Does the alarm system work during a Black out? How long does the system work? Will the communication between the alarm system and the 24-hour monitoring center be guaranteed?

After all, will the safety of the place and of the people still de efficient during the interruption of energy?

These concerns keep coming up in the users of electronic security systems. And we can say that the equipments and the monitoring centers are prepared for this event, in case it happens. I mean, for being a security system, the event of a power shortage is an item already foreseen in the equipment and in the installation of the systems

This guarantee that the system will work is related to two existing items in the equipment: In 24-hour monitoring centers, the NO BREAKS and the energy GENERATORS, and in the alarm systems terminals in the homes, the BATTERIES. This way the whole network of the electronic security systems will keep working in case of a power shortage.

The biggest concern is with the condition of the batteries located in the alarm systems terminals that stay with the client. Mr. Mário Tavares, President Director of ABESE, comments in a interview to the Proteger magazine: “There is the necessity to check the equipments batteries that have a no break doing tests, substituting the ones that have expired, even if they still have plenty of power. They will be submitted to continuous discharges and charges that may damage and shorten the battery life, for this is not there function. The monitoring centers who are more careful with the systems that are installed, monitoring the systems to verify if the batteries are discharged, this way they can inform the client of the situation. I even recommend that the clients ask to their monitoring companies if they are checking or not their battery condition. For example, the alarms usually use a 3,5A or 7A battery. The 3,5A is the most likely to present defects during a power shortage, for it will work for the first 4 hours, but if the discharge is big it might not receive in the following hours the necessary charge to suffer more 4 hours of interruption. Its recovery will be compromised. But a battery that is well charged and checked, will probably discharge and recharge again normally, if the shortages are not exaggerating.”… “if the battery has low power and there is a power shortage, it can cause many false discharges of the system because several detectors required a minimum power supply”. Therefore it is crucial that the client is aware if its battery is working properly and charged. A verification of the batteries has to be done according to the procedures written in the installation and operations manual of the alarm system installed in your home and if you have any questions, get in touch with you company for a proper response.

As in the communication signals between the alarm systems terminals and the 24-hour monitoring center, there shouldn´t be any problem, once they use the telephone line to make the communication protocol, and the telephone companies possess a self-sustaining power supply.

Therefore we can say that observing the questions above and taking the necessary caution, the electronic security systems will work normally in case of a black out, guaranteeing the safety of the people and the place.