[Wanderman]

OK so after some detective work i managed to find a key that works in my Alarm switch on the outside bay. It's likely NOT the correct one, but it works.

I have activated the alarm armed switch on the panel above the microwave, exited, closed the door, turned the key switch on the outside of the bay to ON. Opened the door. Alarm Sounds.

I have had the outside switch off, the panel switch off and switched the "panic" alarm switch in the bedroom to ON.. Alarm sounds.

I have switched the panel switch to on (armed) and opened the door.. Alarm sounds.

So far so good....but....

With the panel switch to OFF (not Armed) and the outside keyed switch to OFF (open no continuity) After a while, the Alarm Sounds!

If I disconnect the RED relay in that bay with the switch it's off completely, but obviously doesn't work at all.

Weirdly, if I just touch (maybe a bit of a tug but NOT open) the bay door it shuts off.

I DO see a mercury switch on the pantograph hinge....

So what, aside from a main door switch triggers the alarm??

Can anyone identify the relay to the LEFT of the Red one??

See pictures below:



Any info would be great!

[encantotom]

a question then a statement.

does your horn go on and off when the alarm sounds?

if so, i suspect that is a relay that turns the horn on and off from a flasher unit somewhere.

tom

[Wanderman]

Tom,
Yes! The horn goes on and off... that's the alarm part

I believe the relay is a combo of the boxes in the bay. One runs the horn pulse and the other is a trigger. Any idea what triggers the alarm aside from the main door being opened?

[Fulltiming]

I will have to check to see where is trigger is but if I open the bay door that contains the alarm, and the alarm is armed, it does set the alarm off. So in addition to the panic switch in the bedroom and the entry door, opening the bay door that houses the alarm circuit will set the alarm off. That prevents someone opening that bay and disconnecting power to the alarm, thus disabling the alarm. I am not sure if it uses the same tilt switch that turns on the light in that bay or a separate switch. I will try to remember to check tomorrow for you. Your first photo is the tilt switch used to turn the light in that bay off and on. I will also look at my relays to see if mine are similar.

[Wanderman]

Thanks Michael. The weird thing is my alarms turns OFF when I even touch the bay latch...though that could be the tilt switch..maybe wired backwards?

[ccjohnson]

Key switch may be bad.

[Wanderman]

cc,
I checked the keyswitch, registers no continuity in one position and full in the other, so it appears to be OK.