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How To Change Your Alarm System Battery

By August 15, 2014 June 25th, 2019 No Comments

No Technical Expertise Necessary: You Can Do It Yourself!

One of the most common service questions we answer is “How do I change my alarm system battery?”

Changing your security system battery, an important part of maintaining your alarm system, takes about 5 minutes and can be accomplished by following our easy instructions.

General Battery Information:

  • Your security system is equipped with a control panel battery which is designed to supply power your security system in the event of an electrical outage.
  • The security system battery is located in the control panel, usually placed in the basement or utility closet
  • In the event of an outage, your battery should last (provide power to your system) for about 48 hours.
  • Overall, your security system requires very little maintenance; however, your control panel battery may need to be changed every few years.
  • You will know to change your security system battery if If your keypad indicates “trouble” or “low battery.”

How to Change The Battery

Step 1: Open the Control Panel Box

Open the control panel box, either by removing the screws on the side of the cover or with the control panel key. Note: The photo here does not show all of the internal components and wiring. Your control panel may also look different from this photo.

To change your system battery:

Step 2: Disconnect The Old Battery

  • Pull the black wire’s connector from the negative (-) battery terminal. This may require pliers with electricity insulated handles. The connector may need to be wiggled slightly for it to loosen and become disconnected
  • Pull the RED wire’s connector from the positive (+) battery terminal. This may require pliers with electricity insulated handles. The connector may need to be wiggled slightly for it to loosen and become disconnected.
  • Remove the old battery from the control panel box. WARNING: Do not touch any metal objects to the terminals on the battery or to the open-end of the black and red wire connectors.

Place the New Battery Inside the Control Panel Box

  • If the replacement battery has plastic terminal protectors, remove them before connecting the wires to the battery.
  • Connect the RED wire to the RED terminal of the new battery by pushing the connector firmly onto the terminal. If you do not see a RED colored terminal, look closely at the top of the battery for a positive (+) terminal.
  • Connect the BLACK wire to the BLACK terminal of the new battery by pushing the connector firmly onto the terminal. If you do not see a BLACK colored terminal, look closely at the top of the battery for a negative sign (-) next to the terminal and connect the BLACK wire to the negative (-) terminal.

Done!
There you have it. You’re now a pro at changing your security system’s control panel battery.

Of course, we are always happy to replace your alarm system battery for you… Just contact us and one of our friendly service techs will visit your home or office to help. For more home security and security system tips, download our free home security checklist.

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