I have a windows sensor that has been giving me trouble for a couple of weeks now. I have replaced the batteries in it at least 3 times in 2 weeks, hoping that might fix the issue. Sensor is several years old, but has not had any issues until recently, just after the batteries were replaced due to a low battery alert.
The alarm panel reports “Loss of Sensor Supervision”, but what’s odd is the tamper alert still works on it, and the alarm triggers if I open the window. If I bypass the sensor, the alarm panel will put the sensor back online after a few hours, but then it will lose supervision again after that. Alarm.com app says the sensor is “Malfunction”, but also says “Basement Window One End of Bypass”. How can it be both “malfunction” and be put back online?
Is there a way to hard reset this sensor or reboot the alarm panel? Or is the sensor just bad?
I am currently seeing the malfunction. Loss of supervision refers to the interval check-in signal the sensor uses to notify the panel that it is still present and functioning.
Loss of supervision is commonly seen due to a few different possible issues:
Borderline or poor sensor signaling due to distance from panel.
Environmental interference from excess metal, or mounted to metal surface.
Battery levels borderline low.
With regards to the batteries, what is the date code on the batteries that were used as a replacement? Are you able to test voltage?
How far from the panel is the sensor?
Is the sensor mounted on metal?
Does the sensor function? if you open the window does it properly report its status to the panel?
This sensor and the panel are the farthest apart of all of the sensors, opposite sides of the house, but it has worked fine for several years (nothing has been moved). The sensor still functions, if I open the window, the alarm panel responds. If I remove the sensor, the panel sees the tamper alarm.
Sensor is mounted on a vinyl/metal window.
The batteries were a bulk pack from Amazon, there was no date code that I remember seeing and original box is gone. I purchased some Duracell batteries from Sam’s Club this weekend, I will try replacing the batteries again.
Sensor didn’t have any issues all weekend, but today it’s back offline.
Basement Window One Offline 12:18 pm, Dec-3-2018
Basement Window One Back Online 5:13 pm, Nov-30-2018
This sensor and the panel are the farthest apart of all of the sensors, opposite sides of the house, but it has worked fine for several years (nothing has been moved). The sensor still functions, if I open the window, the alarm panel responds. If I remove the sensor, the panel sees the tamper alarm.
Sensor is mounted on a vinyl/metal window.
If a sensor signal is borderline weak, this is a very common result. Sensor supervision signals are usually the first indication of weakness on window sensors because they happen regularly.
If new batteries do not resolve the issue, you may need to adjust the sensor orientation on the window, move it away from the corner/metal, or maybe even raise it off the surface a bit with an extra piece of double sided tape (or two). Often a small adjustment can impact signaling.
