How to replace an Alarm System Battery

In this article we will cover how to replace an alarm battery. Alarm System Batteries are used either as a back up power source for an alarm system, as the main power source of an alarm system or in combination with an electrical power supply.

Wireless Alarm Systems

Wireless alarm systems operate solely on battery power and do not require any cabling or electrical hook up.  Each transmitter, strobe or motion sensor, on a wireless alarm system is powered by its own individual alarm battery.  The keypad and siren however are typically hard wired or plugged into an outlet on a wireless alarm system.

Hardwired Alarm Systems

A hardwired alarm system runs on electrical power and has all its components hardwired into the home or business control panel where the power is run through the main circuit board.  As an emergency precaution in case of a power outage, a hardwired alarm system has a backup alarm battery with reserve power to allow the alarm to keep monitoring the home or business until power is restored.  A backup alarm system battery is kept at a constant charge while power is operating and goes to work when the electricity to the home or business goes out.

A hardwired alarm system is probably the easiest home or business alarm system to maintain your alarm batteries in.   A hardwired alarm system does away with the need to check each components alarm batteries as you would have to with a wireless alarm system.  The battery or batteries for a hardwired alarm system can generally be found housed in a centralized alarm box or battery bank.

Alarm System Battery Types

Both rechargeable alarm batteries as well as non-rechargeable alarm batteries are used in alarm systems.  A rechargeable alarm system battery will typically lower your maintenance costs over a non-rechargeable battery.  There are many different types of alarm system batteries.

Some of the more common alarm battery types are the rechargeable sealed lead acid alarm battery, rechargeable nickel Cadmium alarm battery and non-rechargeable lithium alarm battery.  The typical life span of a rechargeable alarm battery can be anywhere from 3 -5 years under normal operating conditions.  A non-rechargeable alarm battery will typically last 1 – 3 years under normal operating conditions.

How do I determine what alarm system battery I need for my home or business wireless alarm system?

Locate all the components to your wireless alarm system.   The components should be labeled on the inside of your main control pad as to there location.  Your control pad should also show you which alarm batteries, if any, need replacement.

Sensors are generally high up on a wall or ceiling throughout, on the frame and doors in the dwelling and on the checkrails or glass panes of your windows.  Sometimes the sensors are not included anywhere but on the main floor for cost saving purposes.  Each component will contain an alarm battery that needs to be maintained on a wireless system.  There will also probably be a alarm battery panel or alarm battery bank in an out of way place which serves as a backup to or as the power source for the wireless antenna, siren and control panels.

How do I determine what alarm system battery I need for my home or business hardwired alarm system?

Locate your alarm panel or alarm battery bank.  Write the part #, brand, voltage (V) and amperage (Ah) down for each alarm battery and do a final tally of each alarm battery type.  You can use our extensive cross reference search engine at BatteryGuy.com or call us at 1-800-572-1975 to insure you get the correct alarm replacement battery.

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