Batteries For Alarm Systems Tutorial

Avatar
Ari Erenthal
Published Jul 11, 2017 14:46 PM

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 *** ******

*** ******* ***** **** *** ******* ** power **** * *********** ******* **** an ******. *** ***** **** **** **** power ** ******* *** ** ****** ***** to ********* ******* **** ** ****** detectors, *******, *** ******. * ******* ** **** to ***** *** ***** ** **** an ******** ***** ** ******* *** alarm ** ******* ***** ** ********** the ***********. ** *********** ********* **** to ******* ***** **** ****** *****, the **** ******* ********* *** ** long ** *** ******* *****.

******** ****** **** **** *** ********* inside *** ***. ***** ********** ******** use *** ******* *** ******* *** rest ** *** ***** ** *** can *** ******* ** ********** *********** such ** **** ********* ** ******, but **** **** ************* ***** **** a ****** ******* ** ***** ** extend *** ****** ** **** *** system *** *** ******* *****. ***** systems ********* **** **** ******* ***** sizes, ******** ********** ** ****** *** capacity *********** *** *** ***********. 

********** ** **** ********* ****** ***** have * ***** ******* ****** *** keypad. *** ******* ********** ***** **** not **** **** *** * ****** battery, *** *********** ********* *** ********* **** available ** * ****** ****. *******, integrated ****** ********* ******* *** **** power, ** ** **** *** **** to ****** ********* *****. 

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

****** ****** *** **** ********** ****** commonly ********* **** **** (***) *********, **** ***** ** ***** ********* lead **** *********. ***** ********* **** well ** *** ***********, ******** *********** to ***** *** ******* ******** ** necessary ** *********** *** *******, *******, and ***********. ****** **** **** ********* do *** ******* ******** ***********, **** the ********** ********. **** ********** ****** *** SLA ********* ** ****. 

*** *** **** ****** ******** **** for *** ********* *** *** *** 6v, *** **** ** ********* *** the ************. ***** **** ************* ******* specific ******* ************ *** ******** ************, most ************* **** ***** *** ******* current ** ** *** ********* ** choose. 

*** ********* **** **** ********* **** allow ** ** ******* ** *** panel. ***** ************* ****** ******* ** or ** *********. ** ********* *** 3/16" (*.****) ****, ***** ** ********* are */*" (*.****) ****. ******** ***** allowing ********* **** ** ********* ** be **** **** ** **********.

**** ***** ***** ************* ** *** batteries *****. *** **** ***** * technician ***** ** ** ** ****** compatiblity ** ** **** **** ** use ** *** ********* **** ** terminal ****** *** ** *** ********* with ** ******** ******. *********, *** 12v ******* **** **** **** *** panel **** ******** ***. 

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

**** ********** ****** *** **-** *********. They *** ******* *** ******, *** are **** ********* ******** ** ****. Integrated ****** *** ****** ****** *** Ni-MH ********* **** ****** ****** *** because **** ********* ******* **** ******* and ******** ** *******.  

************* **** *** **-** ********* *** specific **** ********** *** ******** ********, limiting *** ****** ** ****** * particular **-** ******* ** ********** ****. While ***** *** **** ***** ***** manufacturers ** **-** ********* *** ******, often *** ******* ******* ** **** available **** *** ***** ***** ************.  

Calculating ***** *****

******* ******* ** ******** ** ***-*****, or **. **** ** *** ****** of **** *** ******* **** ****** one ***. *** *******, * **** ******* will ***** ** ***** ****** ***** 1 *** *** * ***** ** 10 ***** ***** ******* **********. 

** ***** ** ********* *** ** ********, simply *** *********** ****, ***** *** *** ****** ** amps *** ***** ***** ******** ** operate, **** ************ ****, ***** ** *** ******** ******** all *********** ******* ** *******. **** is ******** ** ** ********** **** ** ******* *****. 

********* ******* **** ** ****** *********, acoustic ********** *********, *** ******* **** **** the ******* ********:

**** ********** **** ***** **** ****** by ******* *** ****** *** ******* out ** **** ********, *** ***** that ***** **** *** ***** *** only **** ****** ***** ** *** until *** ***** ** *********, **** the ****** ***** ** *** ******* power. **** ********** **** *** ***** to *** ***** ** ******* *** the *****. 

** ***** *** *** **** ******* connected ** *** *****, ** *** become ********* ************* ********* ******* ******************** ** ******** *** ********* ***** connection **** ****** ** ********. ******** ******** *********** ******** *** ****** ******** ** depth. 

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

********* *** **** ***********, ********* ~$** USD, *** ******* **** ***** **** years. ***** ********* *** ** ******* and **********, ***** ********** ******** ******* them ** *** ***** **** ** trouble. **** *********** ********* ******* ******* testing. 

********* *** ** ****** ***** * digital **********. ** ****, * ********** places ***** ****** ****** ** *** battery ********* ***** *** ******* *** *********** is ********* ** *** *****. *** technician **** ******* *** *********** *** ******* how ******* *** ******* *****. ** the ******* ***** **** *******, *** battery ****** ** ********.

***** ********* *** *** ******** *** deep *********. ** *** ******* *** completely **********, **** *** ***** ****** lasting **** ****** *** *** ******* to *** *** *** ***** ** shut ****, *** ******* ****** ** replaced. 

**** ****** **** *** ******* ** test *** ******* ******** ************ ** programmed ** ** **. ** ********, many ****** **** *** ******* ** send * *** ******* ******, ******** central ******* **** *** ******* ***** ** be ********. *** ***** ***** **** be ********** ** **** * *** battery ******, *** *** ***** ******* must *** *** *** ******* ****** alert ** *** ********** ********. *** monitoring ******** *** ******* **** ** contact *** *** **** ** ******, and *** ***** ******* *** ******* that ******* ******* ** ** **** them ** *** ***** ** * low *******, *** *** *** **********. 

**** ** *** ***** ******** **** *** subscribe ** ******* ******* **********, **** alarm ****** **** ******* * *** battery ******* ** *** ******. ** is **** ** ** *** ******** to ******* *** ***** ******* *** a *** *******. ********* *** *** and ******* ***** *** *********, ***, for *******, *** ************ ** ***** website *** ********* ** ******, *** there *** *** ****** ** ************ and ****** ** *** ********. *********, ********* a ******* ******** * **** ***** by * **********. 

**** ***** ********* ******* ******* ****** and *********** ** **** ** ***** yearly *********** ********. **** ***** ********* **** sometimes **** ********* ** ***** ********* in *** ****** ** ***** **** of *******. ***** ***** ********* *** **** site ***** ** * ***** ***********, trying ** **** ********* **** ********* system ********. ****** ****** ****** *** ******** for *** ******* ****.

Comments (4)
SD
Shannon Davis
Jul 11, 2017
IPVMU Certified

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.

(1)
(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jul 11, 2017

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.

(1)
(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Dec 23, 2021

Recently, I tried to buy Yuasa and PowerSonic batteries at ADI, and discovered they were out of stock. I checked their website and noticed zero stock in many of the branches. The counter person at ADI recommended UltraTech, which is ADI's OEM brand. Anixter (TriEd) was the same result, but their house brand is Northern. The ADI counter person said they changed OEM's and their UltraTech batteries are now made by Powersonic. I think that Yuasa and PowerSonic brands are headed for the "special order" category at ADI, and maybe Anixter as well, and I was told I'd be paying a premium price for them if that's what I want.

Some years ago, I tried the UltraTech batteries from ADI and, about a year or two later, when servicing some systems with these batteries, I noticed they were displaying abnormal signs such as leakage and were unusually warm to the touch. Also, the UltraTech batteries were not lasting as long as my favorite brands. I stopped using them and have used either Yuasa or PowerSonic ever since.

And, despite the claim that UltraTech is "NOW MADE BY POWERSONIC", I'm reluctant to experiment again. I'm curious to know if someone has been using the UltraTech brand, recently, and how they're holding up.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Dec 23, 2021

Batteries are low margin, and heavy (which means expensive to ship). Expect to see shortages of alarm batteries for a while.