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| FAQ's |
(Frequently Asked Questions)
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| Q. |
What is the importance of line seizure when
connecting an alarm panel to the telephone line? |
| A. |
Simply put, line seizure ensures the fact
that when the Security System needs to communicate with the Central
Monitoring Facility, all other phone line activity will be
temporarily interrupted to allow the Security System to report the
current alarm or maintenance condition that exists.
This means that the
path of the dial tone flows from the interface into the alarm panel,
then back to the phone wires inside of the interface that feed the
household phones. Only by placing the alarm panel in series with the
phone line can you obtain proper line seizure.
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| Q. |
What can happen if the homeowner or a phone
company technician changes the connection that the alarm company
makes when the alarm system is first installed? |
| A. |
There are several things that can occur when
the homeowner or the phone company does any new work inside of the
telephone network interface. Many times, the telephone company
technician may not be familiar with the type of connection that has
been made to connect the alarm system to the telephone line. Upon
troubleshooting a problem on the line, or adding a new extension, it
is quite common for the wires feeding dial tone to the alarm system
to become disconnected.
It is also quite
common to see additional extensions added by bringing new wires to
the interface, and connecting the new service onto the screw
terminals, in parallel to your alarm panel, eliminating line seizure
as you originally installed it.
Most newer alarm
panels will have some sort of trouble indicator due to this loss of
dial tone, but usually the homeowner doesn't notice it until the
next time that they arm the system, usually after the phone company
has left the premises.
Another situation
could occur if the red and green "feed" wires have been reconnected
to the alarm system, in parallel with all of the other telephone
service. On most panels, this will defeat the "trouble" circuitry
and will still communicate if an alarm occurs, as long as no other
phones are in use. When the alarm is simply connected in parallel
with the rest of the lines, the alarm system is no longer capable of
"seizing the line" during an alarm condition. Eventually, the
customer will contact the Alarm Company due to the lack of response
from the central station, but of course, if there had been an actual
break-in, or fire, the damage has already been
done. |
| Q. |
How were the BW-1 and BW-2
developed? |
| A. |
As alarm company owners, installers, and
technicians, over the past 12 years, we have gone out on many
service calls due to problems with the telephone line connection to
the alarm panel. We have always utilized high standards for all of
our installations, making our phone line connection in the network
interface, and not merely cutting into a telephone wire running
through the attic or basement.
We always explain to
the customer that the alarm system's ability to transmit signals to
the Central Station system depends on the proper connection to the
telephone line. Even though we always tell our customers to check
their keypad after any work has been done in their home, many
problems have occurred due to other workers or repairmen working in
their home or business. Things like disconnecting the AC transformer
to plug in a drop light to do work in the basement, or door and
window installers simply cutting wires leading to door and window
contacts are somewhat common, but by far, we have experienced the
most problems stemming from the routine disconnection of the
alarm/phone line connection many times when the customer actually
had a problem that was completely telephone related, and had nothing
to do with the alarm.
The fact that most
newer security systems have a trouble indicator on the keypad only
seems to make the customer more likely to think that their problem
with the phone line has something to do with their security system,
when if fact, it is the opposite, and the alarm system is simply
alerting them to the fact that their phone line is not in service
for some reason. |
| Q. |
How
will I benefit from using BW Connectors when I install or service a
system for one of my customers? |
| A. |
In addition to standardizing your
installation procedures relating to the telephone line, utilizing
the BW Connector will clearly give the telephone company technician
and/or the homeowner a way to temporarily disconnect the alarm
system from the telephone line in about 5 seconds by simply removing
the male and female plugs of the BW and restoring the original
connection by replacing the jumper from the interface into the test
port. After testing is complete, the reconnection is very, very
simple.
We also have included
a yellow sticker that attaches to the BW Connector and clearly
identifies the BW as being part of the security
system. |
| Q. |
Doesn’t
an RJ31X Jack and cord provide the same function?
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| A. |
Absolutely not. Even though the RJ31X Jack
and cord does provide a way to disconnect the alarm system from the
phone line, you still are required to remove the original wiring
from the screw terminals, and splice the customer's wires to the
alarm system return feed wires that are inside the interface box.
Even though the RJ31X is usually installed inside or next to the
alarm panel, you still have the wire run from the interface to the
RJ31X jack that can have an open or a short, or may be cut, etc.
Even though the customer can remove the dial tone from the alarm
panel if a malfunction of the alarm panel should occur, the RJ31X
jack and cord has a completely different function, and was designed
for a different purpose entirely. |
| Q. |
Can I use a BW
Connector, and the RJ31X if I want to? |
| A. |
Absolutely.
You can still provide your customer with a way to disconnect the
alarm system from the phone line with the RJ31X, but you still need
to provide the Phone Company with a way to disconnect the alarm
system from the outside of the premises, as they have to charge to
do any work on the inside of the home.
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