I just moved into a house with a Qolsys 2+ panel and got it all synced up with Surety no problem. But a lot of window sensors are reporting a malfunction - which I assume is just a problem with the supervisory signal. For example, if I open a window that is reporting a malfunction, the sensor comes back to life and reports that the window is open. But it eventually goes back into the panel reporting a failed state. I did try replacing the battery to no avail.
The sensor is a Versa window sensor running at S line frequency. I’m sure it worked in the past because the house’s prior owner only mentioned 2 sensors not working rather than 10. Do the sensors need replacing, or should I just try removing and re-adding to the panel?
If you are having supervision issues with many or all sensors and they should otherwise work, there are a few likely issues:
- Sensors are all older and need new batteries.
- Range/attenuation is a problem
- Or the white thin sensor antenna on the panel is not routed out of the panel properly, is pinched in the back-plate, or otherwise damaged.
If you have already tried new batteries, pop open the IQ Panel 2+ and take a look at the antenna.
If the panel is wall mounted, that thin white antenna must be routed out the back of the panel into the wall. If it is resting on a surface the antenna should be coming out the back.
There is a hole in the back plate right next to the antenna where it should be going out.
I checked and the antenna is indeed routed through the back plate into the wall and appears to not be damaged. I’ve tried replacing batteries without luck. There’s no problem in activating a signal when I open a window, it’s just apparently the supervisory signal not checking in I assume causing the malfunction. Is it possible to see what my system is doing from your end?
Supervision errors are a failure of the panel to receive the timed heartbeat signal from the sensor, letting it know that the sensor is present and working. There is no additional detail transmitted.
The most common causes are lower battery levels, distance from the panel, and attenuation.
The sensor is a Versa window sensor running at S line frequency
I’m not familiar with that, are you referring to the Versa-GE sensor model? (that’s not an S-Line sensor, it is an unencrypted 319.5mhz sensor.)
A good test for something like this when you have some sensors showing supervision errors is to swap the location of a malfunctioning sensor (A) with one not showing these errors (B).
Does the problem follow Sensor A to the new location? Or does it now affect Sensor B in the spot where Sensor A was previously having a problem?
I’ve still been having issues, so I bought the 524X repeater on the theory that it would solve any issue of low signal power on supervisory signals.
I programmed in all my existing problematic sensors to it, and programmed the repeater into my panel. Seemed to work. But 24 hours later it looks like every one of my sensors using the repeater is reporting a malfunction.
I don’t get it, but it seems like some sort of compatibility issue with the sensor since only the Versa sensors are causing an issue and not any other 319 MHz sensors. The prior owner of my house (who installed all these sensors) told me about 2 that were acting up, but didn’t say anything about the additional dozen. So it seems like a recent issue. Perhaps caused by the change in account / configuration on the panel?
The sensors are the Versa Mini. https://versawireless.com/
Perhaps caused by the change in account / configuration on the panel
If they only have supervision problems that might be fixed by adjusting a configuration option.
Do they still report open and close reliably at the panel? If the sensors still open and close normally, but supervision fails often, then they may just not send supervision signals at the expected appropriate interval.
You could adjust the supervision interval your panel checks for sensor transmission and increase it to give those sensors more time to check in. It looks like your panel supervision check set to 4 hours. It can be increased to 12 or 24. Try increasing it. Do the errors stop?
(Settings > Advanced Settings > Installer Code > Installation > Installer Settings > Loss of Supervision for non-emergency sensors.)
In the prior response I suggested testing sensors by moving existing sensors and seeing if the problem followed the sensor. Did you try that?
I’ve never actually seen anyone trying a Versa sensor before. I am not familiar with them, however, Versa Mini sensors are not tested and not found on the manufacturer’s compatibility list. Here is a list of officially compatible sensors. See the 319.5 mhz section.
That compatibility list is direct from the manufacturer of the panel.
If you updated the firmware on the panel it may be that newer firmware updates have caused an issue with the sensor, but it is far more likely to be just a general issue with the sensors if they are all doing it, hopefully just a slower than normal supervision signal.
As an update, I lengthened the interval for supervisory check-ins on the panel to 12 hours and now everything works fine. Those sensors must just report with a longer than normal interval.
Thank you for confirming!