The Alarm (And Not The 80s British Group)

I finally learned how to do a master hardware reset on our alarm system, and thus I now have a working installer's code.

That allowed me to change the master code. We've been using the previous owner's code, because for some reason the installer of this system chose the "do not allow changes of Master Code" option, and he changed the default installer code, too, so I had no way of going into the software and overriding it.

I'd been ignoring the problem since one of the zones wasn't working, anyway (the zone that included the backyard door and windows that go to the backyard). Well, yesterday while killing weeds on the side patio I noticed some wires under the window seat sill that were cut. I restripped them and connected them. There were two sets of two wires, so there were, what, 24 possible ways to connect? (Or is it 12? Four things taken two at a time? Where's Katie when you need her?) Anyway, I was right on the first try, and finally Zone 4 is now closed. Thus, I had an incentive to get everything working.

I finally located an installer guide to the alarm system and did a hardware restart. Aren't I brilliant? It just entailed shorting a jumper for 10 seconds. After that, however, the entire system had to be reprogrammed: what zones where what, what kind of zones each are, delay times, etc.

So finally we have our own Master Code, and I changed the default install code to something I know so I can change other setup parameters as well. Now we also have the "maid code", which is a code that works just once (unarming then arming) and is then erased. For the pool boy, baby sitter, or aforementioned maid. Now we just need to get a maid.

I can now also program the system to automatically arm itself at a given time each day. Yay us.

Isn't all of this interesting?

In other news, I installed landscape floodlights to illuminate the address placard on the house as well as just give the front of the house a bit of class at night. You should drive by sometime and take a look.