Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: wightyboy2 on 23 January 2010, 09:02:12

Title: car alarm
Post by: wightyboy2 on 23 January 2010, 09:02:12
Hi i have only had my omega for a couple of days and the alarm has gone off in the night a couple of times , is there any way of permanantely disarming the alarm as i live in a fairly low crime area any advice on this would be great cheers  [smiley=dankk2.gif]
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: RobG on 23 January 2010, 09:09:31
Batteries failing in the powersounder. Have a read of this
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1220198611 :y
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: wightyboy2 on 23 January 2010, 10:00:16
wow thanks for your quick responce , I am having one of my many thick days , I looked at the thread it didnt mention anything bout renewing battery , is there a battery in the power sounder if so what type or  is it saying just to unplug it and leave it disconnected , sorry for my denseness :-[ cheers  :y
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Rockhampton on 23 January 2010, 11:13:40
You can renew the batteries, but the powersounder is designed to be a sealed unit. You can cut it open along the join carefully and open it - there are two different types of battery IIRC, one type is coin cells, and the other are Varta Mempacs which are soldered to the circuit board. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can replace them for less than a tenner. I've recently done mine, and it was a pretty straightforward job as long as you have a bit of patience!

Here's what they look like inside - both types, mine was the second:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1240077701

Here is a good site selling the batteries at a decent price...

http://www.budgetbatteries.co.uk/20940/3-v150h-size-mempac-nimh-3-6v-150mah-varta-rechargeable-memory-protection-battery-pcb-mount/

(the replacements are genuine Varta but only have a single negative pin but that's no issue as the pattern still matches the PCB hole)

Once done, put the two halves back together, and waterproof the join with silicon sealant.
Alternative is to get a replacement unit - around £60 on eBay, around £100 from GM  :(
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: wightyboy2 on 23 January 2010, 11:42:37
Cheers for the brilliant reply as a lazy option could i just unplug the sounder and leave it off as i dont really want an alarm or would that effect anything else in the car? :-/
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Andy B on 23 January 2010, 12:12:04
Quote
Cheers for the brilliant reply as a lazy option could i just unplug the sounder and leave it off  ......

Yes!  :y
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 13:19:48
First and easiest thing to try is unplug the bonnet switch and see if it goes off again.

Does the car beep when you take the keys out of the ignition?
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: unlucky mark mv6 on 23 January 2010, 13:41:56
Quote
You can renew the batteries, but the powersounder is designed to be a sealed unit. You can cut it open along the join carefully and open it - there are two different types of battery IIRC, one type is coin cells, and the other are Varta Mempacs which are soldered to the circuit board. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can replace them for less than a tenner. I've recently done mine, and it was a pretty straightforward job as long as you have a bit of patience!

Here's what they look like inside - both types, mine was the second:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1240077701

Here is a good site selling the batteries at a decent price...

http://www.budgetbatteries.co.uk/20940/3-v150h-size-mempac-nimh-3-6v-150mah-varta-rechargeable-memory-protection-battery-pcb-mount/

(the replacements are genuine Varta but only have a single negative pin but that's no issue as the pattern still matches the PCB hole)

Once done, put the two halves back together, and waterproof the join with silicon sealant.
Alternative is to get a replacement unit - around £60 on eBay, around £100 from GM  :(
Just had my batteries replaced and the bloke charged me 2 quid to solder em in,just need to stick it back in now.I searched everywhere for the batteries with four pins,dident realise you could use the three pin ones,so paid well over the odds,and when they arrived the tags were soldered on the wrong way round,and that was from cps. :-/
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Rockhampton on 23 January 2010, 14:22:34
Quote
Quote
You can renew the batteries, but the powersounder is designed to be a sealed unit. You can cut it open along the join carefully and open it - there are two different types of battery IIRC, one type is coin cells, and the other are Varta Mempacs which are soldered to the circuit board. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can replace them for less than a tenner. I've recently done mine, and it was a pretty straightforward job as long as you have a bit of patience!

Here's what they look like inside - both types, mine was the second:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1240077701

Here is a good site selling the batteries at a decent price...

http://www.budgetbatteries.co.uk/20940/3-v150h-size-mempac-nimh-3-6v-150mah-varta-rechargeable-memory-protection-battery-pcb-mount/

(the replacements are genuine Varta but only have a single negative pin but that's no issue as the pattern still matches the PCB hole)

Once done, put the two halves back together, and waterproof the join with silicon sealant.
Alternative is to get a replacement unit - around £60 on eBay, around £100 from GM  :(
Just had my batteries replaced and the bloke charged me 2 quid to solder em in,just need to stick it back in now.I searched everywhere for the batteries with four pins,dident realise you could use the three pin ones,so paid well over the odds,and when they arrived the tags were soldered on the wrong way round,and that was from cps. :-/

Yes, I was concerned when the batteries turned up with only one negative pin, but they fitted no problems - tested them out with the meter too, and now now more beeps of death!!!. Have to say that Budget Batteries delivered them next day for only £1.75 so was well impressed  :y
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: wightyboy2 on 23 January 2010, 15:21:51
 :y thanks to everyone for their help what a brilliant forum cheers , and too welung666 question , no it doesnt beep when i take the key out of the ignition . :y
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Entwood on 23 January 2010, 16:51:10
Quote
You can renew the batteries, but the powersounder is designed to be a sealed unit. You can cut it open along the join carefully and open it - there are two different types of battery IIRC, one type is coin cells, and the other are Varta Mempacs which are soldered to the circuit board. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can replace them for less than a tenner. I've recently done mine, and it was a pretty straightforward job as long as you have a bit of patience!

Here's what they look like inside - both types, mine was the second:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1240077701

Here is a good site selling the batteries at a decent price...

http://www.budgetbatteries.co.uk/20940/3-v150h-size-mempac-nimh-3-6v-150mah-varta-rechargeable-memory-protection-battery-pcb-mount/

(the replacements are genuine Varta but only have a single negative pin but that's no issue as the pattern still matches the PCB hole)

Once done, put the two halves back together, and waterproof the join with silicon sealant.
Alternative is to get a replacement unit - around £60 on eBay, around £100 from GM  :(

Miles out ....  :)

Brand new unit from VX

part no 9194455 Siren £57.50 + Vat

With TC to get trade discount (Non TC Item)  £52.33 + VAT (£7.85)

Total paid £60.18  that was on 25/04/2009
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Rockhampton on 23 January 2010, 17:58:16
Quote
Quote
You can renew the batteries, but the powersounder is designed to be a sealed unit. You can cut it open along the join carefully and open it - there are two different types of battery IIRC, one type is coin cells, and the other are Varta Mempacs which are soldered to the circuit board. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can replace them for less than a tenner. I've recently done mine, and it was a pretty straightforward job as long as you have a bit of patience!

Here's what they look like inside - both types, mine was the second:
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1240077701

Here is a good site selling the batteries at a decent price...

http://www.budgetbatteries.co.uk/20940/3-v150h-size-mempac-nimh-3-6v-150mah-varta-rechargeable-memory-protection-battery-pcb-mount/

(the replacements are genuine Varta but only have a single negative pin but that's no issue as the pattern still matches the PCB hole)

Once done, put the two halves back together, and waterproof the join with silicon sealant.
Alternative is to get a replacement unit - around £60 on eBay, around £100 from GM  :(

Miles out ....  :)

Brand new unit from VX

part no 9194455 Siren £57.50 + Vat

With TC to get trade discount (Non TC Item)  £52.33 + VAT (£7.85)

Total paid £60.18  that was on 25/04/2009

Well, that just goes to show - A large dealership in South Wales recently quoted me £88.27 + VAT supply only when I gave them the part number & registration!!!  :D
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 18:03:59
Quote
:y thanks to everyone for their help what a brilliant forum cheers , and too welung666 question , no it doesnt beep when i take the key out of the ignition . :y

Then either the powersounder is completely dead or it's not the powersounder. Did you try unplugging the bonnet switch?
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: wightyboy2 on 23 January 2010, 19:37:25
Cheers welung666 will see if it goes off again tonight if it does i will try unplugging the bonnet switch tomorrow when i find out where it is , thanks for your info  :y
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 21:14:15
I have just purchased a 2003  2.6 and my alarm goes off for no known reason.I isolate the interior of the car with the running man switch and it then doesnt alarm. Could this also be caused by low battery.
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 21:15:15
Forgot to ask where do I find the powersounder
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 21:18:31
Quote
Forgot to ask where do I find the powersounder

[size=16]HERE[/size] (http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1220198611)[/url]
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 21:24:25
Have just read the article mentioned in a previous post so now know where the powersounder is. But am I stupid but what purpose does this fulfill  I thought that it was the alarm but obviously not
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 21:28:55
Basically the alarm is a normal car horn (allbeit in a different place), the powersounder is a battery back-up of that alarm.
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 21:32:02
just looked at the Haynes manual and it says powersounder can be reached under the left hand front wing with the wheel arch liner removed does this apply to a 2003 V6
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 21:36:02
Quote
just looked at the Haynes manual and it says powersounder can be reached under the left hand front wing with the wheel arch liner removed does this apply to a 2003 V6

It's called the book of lies for a reason ;D ;D Use the guide on here
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 21:36:14
Thanks for the explaination but why would you need a battery back up?  is this in case the main car battery is dead
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 21:39:48
Without the backup you could disconnect the battery and the alarm goes silent, hook it to a tow truck and it's gone. Cut the battery on an Omega and the alarm (powersounder) sounds ;)
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: waspy on 23 January 2010, 21:44:23
Quote
Thanks for the explaination but why would you need a battery back up?  is this in case the main car battery is dead

The idea of the Power Sounder is if the main battery cables are cut say by a thief, the sounder will still opperate.
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 21:49:12
Quote
Quote
Thanks for the explaination but why would you need a battery back up?  is this in case the main car battery is dead

The idea of the Power Sounder is if the main battery cables are cut say by a thief, the sounder will still opperate.

Didn't I just say that? ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 21:57:21
Thanks for the explaination Obvious when you are told. But why would that cause the alarm to off in the night if the powersouder battery is dead and what will disconnecting the bonnet switch tell you.
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: waspy on 23 January 2010, 22:10:34
Quote
Quote
Quote
Thanks for the explaination but why would you need a battery back up?  is this in case the main car battery is dead

The idea of the Power Sounder is if the main battery cables are cut say by a thief, the sounder will still opperate.

Didn't I just say that? ;D ;D ;D

Yes you did & i didn't read it till afterwards ;D
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 22:12:26
If, when you take the keys out, the powersounder beeps 4 times it's a sign the batteries are failing. The bonnet switch it on a metal bracket that is easily bent, during the night your bonnet cools and moves slightly. If the switch isn't in the right place (due to the bracket being bent) it can trigger the alarm thinking the bonnet has been opened. The simple test is to unplug it for a couple of days, if the alarm still sounds then most likely the powersounder or, if it's an estate, the rear quarter window smash sensors.
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: robson on 23 January 2010, 22:20:08
FANTASTIC what can be learnt on this site interesting what you say about the bonnet on a very hot day last year my bonnet wouldnt open threw a couple of buckets of cold water on it and opened straight away. Now going to bed have been decorating all day.
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: Welung666 on 23 January 2010, 22:23:40
Quote
FANTASTIC what can be learnt on this site interesting what you say about the bonnet on a very hot day last year my bonnet wouldnt open threw a couple of buckets of cold water on it and opened straight away. Now going to bed have been decorating all day.

I hope you've unplugged your bonnet switch just in case, it's going to be a cold one tonight ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: car alarm
Post by: wightyboy2 on 24 January 2010, 18:25:06
Just to say thanks to everyone for their input brilliant forum i think the bonnet sensor was the culprit all seems fine now , would never had known if it wasnt for the knowledge all you long time omega owners , cheers :)