MCM CD8 Alarm panel(Fried Zone?)

I have the above alarm panel and sector five seems to be fried,

Bet it suffered a lightning surge and the whole thing is cactus.

............ Phil

No it shouldn't. I have an MCM ICON8 system and it does not "lock up" with a disconnected or bung input channels. Any alarm panel should work the same, anything wrong with the inputs would not corrupt anything or cause the panel to not work, you simply isolate the input in software. Although given that your board has been fried somehow, some other circuitry may also be damaged. The ICON8 has a power-on option which resets the EEPROM configuration back to factory default values, including the technician setup passwords. Yours should have something similar and you should be able to download the programming manual and try this out.

Dave :)

Thanks dave,something could be wrong due to the fry out,I read about the isolation therfore my question, All I have come up with so far is that either I have the wrong tech codes or it won't enter program mode because I ham running it off the backup battery at present. It appears that that after it boots function 98 returns 0 and it starts in OFF mode and the sirens sound for half a sec.what ever this means,The manual say's not to retain the on/off status in this case.....I don't queit know what this means. It also says that to enter program mode it must be in off mode,this is why i thought not much could be wrong with it, The default codes I have are from the manual and are 21 80 67 (tech code) can you confirm this to be correct ?

Sorry, I don't know anything about that panel, but if that's what the manual says then that's what it's gotta be I guess. Assuming you have followed the cold reset procedure to reset the Tech code to the default value. Does your manual mention this cold reset feature?

If your unit seems to be responding to keypad presses, then it's a safe bet that the processor and firmware are OK and functional. Check with MCM tech support, your firmware may have been upgraded and have a different default tech code to the one in the manual maybe.

Yes, the unit must be in OFF mode to enter program mode, but battery or mains operation should make no difference to this.

MCM sell complete replacements boards too, and their gear is pretty cheap, this might be the easiest option.

Dave :)

Thanks,The processor has a MCM label and date on it,so possibly a service as you suggest. I replaced the Zener diodes and got a better power supply ,however no difference. I have tried the cold reset many times ,I enter the tech code and it dose not beep or light the program led,any further inputs past this are denated as a loud long beep,indicating failure of input codes obviously. Will check with MCM and the previous owner for differnt codes.

Thanks again.

MCM still sell the CDX EPROM, but it doesn't look like they sell the entire PCB, only the PCBs for the new ICON8 or ICON16. They might fix it for you at a price, but it's probably best to simply upgrade to the new ICON8 PCB. I couldn't get schematics out of them for the ICON8.

Dave :)

Hey, I contacted MCM,they were helpful and solved my problem I think. I must use the CODE key instead of the ON key. I am now in program mode. Just have to figure the system now.

I was almost at braking point with getting an alarm working in time as stuff goes missing while I type,and bying another complete system,locally was going to break the bank. I hopfully can deploy the system tonight/tomorrow along with 3 CCTV camera's so i can sit down for 5 minutes and relax after 5 days of securing a building and chasing my stuff round the property,and risking the CCTV camera's currenty deployed going missing. It used to be a nice world with the theives only going for the rich and ended having all the locals gang up on them and run them out of town or get them arrested,since the logging companies and low paid labours have been traveling past ,my old shed,and the next generation has grownup,stuff has been smashed,perfectly good cars,even some with new paint,that needed a battery and hot wire have been,just smashed to bits,and nothing taken. Tools,equipment,anything of no-value have just been taken.150 police called outs over the last 7 years,and the only robberies in the area,has not done nothing. Its the end of a sarga,and will require super organised crime from now on,If girls in cats suits pinch my stuff i don't mind,it when usless bogans with noidea for goods value follow my moves,it is really silly.

Thanks for your help on this David.