I got the new Alula BAT-connect and it was working great with my HAI Omni LT panel, even the smoke alarms were going through, which we could never get to work with the old BAT unit. I get 4 bars Verizon here. Then suddenly it stopped transmitting signals. I can hear the relays on my panel clicking but the BAT-connect does not receive the message or send it out. Then one day it sent one random message then stopped again. I've been through the troubleshooting with AlarmRelay, they can't find anything wrong, it's all set up correctly, they can see my unit on their end but just get no messages. We even tried replacing the BAT but same problem. Any ideas of what it could be?
Trouble connecting to AlarmRelay
- Thread starter GeorgieC
- Start date
Well, I am just S.O.L. you guys. After extensive testing with butt kit and multimeter with AlarmRelay, Alula and HAI all they can come up with is that it seems like the dialer on the board is just not functioning. It picks up the phone line but it doesn't dial. It times out and keeps trying again. So... no way to fix that I guess.
I could upgrade to a Honeywell panel, maybe I should have done that to begin with but I like this system. Is it a lot different to learn?
I could upgrade to a Honeywell panel, maybe I should have done that to begin with but I like this system. Is it a lot different to learn?
Make sure, on the Omni LT under communicator settings that there is a phone number and account number. These are fake, but if they are not there, it won't dial. The account is 4 digits, the phone numbers are 10 digits, starting with a 1. Put these numbers in both locations. Do you get any communicator or phone line problems or errors on the Omni keypad? The Alula Bat-connect when the cover is closed, is it green?
I had to take apart the Bat-connect a few days ago. It has a VERY strong WiFi AP in it, even if you don't use WiFi. I have 4 WiFi access points, abs they would never select that 2.4GHz channel because the signal was so strong. Alula was no help, so I put tin foil over the WiFi antenna. Problem solved. There is NO WAY to shut it off otherwise.
I had to take apart the Bat-connect a few days ago. It has a VERY strong WiFi AP in it, even if you don't use WiFi. I have 4 WiFi access points, abs they would never select that 2.4GHz channel because the signal was so strong. Alula was no help, so I put tin foil over the WiFi antenna. Problem solved. There is NO WAY to shut it off otherwise.
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pete_c
Guru
Sorry to hear about your problems @GeorgieC
Here is a thread from 2016 relating to the dialer not working with a POTs line. Here still using my Ooma VOIP box having switched from copper many years ago. I also replaced my HAI included RJ31X (which never fails) with a Leviton phone patch panel board with a built in RJ31X here many many years ago.
Personally here got a call from the alarm company a couple of weeks ago that my alarm panel wasn't doing the auto dial once a week. I told them I had not changed anything in years on my panel. Normal alarm dialing was fine. I did have a look at the configuration and did notice that the auto dial schedule was not enabled. I do not recall disabling this. I enabled it and it is fine now here.
Maybe a cold reboot of the panel will solve your issues?
The user above ended up getting a new panel.
Here is a thread from 2016 relating to the dialer not working with a POTs line. Here still using my Ooma VOIP box having switched from copper many years ago. I also replaced my HAI included RJ31X (which never fails) with a Leviton phone patch panel board with a built in RJ31X here many many years ago.
OMNI Pro II - Communicator TRBL Now issue
Personally here got a call from the alarm company a couple of weeks ago that my alarm panel wasn't doing the auto dial once a week. I told them I had not changed anything in years on my panel. Normal alarm dialing was fine. I did have a look at the configuration and did notice that the auto dial schedule was not enabled. I do not recall disabling this. I enabled it and it is fine now here.
Maybe a cold reboot of the panel will solve your issues?
The user above ended up getting a new panel.
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Thanks, Ano, that is interesting. The BAT I have is this one https://alula.com/communicators/bat-connect/ I do have a green light when the door is closed. I get the "communicator had trouble" message on the keypad. I have the account numbers in and was even advised to make sure there are no zeroes because sometimes the HAIs would have trouble when there are zeroes in the sequence. Also to make sure there is no dash before the number.
Thanks Pete, that was all helpful to read through. Nowadays we don't have the land line though, the alarm company's C-BAT just connects directly to the ring & tip on the panel and calls out through its own cell service. Other than that, it sounds like the same issue these others had. I can hear the relays clicking, I can hear the dial tone through the butt kit, but it never dials. Just sits there and times out, hangs up and tries again. I don't have any issues with water or electricity spikes, my home is a one-story with a new roof, and all the wiring is on a surge suppressor. The one thing I haven't done on the troubleshooting list is reset the EEPROM. I am really wary now of messing with the EEPROM!
I sure wish it was still so easy to send the board in for repair. What are the chances that someone who knows electronics well could repair a board like this?
Thanks Pete, that was all helpful to read through. Nowadays we don't have the land line though, the alarm company's C-BAT just connects directly to the ring & tip on the panel and calls out through its own cell service. Other than that, it sounds like the same issue these others had. I can hear the relays clicking, I can hear the dial tone through the butt kit, but it never dials. Just sits there and times out, hangs up and tries again. I don't have any issues with water or electricity spikes, my home is a one-story with a new roof, and all the wiring is on a surge suppressor. The one thing I haven't done on the troubleshooting list is reset the EEPROM. I am really wary now of messing with the EEPROM!
I sure wish it was still so easy to send the board in for repair. What are the chances that someone who knows electronics well could repair a board like this?
pete_c
Guru
@GeorgieC
Are there any other issues that could damage a board? Transformer going bad?
Guessing that if everything else is working then it is only a dialer issue. (battery voltage, transformer voltage, ground issue).
You have tried to switch the Ring and Tip lines and tightened the screws there on the panel and you are not seeing a phone line error on the consoles at any time? Connected an old phone to the bat and dialed out on it?
The panel dialer will not dial out if it doesn't sense a clean line.
Guessing you have already done a warm reset by unplugging your battery and transformer.
Do you have VOIP in the house and can you connect the ring and tip wires from the voip line over to the panel to test?
A cold reset would only involve backing up your configuration and testing your panel dialing before restoring your configuration.
Are there any other issues that could damage a board? Transformer going bad?
Guessing that if everything else is working then it is only a dialer issue. (battery voltage, transformer voltage, ground issue).
You have tried to switch the Ring and Tip lines and tightened the screws there on the panel and you are not seeing a phone line error on the consoles at any time? Connected an old phone to the bat and dialed out on it?
The panel dialer will not dial out if it doesn't sense a clean line.
Guessing you have already done a warm reset by unplugging your battery and transformer.
Do you have VOIP in the house and can you connect the ring and tip wires from the voip line over to the panel to test?
A cold reset would only involve backing up your configuration and testing your panel dialing before restoring your configuration.
I did try switching the ring and tip lines and made sure all the wires are tightened down securely and done the warm reset several times as I've been trying different things. I connected the test phone to the bat and tried to dial in by hitting the # but got no response. Can you dial out? I don't have VOIP, is it possible to use that as a phone by connecting a laptop to the board? or how does that work? Thanks for all your help!
I don't think you can force the Bat Connect to dial like this. After the Omni "dials" the number, and sends the account information (which I don't think is even touch tone dialing, remember rotary phones?) it then uses contact ID to send its information. The Bat Connect has to receive ALL this information, in the correct order or it will not relay it to the alarm center. You can't just use a phone to dial it, or monitor it. You need to generate the contact ID sequence.
I don't know much about NextAlarm, but do they provide you a website to see what your system is sending? My company uses myalarm.com
There is a bunch of info sent to the alarm company. Each Bat Connect has a built-in serial number, which Alula decodes when they get the signal. Then Alula transmits this to NextAlarm.
I don't know much about NextAlarm, but do they provide you a website to see what your system is sending? My company uses myalarm.com
There is a bunch of info sent to the alarm company. Each Bat Connect has a built-in serial number, which Alula decodes when they get the signal. Then Alula transmits this to NextAlarm.
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pete_c
Guru
I can hear the relays clicking, I can hear the dial tone through the butt kit, but it never dials.
Looked at my Way2Call device logs and do see the panel dialing the once a week test alarm company phone number. I also tested the "#" key on same line and it worked fine talking to the panel.
I also DIY'd an LTE combo modem with a phone jack that I use with the alarm panel and it works fine. Old 3G modem combo also worked a few years ago. These modems are used for internet failover and telephone failover.
Still thinking testing a cold boot will totally rule out a hardware failure.
Looked at my Way2Call device logs and do see the panel dialing the once a week test alarm company phone number. I also tested the "#" key on same line and it worked fine talking to the panel.
I also DIY'd an LTE combo modem with a phone jack that I use with the alarm panel and it works fine. Old 3G modem combo also worked a few years ago. These modems are used for internet failover and telephone failover.
Still thinking testing a cold boot will totally rule out a hardware failure.
Thanks, Ano, that's good to know. I wish I knew more about how it all works. AlarmRelay does have a web portal where you can view all the data your system sends it. Usually it has a list of every arm, disarm, alarm, etc., but it stopped sending data when this happened.
Pete, you are right. The next step is to reset the EEPROM.
Pete, you are right. The next step is to reset the EEPROM.
pete_c
Guru
@GeorgieC
Legacy communications or transport or signaling to alarm company is understood with whatever means is utilized or configured on your alarm panel.
In order to start the signaling the panel has to dial to the alarm company and establish communications.
The Alula BAT-connect just emulates a copper line with a dial tone. Ideally you could test the Alula Bat connecting an old touch tone phone to it and listening for a dial tone then dialing your personal cell phone with it. I am not personally familiar with the Alula Bat-Connect and assume that is is just a proprietary cellular alarm panel modem. Nothing special at all to it.
You do not know if the signaling is working right now because the panel first it has to establish a connection to the alarm company however you get to it.
You mentioned it was working for a long time and then confirmed that the panel is not dialing the Alarm company telephone number.
Baby steps here...start with an "el cheapo" telephone line tester which does generate a dial tone for $34.95 from Amazon. You can return it if it doesn't work for you.
Just noticed that you do have a Butt set and have tested the Alula Bat and connected it to the panel to see if it is dialing and it didn't.
Triplett Byte Brothers Basic Telephone Test Set / Butt Set RJ11 Adapter (BSX200)
Apologies that I did not catch this with your OP.
So now last check would be a cold reset to see if that gets it going. Before reloading your configuration configure dialing via PCA to see if that works.
Legacy communications or transport or signaling to alarm company is understood with whatever means is utilized or configured on your alarm panel.
In order to start the signaling the panel has to dial to the alarm company and establish communications.
The Alula BAT-connect just emulates a copper line with a dial tone. Ideally you could test the Alula Bat connecting an old touch tone phone to it and listening for a dial tone then dialing your personal cell phone with it. I am not personally familiar with the Alula Bat-Connect and assume that is is just a proprietary cellular alarm panel modem. Nothing special at all to it.
You do not know if the signaling is working right now because the panel first it has to establish a connection to the alarm company however you get to it.
You mentioned it was working for a long time and then confirmed that the panel is not dialing the Alarm company telephone number.
Baby steps here...start with an "el cheapo" telephone line tester which does generate a dial tone for $34.95 from Amazon. You can return it if it doesn't work for you.
Just noticed that you do have a Butt set and have tested the Alula Bat and connected it to the panel to see if it is dialing and it didn't.
Triplett Byte Brothers Basic Telephone Test Set / Butt Set RJ11 Adapter (BSX200)
Apologies that I did not catch this with your OP.
So now last check would be a cold reset to see if that gets it going. Before reloading your configuration configure dialing via PCA to see if that works.
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You have not seen the dialer go bad, Pete? What would you do if you were having this issue?
I've found several posts where people had the "communicator had trouble" issue but they always seem to end up sending it in for repair and we no longer have that option.
It's tough to find a new board now, though I do already have a second old board that I wish I could get repaired. I wish I had a schematic and some troubleshooting info for the LT board.
I'm thinking about maybe switching out for a Honeywell panel but would my components work with that? Door reed switches and motion sensors probably would, what about HAI temp/humidity sensors? I'd have to get a new console too, no doubt. And an expansion board and second power supply...
I really do not want to go with a new wireless type of system. I want to use my hardwired components. I just want to be able to have the system monitored.
I've found several posts where people had the "communicator had trouble" issue but they always seem to end up sending it in for repair and we no longer have that option.
It's tough to find a new board now, though I do already have a second old board that I wish I could get repaired. I wish I had a schematic and some troubleshooting info for the LT board.
I'm thinking about maybe switching out for a Honeywell panel but would my components work with that? Door reed switches and motion sensors probably would, what about HAI temp/humidity sensors? I'd have to get a new console too, no doubt. And an expansion board and second power supply...
I really do not want to go with a new wireless type of system. I want to use my hardwired components. I just want to be able to have the system monitored.