British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

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  • Top-Cat
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Dec 2005
    • 7

    British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

    I moved into a house fitted with a British Gas alarm with no manuals and no interest from British Gas despite several calls. I do however have the passcode. I have managed to identify the control panel as DSC LCD 5500(Z) and the circuit board in the cupboard says DSC VA00?. It all worked fine until the dispaly showed 'Main battery low' then the whole system went dead - no lights nothing. I have now replaced the battery but it's all dead, no lights nada. :cry:

    Please can anyone advise how to bring it back to life? Are there any secret reset switches?
  • Top-Cat
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Dec 2005
    • 7

    #2
    Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

    No replies :cry: it seems I'm off topic, does anyone have any suggestions where I should post my question?

    Thanks

    Comment

    • toscal
      Moderator
      • Oct 2005
      • 2061

      #3
      Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

      Have you checked that the battery is charging. And is it getting a mains supply.
      You could always try googling to see what comes up.
      IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
      Renovation Spain Blog

      Comment

      • FrankMcAlinden
        Automated Home Guru
        • Feb 2004
        • 109

        #4
        Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

        Hi

        Have you got the mains supply going to it..usually via a 16v ac plug pak ???

        Are there any onboard fuses that might have blown ???

        Frank
        Home of FirM - the Multi Zone IR Transport System
        http://www.armaghelectrical.com.au/index.html

        Comment

        • ianh100
          Automated Home Jr Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 21

          #5
          Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

          Hi, I have one of these I bought on Ebay a while back. I have the engineers manuals and master code, also a spare main board and keyboard. drop me a line off list, I am sure i can help.

          Regards
          Ian

          Comment

          • Top-Cat
            Automated Home Lurker
            • Dec 2005
            • 7

            #6
            Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

            I know there's mains going to it - I checked the 3A fuse in the mains supply and the transformer is warm. I can't see any onboard fuses.

            Ian sounds like you may have the answer I will follow up off list.

            Thanks everyone for your replies and a Happy new year to you all.

            Comment

            • graym
              Automated Home Lurker
              • Jan 2006
              • 4

              #7
              Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

              For my sins i was an alarm engineer for bg.if i can be of any help i would need builder and site location.
              regards

              Comment

              • Top-Cat
                Automated Home Lurker
                • Dec 2005
                • 7

                #8
                Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                Hi Graym
                Thanks for the offer of help but I'm a bit confused by builder & site location? What sort of builder, the alarm was installed post build? Do you mean where the alarm is sited or where the house is?

                Sorry if I'm being dumb ops:

                Comment

                • graym
                  Automated Home Lurker
                  • Jan 2006
                  • 4

                  #9
                  Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                  hello
                  sorry i mis read your first message (bg fitted a huge amount on new build sites)
                  the lcd 5500z is the key pad version which is of no great use to you.
                  "main battery fail" sounds like the 12v 7ah battery has gone in the control end station(metal box)unless you have wire free pirs.
                  to change battery:-
                  1 open metal box (will probably go into alarm!!!!! enter your code to stop sounder
                  2 turn off mains power via fused spur
                  3 connect new battery 12v 7ah (cost £16.00 approx)and put mains back on
                  4 close door of metal box and fix securely with screws if not fitted with a lock
                  5 go to key pad and enter *6 then enter your code
                  6 scroll to option time & date using <> keys press * then enter the correct time and date
                  7 press# key twice
                  system should have green light on key pad.
                  IF NOT to check system troubles press * 2
                  wow and that was the short version,
                  hope this helps

                  Comment

                  • Top-Cat
                    Automated Home Lurker
                    • Dec 2005
                    • 7

                    #10
                    Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                    Hi Graym

                    I only wish I'd had your instructions when it all started to go wrong. I didn't get around to replacing the battery until everything had gone dead, there were no flashing in the wired PIRs and no display on the control panel. I replaced the battery without turning off the mains - presumably my big mistake - and although I know the battery is charged there is still no display and no PIRs. I also know there's mains as the transformer is warm. I don't see how to enter a code as the keypad doesn't respond. Or should I ignore that problem and press keys instructions until it responds?

                    I really appreciate you helping like this - only hope I'm not past help!

                    Thanks
                    Top Cat

                    Comment

                    • graym
                      Automated Home Lurker
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 4

                      #11
                      Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                      Hello
                      I'm sure you are not past the helping stage.
                      Spares are no problem i still only fit this 1 make of alarm panel its very reliable (at the moment you probably don't agree)
                      without being too specific what area do you live ?
                      There are various tests and things to try, its a bit difficult thinking and typing replies (especially with these sausage fingers)
                      I think a more direct form of communication is called for possibly via telephone,which i would be happy to do for you

                      Comment

                      • fmrl
                        Automated Home Lurker
                        • Jan 2006
                        • 4

                        #12
                        Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                        I have a similar problem - I moved into a house a few weeks ago and it has a BG alarm but no manuals or codes (previous owner says he's "lost" these). I contacted BG and they said I'd need to pay for an engineer at the rate of £85 per half hour just to get it reset!

                        Is there any other option? Are there any useful codes or user guides available online somewhere?

                        If I disconnect the battery and the mains for a while will the box reset? If so, what is the default code?

                        (I've already had the cover off the battery box and the alarm didn't sound so does that indicate that the system isn't working properly anyway?)

                        Comment

                        • Top-Cat
                          Automated Home Lurker
                          • Dec 2005
                          • 7

                          #13
                          Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                          Hi fmrl
                          Welcome to my world! British Gas offered me a 12 month contract at £15/ month bell only or £35 one off payment plus £18/ month monitored. I said send me the details. Six weeks later I called again and they said 'sorry haven't we sent you details? we'll do that now'. That was two months ago and I've still not had anything. Included in the cost was one annual service and they said they'd use that to make sure everything was working ok. Sounds like you've had a different story, if we get no joy here we can both try them again but not on your £85/half hr deal.

                          I'll let you know if I find a solution.
                          Cheers
                          Top Cat

                          Comment

                          • fmrl
                            Automated Home Lurker
                            • Jan 2006
                            • 4

                            #14
                            Re: British Gas DCS Alarm Sytem kaput

                            I had a closer look at my alarm system last night (I found a manual online so I started with *2 and *3).

                            It keeps reporting a fault 4 which as far as I can work out is a "cannot communicate with central station" error (I'm guessing the system has been configured by BG to talk to them but they have no record of the alarm system being installed). The fault history also reports 3 ("telephone line trouble") and 5 ("zone fault" but I couldn't figure out which zone caused the error or whether it is still a problem).

                            Getting this thing up and running again seems to be more trouble than it's worth at the moment. Paying £15 a month plus possibly maybe a couple of hundred for an engineer to come out and reset it would almost cover the cost of a brand new alarm system anyway. Do BG not offer just a standard alarm system with no central station and no maintenance contract?

                            Comment

                            • stevo1975
                              Automated Home Lurker
                              • Nov 2007
                              • 1

                              #15
                              British Gas DCS Alarm System - HELP Needed - Please

                              Hi

                              I have had a similar problem. To cut a long story short i have a British Gas DCS Alarm System and opened up the main box (there was a buzzing noise, nothing to do with the alarm but a pipe and metal detector going off). The alarm went off i entered my code no problem alarm went off. SO i shut the box back up then next time i was leaving the house i went to set the alarm and it comes up with a message "secure system before arming" and the alarm wont set.

                              I have tried a system test and no error messages come up.

                              Can anyone assist as i British gas will charge me a fortune

                              Cheers
                              Steve

                              Comment

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