House alarm advice, trying to change alarm but keep sensors.

[JasonM]

I've purchased a re-processed house, the house has an existing alarm that I currently can't activate and require help and advice.

Firstly i'll say whats in the house and currently working and not working.

1)

In the hall way I have a Texecom Veritas control panel. Is it identical to the one in url below

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/...39135giy5MlevtO7zr0Wzb783SO5N-sOmkwgghBBzUQ9w

This control panel is dead, can't operate it, there are no lights or sound when pressing any buttons.

2)

Under this control panel is a second control panel for controlling zones. It looks identical to this.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...qHAWcAdd48dfeN6ZxXbzOphMoNDWSc5VDnW9n7L80Vnwa

This is working, as it lights up when doors are opened etc. It sometimes beeps and I have to turn the beeping off.

3) There appears to be modern infrared sensors around the house. The infrared sensors are not lit, however there is a number of door sensors and I presume these are triggering the control box above. All the sensors are wired in very neat and it would be a shame to remove these.

4) On the outside of the house there is 3 alarm boxs (front, back and side) they say 'Vital Alarms' but their web address is no longer active. No lights have ever been seen on the alarm boxs so presume they are dead. Again the alarm boxes look pretty modern and new.

I would like to fit another alarm that has SMS text function. However I would like to re-use as much of the existing components as I can. I expect I can re-use the sensors, however unsure what can be re-used after this.

Would be grateful for anyone to read over the above and offer some advice.

Thanks
Jason

 

[JasonM]

Thanks for everyone's help, there is some quite detailed responses above and it's very much appreciated.

Sorry about photos, I found these on the Internet. I don't have camera with me at the moment, however this weekend will take good photos and post here.

Since posted the original thread I have discovered the key pad is a Texecom Veritas R8. It appears the control panel (main control) is even switched off or at least the battery backup has gone flat. This Saturday i'm going in the atic to try and find the control panel, I have looked everywhere else and atic is only place left.

Texecom make a dailer that can be added onto this existing system, model CGC-0001, so bitslice you were correct about adding a dialer. This can do SMS but it connects to wired phone line, and is not GSM, I'm going to investigate to see if a regular GSM from another company can be added.

bitslice, thanks for finding those instructions above. If an engineers password has been set, what is the worse case. Would all the alarms be active on the house, and then be unable to silence them? Or would it just be the case i'm unable to arm the system.

 

[JasonM]

bitslice, thanks again for all your help.

Re the engineers code. If it has been set, what is risk of having bells active, but not able to disable them. I'm concerned I enable power, alarm goes off, then can't deactivate.