Radio Shack RS-2000 User manual

Cat. No. 49-820
OWNER’S MANUAL
RS-2000 Auto Security Alarm System
Please read this entire manual
before
you begin installation.
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2 Need Help? Call 1-800-598-2527
FEATURES
Your RS-2000 Auto Security Alarm
System warns away potential thieves
and alerts you to trouble by sounding
a piercing alert tone. It also includes
other advanced features that help
protect your vehicle from theft, yet
you can install it in minutes. The two
convenient key-chain remote con-
trols lets you arm and disarm the sys-
tem, sound a panic alert, or activate
the car finder feature when you are
away from your vehicle.
Your RS-2000 includes these fea-
tures.
Passive Armin
g
— automatically
arms the system after you exit the ve-
hicle. This might qualify you for a dis-
count on your vehicle insurance
premium. Show your insurance agent
the supplied certificate.
Electronic Dual-Sta
g
e Shock Sen-
sor — sounds a pre-alert warning the
first time someone strikes your vehi-
cle, then sounds the alert if it is hit
again within 30 seconds.
Current Sensin
g
S
y
stem — triggers
the alert when a door or the trunk is
opened and the vehicle’s dome or
trunk light turns on, or when your ve-
hicle is hot wired, by sensing the cur-
rent draw.
Current Sensor B
y
pass — lets you
turn off current sensing if other elec-
tronic devices in your vehicle (such
as a high-power audio system or cel-
lular phone) make your alarm sound
false alerts.
Piercin
g
, 115 dB Siren — loud
enough to be heard from hundreds of
feet away.
Status Indicator — mounted in plain
view, lets you easily determine the
status of the alarm system (armed,
disarmed, entry/exit delay) and warns
away potential thieves.
Two Eas
y
-to-Use Ke
y
-Chain Re-
motes — let you easily control your
alarm from a distance.
Car Finder — lets you make the
alarm sound beeps to help you find
your vehicle in a crowded parking lot.
Instant Panic Alarm — alerts others
nearby that you need assistance
when you are in or near your vehicle.
Valet Mode — lets you easily prevent
passive arming when the vehicle is
being serviced, valet parked, or
washed.
 1996 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
RadioShack is a trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
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Violation Confirmation — beeps
three times when you disarm the sys-
tem after the alert has sounded, to let
you know what happened while you
were away from the vehicle.
Programmable Options — let you
customize several of your alarm’s op-
tions, such as shock sensor sensitivi-
ty and the valet mode.
Computer-Controlled Fan Sensor
— can tell the difference between
your vehicle’s dome or trunk light and
an electric cooling fan (which can
make other alarms sound a false
alert) without using additional wiring.
Toll-Free Help — if you have any
questions about or problems with
your alarm system, just call:
1-800-598-2527
Warning: Your alarm system’s alerts
are painfully loud. Take care during
installation to keep your head away
from the system once you connect
power.
FCC INFORMATION
Your alarm system might cause TV or
radio interference even when it is op-
erating properly. To determine wheth-
er your system is causing the
interference, move your vehicle out of
the area. If the interference goes
away, your alarm system was caus-
ing it. Try to eliminate the interference
by:
• Keeping your system away from
the receiver
• Contacting your local Ra-
dioShack store for help
If you cannot eliminate the interfer-
ence, the FCC requires that you stop
using your alarm system.
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CONTENTS
Installin
g
the S
y
stem ..................................................................................... 5
Supplied Items ........................................................................................... 5
Installation Order ....................................................................................... 6
Connecting the System to Power .............................................................. 6
Activating the Remote Controls ................................................................. 6
Mounting the System ................................................................................. 7
Installing the Status Indicator .................................................................... 8
Usin
g
the Alarm S
y
stem ................................................................................ 9
Arming the Alarm ....................................................................................... 9
Temporarily Reducing the Shock Sensor’s Sensitivity ........................ 9
Sounding the Panic Alarm ......................................................................... 9
Alarm Violations ......................................................................................... 9
Disarming the System ............................................................................. 10
Using the Car Finder ............................................................................... 10
Setting the System’s Options .................................................................. 10
Setting the Shock Sensor’s Sensitivity .............................................. 10
Setting the Current Sensor ................................................................ 11
Setting the Valet Mode (Passive Arming/Disarming) ......................... 11
Troubleshootin
g
........................................................................................... 12
Care and Maintenance ................................................................................. 14
Replacing the Fuse .................................................................................. 15
Replacing a Remote Control’s Battery .................................................... 15
Specifications ............................................................................................... 16
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INSTALLING THE SYSTEM
SUPPLIED ITEMS
Your alarm system includes these items:
Main System Two Four-Button Remotes
Mounting Screws
Status Indicator with Bracket and Harness
Double-Sided Tape
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INSTALLATION ORDER
You can install your system in just
four easy steps:
1. Connect the system to power.
2. Train the remote controls.
3. Mount the system.
4. Install the status indicator.
CONNECTING THE
SYSTEM TO POWER
Warning: We recommend that you
muffle the alarm’s speaker before you
connect the system to power. The
alarm is extremely loud.
Follow these steps to connect the
system to power.
1. Connect the system’s red lead to
your vehicle battery’s positive (+)
terminal.
2. Connect the system’s black lead
to a metal part of the vehicle’s
body that is not insulated from the
main chassis by any plastic part
or to the battery’s negative (–)
terminal. The system beeps three
times.
ACTIVATING THE
REMOTE CONTROLS
You must train the system to respond
to the supplied remote controls. To
activate both remote controls, imme-
diately after applying power, press
DISARM on one of the remotes. The
system beeps twice.
If the system loses power, it stops re-
sponding to both remotes. Simply
press
DISARM on one of the remotes
after power is restored to reactivate
them.
Both of the supplied system remotes
share the same remote code, but
your system can learn two remote
codes if you want to add another re-
mote control (RadioShack Cat. No.
49-845). To activate a second remote
control code, be sure the system is
disarmed, then hold down ARM for 10
seconds. The system beeps three
times. Press any button on the new
remote to activate it.
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MOUNTING THE
SYSTEM
Select a location for your alarm sys-
tem in the engine compartment. For
the best results, the location should
meet the following conditions.
• All wires should reach their con-
nections without going near mov-
ing or hot engine parts.
Note: If necessary, you can
extend the wires using hook-up
wire and butt connectors. Use at
least 18-gauge wire and an insu-
lated wire connector to extend a
wire.
• The mounting location should be
solid and have no mechanisms or
moving parts behind it.
• For the best remote range, the
mounting location should allow
the system’s yellow antenna wire
to hang straight down. Do not cut
or extend the wire — its length is
optimized for best operation.
• For the loudest siren, the siren
horn should point down toward
the pavement.
• The alarm should not point
straight up, as moisture could col-
lect in the siren horn and damage
the system.
• To prevent water damage, the
system should not be mounted in
a wheel well, directly behind the
radiator grill, or close to the
ground.
Once you select a location, follow
these steps to mount the system.
1. Hold the system against the
selected location and mark the
locations of the three mounting
holes.
2. Drill 1/8-inch holes at the marked
locations, taking care not to drill
into anything behind the mount-
ing surface.
3. Secure the system to the surface
using the supplied screws.
Note: For the best shock-sensor
operation, use all three screws.
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INSTALLING THE
STATUS INDICATOR
The alert indicator goes inside your
vehicle’s passenger compartment. Ei-
ther drill a mounting hole in a dash
panel or use the supplied mounting
bracket to hold the indicator. Follow
these steps to install the indicator.
1. Locate an existing wire harness
that goes through your vehicle’s
firewall, and push the indicator
into the passenger compartment
through the existing hole.
If you cannot find an existing wire
harness, drill a 1/4-inch hole
through the firewall into the pas-
senger compartment. Then push
the indicator through the hole.
Cautions:
• Before drilling, be sure you can
reach the other side of the
hole.
• Be sure you do not drill into
any mechanism on the other
side of the firewall.
• Protect the wire by placing a
rubber grommet (not supplied)
in the hole, and thread the wire
through the grommet.
2. If you are using the supplied
mounting bracket, use dena-
tured alcohol to clean the mount-
ing surface and let the surface
dry completely. Peel the backing
off of one side of the double-
sided tape and press it onto the
bottom of the bracket. Then peel
off the adhesive backing from the
other side of the tape and press
the bracket onto the dash.
If you are mounting the indica-
tor in the dash, drill a 5/16-inch
hole at the desired location.
3. Press the supplied grommet into
the mounting hole from the front
of the surface.
4. Press the indicator into the grom-
met from the back of the surface.
5. Plug the indicator’s harness into
the matching harness on the sys-
tem.
6. Use the supplied wire tie to
secure the wire out of the way.
7. If you drilled a hole in the firewall,
use silicon sealant (not supplied)
to waterproof the hole.
Grommet Indicator
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USING THE ALARM SYSTEM
ARMING THE ALARM
To arm the alarm, press ARM. The
alarm chirps once.
Notes:
• The status indicator turns on
when the system is armed.
• The system ignores current-
sensing violations for 40 sec-
onds after it arms.
• The system ignores shock-sen-
sor violations for 8 seconds after
you it arms.
• If the valet mode is turned off, the
system arms 60 seconds after
you turn off your vehicle.
Temporarily Reducing the
Shock Sensor’s Sensitivity
If you are parking in a severe weather
situation, near a construction zone, or
near heavy traffic, you can temporari-
ly reduce the system’s shock sensor
sensitivity to help prevent false alerts.
To reduce the sensitivity to half its
normal level, first press ARM to arm
the system. The alarm chirps once.
Then, within 2 seconds, press ARM
again. The alarm chirps once in a
lower tone.
To completely turn off the shock sen-
sor, press ARM twice within 2 sec-
onds of arming. The alarm chirps in a
lower tone each time you press ARM.
When you disarm and re-arm the sys-
tem, the shock sensor returns to its
previous sensitivity setting.
SOUNDING THE PANIC
ALARM
To sound a panic alarm, press and
release PANIC. The alarm sounds
loud tones for 30 seconds. Press any
button to stop the panic alarm sooner.
ALARM VIOLATIONS
Your alarm senses violations by mon-
itoring your vehicle’s electrical system
(current sensing) and by detecting im-
pacts (shock sensing).
An alert sounds immediately if the
current sensor detects an electrical
drain such as occurs when a dome or
trunk light turns on.
The first time the alarm senses an im-
pact that exceeds its sensitivity level,
it chirps three times. If it senses an-
other impact within 30 seconds, the
system sounds a full alert.
Note: If an impact is severe, a single
impact can cause a full alert to sound,
without giving a warning.
When your alarm senses a violation,
it sounds extremely loud tones for 30
seconds and then re-arms. To silence
the alert sooner, press any button.
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DISARMING THE
SYSTEM
To disarm the system, press DIS-
ARM. The system beeps twice to
confirm that it is disarmed.
Notes:
• The status indicator is off when
the system is disarmed.
• If the valet mode is turned off, the
system chirps and re-arms after
60 seconds if you have not
started the vehicle.
• If the system detected a violation
while you were away, it beeps
three times when you disarm it.
USING THE CAR FINDER
The car finder helps you find your ve-
hicle in a dark or crowded parking lot.
To use the car finder, with the system
armed, press FINDER. The alarm
beeps 8 times.
SETTINGTHESYSTEM’S
OPTIONS
You can adjust the following options:
• Shock Sensor Sensitivity
• Current Sensor (On/Off)
• Valet Mode (On/Off)
Setting the Shock Sensor’s
Sensitivity
The shock sensor’s initial setting is
fine for most situations. To test the
shock sensor, strike your vehicle on
the hood directly over the alarm.
If the shock sensor is too sensitive or
not sensitive enough, follow these
steps to set it to a different level.
1. With the alarm disarmed, hold
down FINDER until the alarm
sounds four tones.
2. Within 2 seconds, strike your
vehicle with as much force as you
want the alarm to respond to. The
alarm sounds three tones. Any
shock equal to or greater than the
setting triggers the alert.
Notes:
• If you do not strike your vehicle
within 2 seconds, the alarm is set
to its highest sensitivity. This
could cause frequent false alerts.
• The shock sensor does not oper-
ate for 8 seconds after the sys-
tem arms.
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Setting the Current Sensor
If your vehicle has electronic acces-
sories that turn on and off automati-
cally while you are away from the
vehicle, the alarm might sound false
alerts. (The system can detect an
electric engine fan, and does not
sound a false alert when the fan
comes on.)
To disable the current sensor so ac-
cessories will not trigger an alert, dis-
arm the system. Then hold down
PANIC for about 4 seconds. The sys-
tem beeps twice.
To re-enable the current sensor, with
the system disarmed, hold down PAN-
IC for about 4 seconds. The system
beeps once.
Notes:
• The current sensor does not
operate for 40 seconds after the
system arms.
• You can also try unplugging or
disconnecting electronic acces-
sories such as radar detectors or
cellular phones when you leave
your vehicle, instead of disabling
the current sensor, to prevent the
false alerts.
Setting the Valet Mode
(Passive Arming/Disarming)
The valet mode lets you leave your
vehicle for service or with a valet and
not
have it arm 60 seconds after you
turn off the engine. The default is for
the valet mode to be on (passive arm-
ing is off).
To have your system automatically
arm 60 seconds after you turn off the
engine (this is called
passive arming
),
hold down DISARM for about 10 sec-
onds. The system beeps twice.
To turn on the valet mode (so the sys-
tem does not passively arm), hold
down
DISARM again for about 10 sec-
onds. The system beeps three times.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
This section describes some problems you might encounter, and gives possible
solutions.
Problem Possible Solution
Frequent false alerts • Another accessory is triggering the alarm. Try
turning off current sensing to see if this solves the
problem. If it does, try turning it back on, then
removing other accessories, one by one, until
you find which accessory is triggering the false
alert. If possible, turn off that accessory when you
leave your vehicle. Common problem accesso-
ries are cellular phones, radar detectors, and
vehicle self-test systems. If you cannot turn off
the accessory, leave current sensing disabled.
Note: Your alarm can tell the difference between
the vehicle’s electric fan and other accessories,
so the fan does not trigger a false alert if the fan
turns on while the system is armed.
• Your alarm’s electrical connections are not mak-
ing good contact. Check the connections and, if
necessary, connect the power and ground leads
to the vehicle’s battery terminals.
• The shock sensor is too sensitive. See “Setting
the Shock Sensor’s Sensitivity” on Page 10 to
change the sensor’s setting.
• Loud thunderclaps and heavy machinery can
trigger a false alarm. If you know a thunderstorm
is approaching or that heavy machinery will be
used nearby you can temporarily reduce the
shock sensor’s sensitivity or turn it off entirely.
See “Temporarily Reducing the Shock Sensor’s
Sensitivity” on Page 9.
The alarm is not loud
enough • The siren is being muffled by the engine or hood. Try repositioning the siren so it points to the
pavement.
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Alarm does not operate • Check all power connections.
• Check the system’s fuse. If it has blown, see
“Replacing the Fuse” on Page 15.
• Check the remote control’s battery. See “Replac-
ing a Remote Control’s Battery” on Page 15.
Alarm does not sound
when it should • The shock sensor is not sensitive enough. See “Setting the Shock Sensor’s Sensitivity” on
Page 10. If you set the shock sensor to its maxi-
mum sensitivity and the alarm still does not
sound, confirm that you mounted the alarm on a
solid, metal vehicle part (not on the frame or on
rubber or plastic parts). If necessary, reposition
the alarm for better performance.
• If you have a large vehicle, the shock sensor
might not detect impacts on parts of the vehicle
far from the system. Remember that most thieves
break into your vehicle through one of the front
doors or windows. If you set the system sensitive
enough to detect all impacts, you might experi-
ence frequent and annoying false alarms.
• Confirm that you have not accidently disabled
current sensing. See “Setting the Current Sen-
sor” on Page 11.
The remote control’s
range is poor • The antenna wire is too close to metal. If possi- ble, position the yellow antenna wire away from
metal.
• The antenna wire has been cut or extended. The
antenna wire is factory tuned for the best perfor-
mance (a longer antenna will actually not work as
well as the short included antenna wire). If the
wire has been cut, take the system to your local
RadioShack store for repair service.
Problem Possible Solution
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14 Need Help? Call 1-800-598-2527
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Your RadioShack RS-2000 Auto Security Alarm System is an example of supe-
rior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for
the alarm so you can enjoy its protection for years.
Keep the remote controls dry. If they get wet, wipe them dry im-
mediately. Liquids can contain minerals that might corrode the
electronic circuits.
Handle the alarm and remotes gently and carefully. Dropping
them can damage circuit boards and cases and might make the
remotes work improperly.
Use and store the remote controls only in normal temperature en-
vironments. Temperature extremes can shorten the life of elec-
tronic devices, damage batteries, and distort or melt plastic parts.
Keep the remote controls away from dust and dirt, which can
cause premature wear of parts.
Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong deter-
gents to clean the alarm.
Use only fresh batteries of the recommended size and type in
your remote controls. Old or weak batteries can leak chemicals
that can damage your system’s internal circuits.
Modifying or tampering with your alarm’s internal components can cause a mal-
function and might invalidate the alarm’s warranty and void your FCC authoriza-
tion to operate it. If your alarm is not operating as it should, take it to your local
RadioShack store for assistance.
CLEANER
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REPLACING THE FUSE
Follow these steps to check the sys-
tem’s fuse and replace it if it has
blown. The system uses a 5-amp 11/4
× 1/4-inch fast-acting fuse (Ra-
dioShack Cat. No. 270-1011).
1. Push together the two halves of
the inline fuse holder (on the red
power wire) and twist them to
separate the halves.
2. Inspect the fuse. If the wire is bro-
ken or missing, replace it.
Caution: Use only a fuse of the
same type and rating. Using a dif-
ferent type of fuse or bypassing
the fuse protection can damage
your alarm or your vehicle’s elec-
trical system.
3. Put the new fuse in the holder
and push and twist the holder’s
halves together.
REPLACING A REMOTE
CONTROL’S BATTERY
If either remote control’s range is re-
duced or if the indicator does not light
when you press a button, replace its
battery. The remote controls each
use a 12-volt remote control battery
(Cat. No. 23-144). Follow these steps
to replace the battery.
1. Snap apart the remote control’s
case.
Caution: Take care not to lose
any of the remote control’s
pieces.
2. Replace the battery with a new
one.
3. Put all parts back in place and
snap the case halves back
together.
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SPECIFICATIONS
Siren Sound Level ................................................. More than 115 dB at 1 Meter
Current Drain .......................................................................... 22 mA (Standby)
1 Amp (Siren Sounding)
Power Requirements .................................................................. 9–16 Volts DC
Alarm Weight ........................................................................................ 1 lb, 8 oz
Remote Carrier Frequency ........................................................... 303.875 MHz
RF Output Power ................................................................ 5,580 µV at 1 Meter
Remote Control Power .................................................. 12-Volt Alkaline Battery
Remote Weight ..........................................................................................1.5 oz
Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are subject
to change and improvement without notice.
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NOTES
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RadioShack
A Division of Tandy Corporation
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
9/96 Printed in the USA
RadioShack Limited Warranty
This security product is warranted against manufacturing defects in material and work-
manship for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from RadioShack company
owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. Within this period
RadioShack will repair the security product without charge for parts and labor. Simply
bring your RadioShack sales slip as proof-of-purchase date to any RadioShack
store.
This warranty does not cover damage or failure caused by or attributable to Acts of
God, abuse, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, faulty installation, improper mainte-
nance, lightning or other incidence of excess voltage, or any repairs other than those
provided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility, or transportation costs.
RadioShack is not responsible or liable for indirect, special, or consequential
damages arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the prod-
uct or other damages with respect to loss of property, loss of revenues or profit,
or costs of removal, installation or reinstallation.
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES
AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION
OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. Some states do
not allow the limitation or exclusion of incidental or consequential damages and some
states do not allow limitation or exclusion of implied warranties; therefore, the aforesaid
limitation(s) or exclusion(s) may not apply to the purchaser. There will be charges ren-
dered for repairs to the product made after the expiration of the aforesaid ninety (90)
day warranty period.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from state to
state.
We Service What We Sell
10/95
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