Hello. I moved into a house with an existing PC1616 wired security system with a 4g Alarm.com communicator. The installer refuses to give me the custom installer code, claiming that he upgraded the communicator from 3g to 4g “for free” for the previous owner under the condition that he sign another 3-year contract. The previous owner moved out 1 year into that contract and (unknown to me) the alarm company let him out of it under the condition that I would agree to my own 3 year contract. When I declined service and asked for the install code that’s when I was brought into the loop and the alarm company refused my request, stating that he wants “his” equipment back.
Can I initiate service with surety without knowing the install code?
I’m sorry to hear that you have run into this situation. Unfortunately no, you will need the current correct installer code to activate an Alarm.com System Enhancement Module (SEM). This is unique to SEMs due to the way they are set up.
It sounds like from your description that the system was paid for, and the new communicator is what is still being financed. If their concern is the ownership of the SEM, did you suggest they take the SEM back and give you the code? That would let you just add a new SEM and get started.
If they are not agreeable, another option might be to factory reset the panel, though this would require reprogramming everything. See instructions regarding this at the bottom of our DSC SEM setup guide here.
In either case, a replacement SEM and free first month of service can be found here. And this SEM would be yours to do with as you please (even use with another provider if you want)
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I’d recommend seeing if they will agree to make an exchange give u the installer code if u give him the module back
I feel disinclined to participate in the security company’s scheme to strong arm me into fulfilling a contractual obligation they have with somebody else, which makes me want to try hard to not give the communicator back to them. But I don’t see information about how to reconnect sensors if I do a factory reset. Is there a tutorial on that?
I understand that decision. What you described is certainly bad business.
We do not have a step by step guide for this scenario on reprogramming DSC PC1616 zones, however zone programming instruction can be found starting on page 10 of the manual.
Programming section 001 will be zone definitions. The first 8 will be your wired zones on the panel.
Do you have wireless zones or zone expanders?
I would personally recommend since sounds like ur gonna have some trouble and then some upgrading to the qolsys panel and if u only have hardwired sensors get the wireless translator where u can use the existing Wired sensors
Thank you all. I talked with the security company and got further information. They installed the LTE communicator without charge to the previous owner but retained ownership of it. The previous owner failed to give it back, so I guess I’ll do that and just start over with a different DIY system. Thanks for your help.
It will best because then u will know what’s what and how everything is set up