New battery but low battery warning

Support
1

I have 2gig control panel, TAKE345 switch with 3 exterior Honeywell hard wired door sensors, glass break, and SMKT2-345, and some Z Wave items including 2 thermostats, 2 light switches, front door lock and 1 appliance switch. I’ve had the system functioning for a few months self monitoring with ADC account.

I have a very pesky problem that I cannot figure out. In November/December I thought that Honeywell board in the pantry/closet was no longer needed since there was a 2gig panel, so I unhooked all wiring to it. Im not even sure if the wires that were connected to the old Honeywell board were live/active/needed…I assumed not. I am not sure if that is the root of my problem or not. After removing all wiring from it, the system still worked so I thought I was good. A while after that is when the low battery warning started showing up. I honestly forgot that I had done anything with the old Honeywell board so I didn’t give any thought that it might have been the reason.

Anyway, I replaced the battery with a new on e and it lasted a short time, maybe a few weeks (can’t remember) until the same message came back, low battery on all 3 door sensors. I was also losing Z Wave communication almost daily. At this point I just gave up until recently trying to resolve the problem.

I took the battery in to be tested and it was only half strength, so I got a new one and had the new one tested before I let the store to ensure it was good. I hard reset the panel and set everything up again, even reset Z wave stuff too.

Immediately upon rebooting after setting up sensors the low battery message was there. I did a little research and thought that perhaps it was resulting from the way I set up the wireless zones of the doors. Initially I selected 2gig recessed sensors and auto learned the id’s for each of the 3 door sensors. The panel recognized them. Afterwards, I removed them and reentered them using the TAKE345 and changing the last digit of the S/n 2 for the second sensor and 3 for the third. The panel still recognizes each of the doors and the low battery message is still there.

If the door sensors are recognized either method, what is the advantage of one method versus the other?

Is there something that I need to redo incorporating the old Honeywell circuit board?

What may have caused the battery to deplete half strength in just 2 months?

Am I perhaps using the wrong protocol for setting up the wired sensors into the TAKE345 switch?

Is there specific wiring that would be causing this to happen?

Thanks in advance and I hope I have not left out any pertinent details.

2

Are you using this
https://2gig.com/products/peripherals/hardwired-alarm-system-conversion-kit/

Or this
https://2gig.com/products/peripherals/super-switch/

If you are only using the super switch takeover module how are you getting power to it?

3

The first link. It has the takeover switch and the small circuit board with the power supply. Interestingly enough this morning at 4 am I noticed that the low battery was restored…I don’t know if this will last but I would like like to still get some thoughts on this.

4

Can you post a photo of the takeover module, the battery, and its connections?

It sounds like the battery is likely no longer part of a charging circuit. Is the 12V brick battery being charged by the extra power supply board (was it connected to that board?) or was it only connected directly to the old panel?

Is your 2GIG panel being powered from its plug in transformer?

5

Here is a picture of how it’s all wired. Also, the low battery message has not reappeared since it was restored over night. The only thing that has changed is that each of three wired door sensors are programmed in the CP now using the 2gig takeover module and changing the last number of the SN to 2 and 3. This is different than before when they were programmed as 2gig recessed door sensors.

Again, keep in mind that the functionality still worked, only difference is the low battery message.

Is it possible that programming using the 2gig recessed door sensors was not properly getting battery strength thus giving the warnings for each of the 3 doors?

I am at a loss why programming 2gig recessed door sensor versus using the 2gig takeover would make a difference for the battery, however it could be.

Can you tell from the picture if the battery is wired to the power supply correctly?

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6
The only thing that has changed is that each of three wired door sensors are programmed in the CP now using the 2gig takeover module and changing the last number of the SN to 2 and 3. This is different than before when they were programmed as 2gig recessed door sensors.

Ah, didn’t catch this previously. This is problematic. All takeover module zones should be programmed as Takeover Module equipment type.

Serial numbers should be matched to the serial number sticker on the Take, with the last digit matching the terminal number on the Take. Sounds like you have it right now.

To be honest I am not sure whether that might cause just battery notifications. I would expect them to not report properly at all, though I’ve never tried that specifically.

Wiring looks mostly correct from the image, except that it appears the Take does not connect to DC- ground on the power supply. This may be the cause for your battery drain.

Is there a wire connecting between DC- on the power supply and ground (G) on the Take?

If not, you are drawing only on battery power.

7

The green wire from the ground on the Take is going to the black wires from the 3 door sensors in the wire nut. The only wire from the power supply dc- is going to the negative on the brick battery. Should i move the green wire to the dc- on the power supply?

8

Yep. 12V power should be applied using the + - DC terminals on the power supply board to +12 and G on the Take.

Looks like right now the Take is only being powered off of battery.

9

Is this better?

Now none of my exterior doors are being recognized?

Do i need a jumper wire back like it was in addition to the new connection?

Where should the black wires from the door sensors go to? now they are not connected to anything except each other in a wire nut

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Where should the black wires from the door sensors go to? now they are not connected to anything except each other in a wire nut

They should also still connect to the ground (G) terminal on the Take.

11

Ya, i figured so after I thought about it. Like this?

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12

Yes, adding a jumper there would work.

13

All appears good now. All doors are reading now. And my battery should not be draining like it was before and fail after 2 months.

You are an expert in knowledge and your help is very appreciated. Your help is also way more than I got elsewhere.

I am going to look into switching my ADC service thru you.

14

Appreciate the kind words! We’re always happy to assist.

15

Sorry I have not responded sooner but I’ve been living with the low battery message ever since, it has never went away which makes me think it is still not wire correctly. Here is a current picture.

I replaced the battery 6 months ago before I began to diagnose the problem.

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16

If you drew only battery power for a long time, the battery may be unable to fully charge again, although one likely thing to check:

The 2GIG Go!Control Panel should be powered up after the TAKE-345 in order to properly register status. Low battery alerts are a common response if powered in the reverse order.

Try just power cycling your 2GIG panel. Unplug power, unplug the internal battery, wait a minute, then power back up, battery first, then transformer.

17

Hey, thanks! That worked but how do i clear the tamper alert without having to reset the panel with the internal battery in place and thus cycling in reverse order?

Now the only problem I have is with the Z Wave communication with a few devices that keep having malfunction notices. I continually have to unassociate them to the network and relearn them. I have taken the panel close to them as well as kept the panel on the wall when doing the relearn and really no difference in frequency of the devices failing. Ive got 2 vivint c30e thermostats, a couple of Jasco switches

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That worked but how do i clear the tamper alert without having to reset the panel with the internal battery in place and thus cycling in reverse order?

What tamper alert are you referring to?

I continually have to unassociate them to the network and relearn them. I have taken the panel close to them as well as kept the panel on the wall when doing the relearn and really no difference in frequency of the devices failing.

Have you run a network rediscovery after installing the devices? A network rediscovery is a necessary step whenever adding a Z-wave device and skipping this step will cause problems later on.

Which devices are the ones malfunctioning?

19

I’ve ran network discovery after relearning the failed devices and it’ll work for a little while, a week or two then fail again. Failed devices right now are both thermostats CT30e, one of which is recognized presently as a failed device by name and the other is showing failed as unknown. However, both have previously shown failed as unknown AND by name in the past when they have failed. Other failed device is a Jasco switch and one other device (switch which I have 2 of but only 1 is failing and shows as a binary switch.

Coincidentally, the back up battery is currently back at Batteries Plus having a load test and charge to see if it will hold a charge before I either bring it home or buy a new one. Assuming that the battery will charge, what do I do next to pinpoint why my wiring is not charging it?

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Coincidentally, the back up battery is currently back at Batteries Plus having a load test and charge to see if it will hold a charge before I either bring it home or buy a new one. Assuming that the battery will charge, what do I do next to pinpoint why my wiring is not charging it?

I believe the suggestion above was referring to the battery itself possibly not being able to charge due to malfunction. The battery circuit wiring, based on the image, looks fine and should charge the battery normally.

Failed devices right now are both thermostats CT30e, one of which is recognized presently as a failed device by name and the other is showing failed as unknown. However, both have previously shown failed as unknown AND by name in the past when they have failed. Other failed device is a Jasco switch and one other device (switch which I have 2 of but only 1 is failing and shows as a binary switch.

Are your CT30 thermostats running on battery power only or are they powered via 24VAC from HVAC?

How far away are these devices from the panel and from one another? Is the panel nearby excess metal?