Resolving Wiring Problems with Your Scout Alarm System
A key advantage of the Scout Alarm system is its flexibility, allowing integration with both wireless and traditional hardwired sensors. While hardwired sensors are extremely reliable, they can occasionally cause problems due to wiring issues. If your Scout system is reporting a sensor as 'offline', 'tampered', or 'open', this guide will help you troubleshoot the underlying wiring.
This guide is intended for users comfortable with basic DIY tasks. Please ensure your alarm system is in a disarmed state before you begin inspecting any wiring.
## Understanding Basic Sensor Wiring
Most hardwired door and window sensors work on a very simple principle: a 'normally closed' circuit.
- Two wires run from the alarm panel to the sensor.
- When the door or window is closed, a magnet keeps a switch inside the sensor closed, and the electrical circuit is complete.
- When the door or window is opened, the magnet moves away, the switch opens, and the circuit is broken.
- The alarm panel detects this break and triggers an alert.
Problems arise when this circuit is broken unintentionally.
## Problem: Sensor Shows 'Open' When It Is Closed
This is the most common wiring issue. The panel thinks the circuit is broken, even when the door or window is shut.
- Check the Sensor and Magnet Alignment: Before you check the wiring, check the physical sensor. Is the magnet half properly aligned with the sensor half? Has it slipped or been knocked out of position? The gap between the two should be very small, typically less than a centimetre.
- Inspect the Sensor Terminals: Carefully remove the cover from the sensor. You will see two screw terminals where the wires are connected.
- Gently tug on each wire. Are they secure, or is one loose? A loose wire is a very common culprit.
- Check for corrosion. In damp environments, the terminals can corrode. If so, disconnect the wires, clean the terminals with a small brush, and reconnect them securely.
- Inspect the Panel Terminals: Open your Scout alarm panel or the terminal expander where the sensor is connected. Find the two wires for the problematic sensor and inspect them just as you did at the sensor end. Ensure they are tightly secured in the correct zone terminals.
## Problem: Sensor Shows a 'Tamper' Alert
A tamper alert means the system thinks someone is trying to interfere with the sensor itself.
- Check the Sensor Cover: The most common cause is simply that the sensor's cover is not snapped on correctly. Most sensors have a small internal switch that is pressed down when the cover is on. If the cover is loose, this switch is released, triggering a tamper alert.
- Check Tamper Wiring: Some more advanced sensors have a separate pair of wires specifically for a 'tamper circuit'. If your sensor has this, check these connections just as you would for the main sensor wiring.
## Problem: A Sensor is 'Offline' or Not Responding
If a sensor that was previously working suddenly disappears from the system, it points to a more significant break in the connection.
- Look for Physical Wire Damage: Trace the path of the wire from the sensor to the panel as best you can. Look for any obvious signs of damage. Was there recent construction work? Could a rodent have chewed the wire? A common point of damage is where the wire is secured with staples; a staple driven too tightly can sever the wire.
- Test for Continuity: If you have a multimeter, you can perform a continuity test. Disconnect the wires for the sensor at the panel end. Twist the two wires together at the sensor end. Then, at the panel end, use your multimeter to test for continuity between the two wires. If you have a continuous circuit, the wire is likely fine. If not, there is a break somewhere in the wire run.
If you are not comfortable using a multimeter or tracing wires, it may be best to contact a professional alarm installer for assistance.