** battery ****** ** ********.

***** ********* *** *** designed *** **** *********. If *** ******* *** completely **********, **** *** power ****** ******* **** enough *** *** ******* to *** *** *** alarm ** **** ****, the ******* ****** ** replaced. 

**** ****** **** *** ability ** **** *** battery ******** ************ ** programmed ** ** **. In ********, **** ****** have *** ******* ** send * *** ******* signal, ******** ******* ******* **** the ******* ***** ** be ********. *** ***** panel **** ** ********** to **** * *** battery ******, *** *** alarm ******* **** *** the *** ******* ****** alert ** *** ********** contract. *** ********** ******** can ******* **** ** contact *** *** **** of ******, *** *** alarm ******* *** ******* that ******* ******* ** to **** **** ** the ***** ** * low *******, *** *** the **********. 

**** ** *** ***** ******** does *** ********* ** central ******* **********, **** alarm ****** **** ******* a *** ******* ******* on *** ******. ** is **** ** ** the ******** ** ******* the ***** ******* *** a *** *******. ********* can *** *** ******* their *** *********, ***, for *******, *** ************ on ***** ******* *** customers ** ******, *** there *** *** ****** of ************ *** ****** on *** ********. *********, ********* a ******* ******** * site ***** ** * technician. 

**** ***** ********* ******* battery ****** *** *********** as **** ** ***** yearly *********** ********. **** alarm ********* **** ********* **** reminders ** ***** ********* in *** ****** ** fifth **** ** *******. Other alarm ********* *** **** site ***** ** * sales ***********, ****** ** talk ********* **** ********* system ********. ****** ****** charge *** ******** *** *** service ****.

Comments (2)

Shannon Davis

TED Systems
07/11/17 03:51pm

We use the PowerSonic series of batteries for our system typically. They have a good shelf life and use life. Other brands are just as good but buyer beware really cheap lead-acid batteries as you will spend more money on labor having to replace a new battery within the first year than if you spent a couple more dollars on a quality battery.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

07/11/17 04:35pm

I also use PowerSonic, but Yuasa was my preference.  I think Yuasa is now Genesis.  I tried some of the cheaper batteries and found them lacking in endurance.  I went back to a job within a year to find a cheap battery that appeared to be seeping gel and it was quite warm to the touch.  I pass on those batteries now, won't use them even if they're packaged in a kit, no matter how cheap they are.  I take them to a recycler right away.

I use the online Honeywell Battery and Power Calculator to help make sure I don't overload the panel's power output maximum and it's provides a battery size recommendation.  But, don't rely on this calculator alone, do the math yourself as I found an error in the online calculator one time and called Honeywell to correct it.

I have two battery testers, one by ACT Meters, Ltd. and one by ELK.  The ACT tester provides an AH reading while the ELK provides a Mhos baseline reading. 

I think a lot of false alarms, especially motion detector alarms, are caused by power dips, not quite an outage,  when batteries are extremely low.

I see a lot of undersized batteries on takeovers, with the 4AH and 7AH being the most popular.  I use 7AH, 8AH, 9AH and sometimes two batteries with a special battery harness, depending on the calculations, to efficiently run the system for a 24 hour period.

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