For a number of years South Africans have been dealing with load shedding and the impact it has on their home and business alarm systems. One of the biggest problems home and business owners face is that their alarm systems often fail shortly after load shedding is implemented leaving their premises vulnerable to criminals. The alarm system’s failure can often be attributed to the poor health of the backup up battery and or batteries not being fully recharged before the next load shedding stage is implemented.  You can easily identify the homes or business experiencing the battery problems by simply listening to the amount of blaring sirens when the power is restored after load shedding.

Frequently asked customer questions

(Q1) Can I just connect a bigger battery to my alarm system?

(A)    Most alarm systems are designed to work with and charge a 12v 7ah-8ah battery and by placing a bigger 12v battery in your system it will not solve the problem as the alarm panel’s charge rate is too low. In short, the alarm panel will in many instances take too long to fully charge the battery considering the frequency of load-shedding.

(Q2) How long should my battery last?

(A)    A small alarm system’s battery could last up to four hours and this is largely dependent on the number of devices (e.g., Keypads, passives, outdoor beams, etc) drawing power from the alarm panel. When Prestige Security Solutions installs an alarm system a calculation is done to determine the total power drawn from the alarm system as this helps us to establish if additional battery power will be required to sustain the alarm system during load-shedding.

(Q3) If I change my old battery with a new one will it solve my problem?

(A)    Changing the battery does not always resolve the issue and is only necessary if your battery is damaged.

(Q4) Can I connect my alarm system to a solar panel?

(A)    Yes, solar panels can be used to charge alarm batteries and is common in our off the grid installations.

  (Q5) What is the lifespan of an alarm battery?

(A)    The life span of an alarm battery under normal operating conditions is 2-3 years however load shedding and the frequency thereof often results in batteries needing to be replaced much sooner.

Prestige Security Solutions has developed a load shedding kit specifically for alarm panels that can ensure that your premises is protected by adding a few additional hours or several days without a mains power supply.  Contact us to find out more about our solutions.

This article will be updated soon!