Most alarm systems include a panel tamper to alert the user that the panel is being opened. Tampers will activate the panel’s alarm if this system is tampered while armed.
When the panel is throwing a tamper alert, you will want to resolve the issue as soon as possible to prevent false alarms and false dispatches.
The location of your panel’s internal tamper switch will vary from panel to panel, but the steps to resolve are typically the same.
Prior to working on your system make sure the panel is disarmed to avoid false alarms.
Additionally, if you utilize 24/7 professional monitoring, be sure to place your account on test mode to avoid false dispatches. Surety customers can do this via the Professional Monitoring tab in the System Manager section of their Surety account.
Most tamper issues are physical and are a result of the back plate not being aligned correctly.
This tamper switch is located to the left of the set screw when opening the panel.
A tab on the back-plate presses down on the tamper switch when closed. Once this tab is released (when the panel is opened and the back plate removed) the tamper switch will release and cause a tamper.
Make sure this tab on the back plate is not cracked. Also check to make sure that the rubber cover to the tamper switch is intact. Pressing down on the tamper switch for a couple of seconds, then letting go should cause a tamper.
If the switch does not press down and pop back up properly (if it sticks or is crooked) actuate the switch a couple times to get it to orient correctly
Once you know the switch is working as it should, re-attach the panel to the back plate, making sure no power or antenna wires get caught in the back plate and that no gaps between the plate and panel are present.
Following the above should resolve the tamper issue if it is physical.
A tab on the back-plate presses down on the tamper switch when closed. Once this tab is released (when the panel is opened and the back plate removed) the tamper switch will release and cause a tamper.
Make sure this tab on the back plate is not cracked. Also check to make sure that the rubber cover to the tamper switch is intact (it is located behind the plastic square indicated in the photo above). Pressing down on the tamper switch for a couple of seconds, then letting go should cause a tamper.
If the switch does not press down and pop back up properly (if it sticks or is crooked) actuate the switch a couple times to get it to orient correctly
Affix the backplate onto the panel and verify the white plastic rectangle tamper piece is pressed down. Make sure there are no gaps around the back plate and that it is connected to the panel securely.
Note the cable placement for the battery, the grey cylinder around the battery wire is often the culprit for the panel not connecting to the back plate correctly.
A tab on the back-plate presses down on the tamper switch when closed. Once this tab is released (when the panel is opened and the back plate removed) the tamper switch will release and cause a tamper.
Make sure this tab on the back plate is not cracked/removed. Pressing down on the tamper switch for a couple of seconds, then letting go should cause a tamper.
If the switch does not press down and pop back up properly (if it sticks or is crooked) actuate the switch a couple times to get it to orient correctly
Affix the backplate onto the panel and verify the white plastic tamper piece is pressed down. Make sure there are no gaps around the back plate and that it is connected to the panel securely.
Make sure the sensor antenna is being routed out the back of the panel as well the power supply, to avoid any issues with wiring getting in the way.
The back plate is a tad tricky to correctly attach to the panel. The below video should help you with placement:
A white post with black foam tip on the back-plate presses down on the tamper switch when closed. Once this post is released (when the panel is opened and the back plate removed) the tamper switch will release and cause a tamper.
Make sure this post on the back plate is not cracked/removed. Pressing down on the tamper switch for a couple of seconds, then letting go should cause a tamper.
If the switch does not press down and pop back up properly (if it sticks or is crooked) actuate the switch a couple times to get it to orient correctly.
Affix the backplate onto the panel and verify the white plastic tamper piece is pressed down. Make sure there are no gaps around the back plate and that it is connected to the panel securely. The spring loaded set screw needs to be tightened down in order to ensure the tamper switch is depressed completely.
When a panel tamper occurs on an Interlogix Simon XTi, the panel locally displays the trouble condition and a panel tamper trouble condition also appears on Alarm.com.
The tamper switch on an Interlogix Simon XTi is the spring near the top portion of the backup battery on the right side of the back of the panel.
When a panel tamper occurs on a DSC PowerSeries Neo, this refers to the cellular module. There is no indication on the panel keypad but a panel tamper trouble condition appears on Alarm.com.
The tamper switch is on the back plastic casing of the Alarm.com DSC PowerSeries Neo cellular module as shown in the following image:
Verify the back casing of the module is affixed on a flat surface.
If fixing the module on a flat surface is not possible, module tampers for the PowerSeries Neo can be disabled remotely. If you are a Surety subscriber, let us know and we can send this command.
Once the device’s tamper is restored, let us know and commands can be sent to verify that the trouble condition is resolved.
When a panel tamper occurs on a 2GIG EDGE, it locally displays Console Tamper and the trouble condition appears on Alarm.com. If the panel is armed, the system also activates an alarm condition if a tamper switch is triggered while the system is armed.
The tamper switch on a 2GIG EDGE can be activated by either the wall tamper switch or cell radio tamper switch. The following image displays the location of the wall tamper switch:
How to resolve:
Affix the backplate onto the panel and verify the white plastic rectangle tamper piece is pressed down.
Once the device’s tamper is restored, let us know and commands can be sent to verify that the trouble condition is resolved.
