Sentry Installation

Need help? Get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Question: How do I test my system?

Answer: Make sure you have your account number and password. Call your monitoring station and tell the operator you would like to put your system on TEST  for 1 hour (or however long you would like to keep your system on test). During this testing time, no action will be taken by the central monitoring station.  Next, arm your system in the MAXIMUM or AWAY mode. Open a protected door, window or activate the device.  The alarm should sound.  Disarm the system after 15 seconds by entering your disarm code.(Some systems require your disarm code to be entered two times). Again, call the central station, give the operator your account number and passcode.  Ask the operator what signals have been received.  If the operator advises that no signals have been received, you may need to call Sentry Installation, Inc. for a service call.   

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Question: My alarm went off and I never received a telephone call, however, the police were dispatched; why didn’t I receive a phone call prior to the dispatch?

Answer: If you have call waiting and/or voice mail service through your telephone company the following problem occurs during an alarm. The signals from your alarm travels through your telephone line, when you trip your alarm accidentally the signal travels out your phone line the monitoring operator receives the signals and tries to notify you on your phone line, however, if you have call waiting unless your handset is in your ear, you will never know that the operator is calling you to check on your status – the line either rings on his/her end due to the call waiting feature or goes immediately to your voice mail message.

If you set off your alarm accidentally, we suggest you immediately contact the monitoring station and let them know you are calling in a false alarm, otherwise, chances are they will receive your voice mail or ringing on your end when they call your home to check your status.

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Question: When I came home this afternoon, my keypad was beeping, what does that mean?

Answer: All systems are different, however, if your keypad is beeping it is trying to notify you of an alarm event or the supervisory status of your system.

When your keypad is beeping, it could be a signal that you incurred a loss of power, an alarm, loss of a device or a transmitter or panel low battery.

Most problems are addressed in your users manual and can be corrected by the user. If you cannot find your users manual a majority of users manuals can be downloaded from our resource page. Please refer to your users manual when your system is displaying a problem on your keypad. If you cannot resolve the problem a service appointment may be needed.

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Question: My keypad is indicating Batt or low battery, what should I do?

Answer: Most rechargeable back up batteries have a life of approximately 3-5 years, however, depending on the amount of times you lose power in your area the life can extend past 5 years or you may have a shorter battery life.

If your system is indicating that you have a low system back up battery and you have recently lost power to your panel, this is normal. It normally takes up to 48 hours for a back up battery to recover from a power loss. It begins recharging only after the power comes back on. Your keypad may beep as a reminder, intermittently, until your battery reaches the appropriate voltage. This usually takes up to 48 hours. You may have to silence your keypad during this recharging time several times. To do this follow the instructions in your users manual or arm and quickly disarm your system or for some systems you may have to input your code and press the off key. Every system differs as does the steps to silence a low battery indicator. If you cannot locate your users manual, most manuals can be downloaded from one of the links on the left.

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Question: My keypad is indicating one of my wireless transmitters is in need of a battery. I replaced the battery, however, my keypad is still indicating a low battery.

Answer: Although your battery has been replaced, it may not be recognized until the next check in time or if that particular device has been activated.

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Question: My smoke detector went off and I cannot clear my keypad.

Answer: Most systems must be reset after a smoke detector goes off. Please refer to your users manual to find out how to reset your smoke detector by using the keypad.