Frequently Asked Questions - DSC PowerSeries PC1616 Installation Manual

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will the customer be notified if the panel fails to communicate
with Alarm.com?
Yes, the SEM will automatically use the last available zone on the panel
to display this information. The zone will be named "Communication
Failure" and will be displayed on the keypad as if it were an open zone.
How should I choose the best location to install the SEM?
• Check the signal strength before choosing a final location. Perform a
walking signal strength test by powering the SEM using the battery
directly (connect the GND and +12V terminals). After two minutes,
cellular signal level LED L4 will flash between one and five times to
indicate the signal strength (where five is the strongest signal).
Alarm.com recommends a signal level of two or higher for proper
operation of the SEM.
• Avoid mounting the SEM in areas with excessive metal or
electrical wiring, such as furnace or utility rooms.
• Mount the module near an outside wall, preferably on an
upper level.
• Do not mount the SEM inside of the panel's metal box. Doing so
will negatively impact Z-Wave performance.
• For homes or businesses located in canyons or with hills nearby,
it may be necessary to place the antenna higher in the building.
• If the SEM location requires a longer power cable, splice the provided
power wire with the fuse to your wire and leave the fuse inside the
PowerSeries panel enclosure.
Why do I need to enter the Installer Code during account creation?
The Installer Code entered during account creation (see Step 2) will
be used to access and read the zones currently learned into the panel.
The Installer Code can be changed after the zone scan is complete.
How do I initiate or test communication between the
SEM and Alarm.com?
Perform an Alarm.com phone test by pressing [#] + [9] + [8] + [7] + [*].
This phone test will not be viewable on the keypad, but can be verified
on the Dealer Website or MobileTech Event History.
How do I get the SEM and Alarm.com to read the sensor names
already assigned on the panel?
For the SEM to be able to read the sensor names stored on the panel
and display them on Alarm.com, you must broadcast the sensor names
stored on the keypads (see Step 7).
Does the SEM support 6-digit user codes?
The SEM does not support 6-digit user codes.
Can zones be enrolled in multiple partitions?
Zones should only be enrolled in a singe partition.
Zones in multiple partitions are not supported by the SEM.
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