Battery In GE Wireless Crystal Window Sensors

[jblackst2800]

I have an Elk M1 Gold Security panel and have 12 GE Wireless Window Sensors. I was wondering if there is a way to check the battery health for the wireless zones at the keypad? I believe I am suppose to see a warning when one of the batteries need replaced at the keypad but have never seen this yet. I have one window sensor that about once a month sets the alarm off when the window was not opened. I suspect that the Elk M1XRF loses communication with that one sensor and that is why it triggers the alarm. Am I suppose to get an alert when the battery is low or is it a good idea just to every couple years replace all of the batteries? I just did a walk through and it said Level 7 Level 7.....it seems like the signal strength is fine. 
 
Thanks so much for your help on this.
 
 
 
 

 

[rastamonsta1]

I need to know this as well.  I have ElkM1 Gold, and 20 GE senors.  Can I see this in Elk RP somewhere?

 

[jblackst2800]

Hi rastamonsta,
 
I posted this back in January and have not had any responses. I guess no one knows. I self monitor but Iknow if I did use an outside monitoring company they would be notified if one of the batteries is running low on one of my window sensors. We have a lot in common. I also have about 20 GE wireless window sensors. If you hear anything please let me know.
 
Thanks,
 
Jim Blackston

 

[mdonovan]

When a battery in one of my sensors went bad I kept getting a Transmitter Lost message on the keypad, and the logs in ElkRP pointed me to the sensor. I replaced the battery and it's working fine again.
 
Matt

 

[ano]

I can't speak for ELK, but GE wireless sensors send secure/not ready signals, low battery signals and a heartbeat signal.  The low battery signal should go out much before the sensor stops.  If the heartbeat signal (sent out about once an hour) doesn't appear for several hours in a row, the panel will give a supervision signal, so this means battery dead. 
 
An HAI does receive the low battery signal from the sensor, so its likely the ELK should get one also, but maybe it isn't displayed on the keyboard. Batteries can last 10 years or more, so its not a common occurrence. 

 

[rastamonsta1]

Thanks, I was hoping there was something that would show in the state area of the elk status window that the battery was getting below a certain threshold.

 

[ano]

Again, can't speak for ELK, but on HAI, I get a Trouble Now indication on the keyboard for low battery, but I have to go to the wireless receiver to see if the Trouble is low battery or supervision problems.  I could also write some code to basically sat When Zone 1 Low Battery, display on the Keyboard Zone 1 Low Battery. 

 

[Del91574]

The low battery should report to the panel, assuming the report codes are enabled also.
 
I have a few wireless GE installs out there on the M1, but their batteries are still the OEM units and haven't reported a LB or any other issue, other than RF panic buttons.
 
Since I have all the reports enabled to the CS, if the M1 acts like every other panel out there, it should report a LB on the specific zone well before it is due for replacement (typically about 30 days).
 
Remember, the lithium batteries may meter out OK for voltage, but after a couple of rounds of transmissions the voltage drops significantly.
 
For the OP with false alarm issues, I would check the tamper switch on the contact. GE units are notorious for issues with them.