Knowledge SEM-DSC Power Series User manual

SEM-DSC PowerSeries Dual-Path (SEM300) - nstallation Guide
Alarm.com Dual-Path System Enhancement Module (SEM) is the most cost-effective and comprehensive solution to
migrate compatible DSC PowerSeries™ PC1616, PC1832, and PC 1864 panels to Alarm.com’s award-winning
interactive services. The Dual-Path SEM supports the 4G LTE cellular network and optional Broadband Ethernet. This
ensures the longest life cycle with the most secure and reliable service.
Equipment
System Enhancement Module
nstallation guide
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Wire
Wall anchors and screws
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Panel compatibility
The SEM-DSC PowerSeries is only compatible with the following panels that are version 4.20+:
• PC1616
• PC1832
• PC1864
Recommended tools and supplies
Note: These are not included.
• Screwdrivers: Small blade and Phillips
• Drill and bits for screws and/or wall anchors
• Ethernet cable
• Alpha keypad (Version 1.2+)
◦ Alarm.com strongly recommends installing an alpha keypad to ensure the failure to communicate (FTC) trouble
condition is displayed.
• Four-conductor, 22 AWG or larger stranded wire
The following table shows the maximum wire length for each gauge.
Gauge Maximum wire length
22 gauge 40 feet (12.2 m)
18 gauge 90 feet (27.4 m)
Prepare the system
Before powering down the system:
Verify panel compatibility
Verify that the panel is compatible by checking the version and year printed on the PROM chip inside the panel
enclosure.
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Inspect for peripheral devices
1. Take inventory of all peripheral devices (wireless receivers, zone expanders, keypads, power supplies, etc.) wired
to the system.
2. nspect peripheral device wiring to verify there are no loose ends or intermittent connections between the device
and system.
Note: The presence of peripheral device issues can often cause the SEM installation process to take longer than
expected.
3. Verify all peripheral devices are supervised by the panel. To verify peripheral devices are supervised by the panel:
a. Press [*][8].
b. Enter the installer code.
c. Press [903].
4. Reset supervision if necessary. To reset supervision:
a. Press [*][8].
b. Enter the installer code.
c. Press [902].
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Disarm and power down the panel
1. Verify the panel is disarmed and clear of any alarms, troubles, or system faults.
2. f you do not know the current installer code, check the installer code at the panel before powering down the panel.
3. Then remove AC power and disconnect the backup battery to completely power down the system.
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Create an Alarm.com account
1. Create a new Alarm.com customer account using the Partner Portal or MobileTech app. The ME located on the
Alarm.com module will be needed to create this account.
2. During the account creation process, you are prompted to enter the current installer code on the panel. Alarm.com
uses this code to access panel programming and read information stored on the panel.
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3. At the end of the Create New Customer process, you are able to print or email a Welcome Letter for the customer,
which includes login information for the Alarm.com Customer Website.
For more information about creating a customer account, see How to create an Alarm.com customer account.
After powering down the system:
Remove third party communication
f there are any third-party communicators installed or a POTS line connected to the panel, remove them.
The SEM is not compatible with POTS, P/GSM devices, or other third-party communicators. Therefore, the SEM should
be the only communication device installed for alarm signaling to the monitoring station.
Connect the SEM
Mounting
Before mounting the SEM to the wall:
1. Evaluate how the wiring cables will be routed from the SEM to the panel.
2. Remove the snap-off plastics. There are two routing options available: the side of the enclosure for side routing or
the rear of the enclosure for wall routing.
3. Verify the wiring of the primary antenna, diversity antenna, and ethernet dongle are routed correctly.
Note: The Cat-M variant (indicated by the ME910 Telit radio) only requires the primary antenna.
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When ready to mount:
1. Press in on the thumb tabs located at the bottom of the enclosure, then swing up the top half of the enclosure
cover to expose the internal components.
2. Place the SEM enclosure backplate against the wall at the desired mounting location and mark the four mounting
holes.
3. Using the provided mounting screws and wall anchors (if needed), place the first mounting screw through the top-
right enclosure hole. This screw will be used to hang the SEM from the wall while mounting and should not be
tightened until the last step.
4. Place the second mounting screw through the bottom-left mounting hole. This screw is used to level the enclosure
on the wall and should not be tightened until the last step. A standard leveling device may be used to ensure the
unit is level.
5. Place the third mounting screw through the top-left enclosure hole. This screw should be tightened fully against the
unit and wall before moving to the next step.
6. Place the final mounting screw through the bottom-right enclosure hole. This screw should be tightened fully
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against the unit and wall before moving to the next step.
Important: This screw is critical for the wall tamper functionality and should not be overlooked.
7. Tighten the first two mounting screws fully to the unit and wall to complete the mounting process.
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Wiring
To wire the panel:
1. Connect the yellow/green data cables and red/black power supply cables to the designated locations at the SEM
and panel.
2. Connect an Ethernet cable to the pre-installed Ethernet jack to utilize dual-path communication. Local network
changes may be required before the broadband path activates. For more information about Dual-Path
communication, see Configure Dual-Path communication for a panel remotely.
3. Remove the snap-off plastics from the enclosure side at the desired locations, then route the cables around the
internal strain relief walls and out the side of the enclosure.
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4. Before completing the mounting, verify the wiring connections are secure and all internal components are in their
proper location.
5. Then close the enclosure by sliding the cover into the mounting points at the top of the enclosure base and then
swinging down the cover to snap the thumb tabs into place.
Zone scan
Connect the backup battery and restore AC power to the panel. For the SEM to interact with the existing zones on the
system, it must read them from the PowerSeries panel. The SEM does a zone scan to read this information.
The zone scan automatically begins within one minute after the panel is powered up and should take between 5 and 15
minutes, depending on the number of partitions and zones on the system. Do not touch the panel, keypad, or SEM at
this time.
The zone scan is complete when the green and yellow lights on the keypad remain solid. f you press any buttons on the
keypad during the zone scan, the message System unavailable displays on the screen. The date and time shows on the
screen when the zone scan is complete.
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Important: f the system was previously communicating over a phone line, we recommend Disabling Telco Line
Monitoring (Section 015, Option 7) and Removing the Phone Numbers (Section 301-303).
Broadcast sensor names
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. This should be done for every install with an LCD keypad and is
necessary even if there is only one keypad on the system.
Note: Once broadcasted, sensor names are updated on the Partner Portal and MobileTech app. f the sensor names
are not updated, please request the sensor names by selecting Request Sensor Names on the Partner Portal or
MobileTech app.
Confirm communication
Before completing the installation, verify that the SEM is fully in sync with the panel and communicating with Alarm.com
by verifying:
1. The correct devices are present on the account equipment list in Alarm.com MobileTech app.
2. The customer can view all user codes in the Alarm.com Customer app or Customer Website, and the correct users
are reported when arming or disarming at the panel.
3. All alarms are reported correctly to Alarm.com and the monitoring station.
t is also recommended to execute a System Check in Alarm.com MobileTech app to verify the health of the account and
identify any other issues. For more information about performing a System Check, see System Check User Guide.
Additional information
Z-Wave devices
Alarm.com recommends using the MobileTech app or the Partner Portal to complete the installation of any Z-Wave
devices. For more information about enrolling Z-Wave devices, see Manage Z-Wave devices on a SEM-DSC
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PowerSeries.
For more information about Z-Wave communication, Z-Wave signal strength, and additional Z-Wave resources,
see General Z-Wave nformation.
Installation settings
For the SEM to communicate with the panel and report all alarms, certain panel settings must be set at the panel. These
settings are automatically changed during installation, so no further action is required by the installer.
Edit master code
Section 015, option 6 is disabled. This setting is required for SEM to change the master code via the User Programming
*5 menu.
Arm/Disarm with Trouble
Section 021, option 8 is disabled. This setting is required for SEM to arm the panel when a trouble is active. This setting
is available on select DSC panel versions.
Swinger Shutdown
Section 1xy, option 6 is enabled or disabled based on the default zone attributes (i.e., section 101, option 6 is enabled
for zones programmed as group 01 Delay 1, but disabled for zones programmed as group 08 24 HR Fire). This setting is
required for SEM to support the swinger shutdown feature.
Transmission Delay
Section 1xy, option 7 is disabled. This setting is required for SEM to report zone alarms immediately.
Report codes
Sections 320-349 do not determine or impact event reporting on Alarm.com.
Important: All monitoring station forwarding settings should be set up via Alarm.com Monitoring Settings.
Gateway LED reference
The enclosure gateway LEDs can be used to indicate communication errors, panel communication, network
communication, and signal strength.
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Note: For advanced troubleshooting, open the cover to look at the Alarm.com module LEDs. For more information about
the module LEDs, see SEM-DSC PowerSeries - Module LED Troubleshooting.
Trouble LED
The Trouble LED flashes 1 to 8 times in a four-second interval to indicate specific error conditions.
Flash pattern Description
1
The Alarm.com module cannot communicate with the
panel. Perform a power cycle on the panel. f the error
persists, contact Alarm.com CORE Technical Support.
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Flash pattern Description
2 then 4
The Alarm.com module provisioning process could not
be completed. Power cycle the system. f the error
persists, contact Alarm.com CORE Technical Support.
2 then 5
The Alarm.com module provisioning process could not
be completed because the module is currently roaming
off the carrier’s primary network.
3
The Alarm.com module is trying to register on the cellular
network. f it persists for more than a few minutes, the
module is having problems registering. Check L4 for
signal level. f signal level is lower than 2 bars, change
the panel’s location or use a remote antenna option.
4
The Alarm.com module is registered on the cellular
network but could not connect with Alarm.com. f the
error persists, contact Alarm.com CORE Technical
Support.
5
The radio on the module is not working correctly. f this
persists for more than a few minutes, the module may
need to be replaced. This error is extremely rare, so
please verify that the module is flashing 5 times.
6
This indicates an error only if it persists for more than a
minute. Otherwise, it’s an indication that the module is
resolving an unusual condition regarding communication
with the cellular network.
7The SEM is unable to access panel programming. Check
the panel wiring and installer code.
8
f this error persists, the account may have been set up
incorrectly. Check that the serial number being used
matches the serial number used to create the account. f
the serial numbers are the same, contact Alarm.com
CORE Technical Support.
Path LED
The Path LED flashes to indicate the active communication path (cellular, broadband, or both) to Alarm.com.
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Flash pattern Description
Steady long flash (~2 sec) The cellular communication path is active.
Long flash (~2 sec) followed by a short flash (~0.5 sec) Both cellular and broadband communication paths are
active.
Steady short flash (~0.5 sec) The broadband communication path is active. This
should also accompany an error LED flash.
No flash Both communication paths are not communicating. This
should also accompany an error LED flash.
Signal LED
The Signal LED flashes to indicate the cellular signal strength (0 to 6 bars).
Panel LED
The Panel LED flashes with every communication to the panel.
Power LED
The Power LED illuminates solid when power is supplied.
Troubleshooting
Communication to Alarm.com or monitoring station
f there is no activity present in the event history or the account is not signaling to Alarm.com:
1. nitiate a communication test from the SEM by pressing [#] +[987] +[*] to initialize communication with Alarm.com
or verify the module is communicating on the cellular network.
2. For this test to send a signal to the monitoring station, verify Phone Tests is selected as an Event to Forward in the
customer’s Monitoring Settings. For more information about updating the Monitoring Settings, see Change the
monitoring settings on a customer account.
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Customer equipment list
f the device list is empty on the MobileTech app or Partner Portal equipment page, the SEM may be having problems
communicating with the panel. To resolve:
1. Check for and remove any incompatible devices. For information about incompatible devices, see Are any devices
incompatible with the SEM-DSC PowerSeries?.
2. Verify all wiring is correct and secure.
3. Resync the installer code if a zone scan is not initiating upon power-up.
a. To resync the installer code, use the keypad to change the installer code to a new, unique code.
b. After resyncing the installer code, power cycle the panel and verify a zone scan is initiated.
4. Verify the panel is disarmed and then request an updated equipment list using the MobileTech app or the Partner
Portal. Verify the firmware version is displaying properly. For more information about requesting an updated
equipment list, see Request an updated sensor list and system status.
5. Verify the zone scan has started in the event history through mobile tech or partner portal. There should be zone
scan event messages in the history.
Note: Ready light may be off or flickering during the zone scan process.
Customer user codes
f user codes are not visible, The SEM may be having issues scanning the user codes programmed at the panel. To
resolve:
1. Verify an equipment list is present on the equipment page. f some equipment is not present, see Customer
equipment list.
2. Verify that all user codes are present on the Customer Website or Customer app.
Note: Any duplicate or sequential user codes (ex: 4567 and 4568) will be removed during user code scan process.
3. Arm and disarm with all user codes locally.
4. Verify that all user codes are present on the Customer Website or Customer app.
5. Verify that the correct username and slot number are reported to the Customer Website or Partner Portal.
Keypad displays zone 32/64 open or Communication Failure
The highest zone (32 or 64) for the SEM-DSC PowerSeries™ is reserved for an FTC zone (failure to communicate). f
sensor names have not been broadcasted, then the highest zone in the panel displays as open.
Important: Since the highest zone for the SEM-DSC PowerSeries™ is reserved for an FTC zone, no sensors can be
enrolled in the highest zone. They may appear to successfully enroll, but the sensor is removed as soon as the sensor is
tripped
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Questions?
f you are experiencing difficulties with your installation, please contact Alarm.com CORE Technical Support and we'll be
happy to assist further.
Specifications
Power requirements 12 V nominal, 130 mA (continuous) 2000 mA
(instantaneous peaks) maximum (from panel battery)
Cellular network
4G LTE with 3G HSPA, 2G GSM fallback
Note: Cat-M uses the 4G LTE Cat-M1 network, no
fallback
Panel interfaces Two keypad BUS connections, 12 V power and ground
Alarm.com module indicators Five LEDs (red, yellow, or green)
SEM circuit board indicators Five LEDs (red, green, yellow, or blue)
Operating temperature 14 to 131°F (-10 to 55°C)
Storage temperature -30 to 140°F (-34 to 60°C)
Humidity 90% relative humidity non-condensing
Enclosure dimensions (L x W x D) 7.66 x 4.35 x 1.65 in. (19.46 x 11.05 x 4.19
cm)
Enclosure color White
Case material Fire-retardant PC/ABS, PC
Regulatory information
Contains FCC: YL6-143470L, Model: ADC-470L
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Alarm.com can void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of
the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. f this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try
to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
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• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• ncrease the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
This equipment complies with the FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20 centimeters between the radiator and your
body.
All cables used for installation should not exceed 30 meters.
IC regulations
Contains C: 9111A-143470L, Model: ADC-470L
This device complies with ndustry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
This device may not cause interference.
This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d’ ndustrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence.
L’exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l’appareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2)
l’utilisateur de l’appareil doit accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d’en
compromettre le fonctionnement.
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