Hit 50 callbacks this year for false alarms on the same model panel

I've been seeing a ton of false alarm dispatches on the Concord 4 panels we installed three years ago. Turns out the backup battery voltage drop is triggering a supervisory trip that nobody caught. Is anyone else running into this or did I just get a bad batch of batteries?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_kelly917d ago

Actually, I think the Concord 4 uses Honeywell batteries with a specific part number, not a generic drop-in. I had a similar issue last year and found out the battery voltage threshold on those panels is set for a 12V deep cycle, not the standard 7Ah sealed lead acid. The drop you're seeing might be normal for those cheaper batteries under load, not a defect. Did you check the actual voltage reading at the terminals during a test?

emery_young137d ago

Hmm, I'm not sure @gavin_kelly91 that it's that big of a deal. Most people swapping in a generic battery aren't going to notice a tiny voltage drop unless they're really watching it with a meter. The panel is just going to show a low battery warning eventually if it's really that bad, and the system will still work on AC power until you replace it. I've seen plenty of installations with random no-name batteries that run for years without any real issue. It's usually only a problem if you're trying to meet some insurance or fire code requirement that specifies a certain battery brand. Otherwise, I think people overthink these things.

lane.eric7d ago

Wait, you're saying Honeywell makes their own batteries?