Avital - MAXX1 ALARM Going off. Know of a specialist?

[I Love My Bongo]

Bought My bongo a year ago. P reg. Came fitted with Avital - MAXX1 alarm.

It's just started going off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. We did have to replace the main battery a couple of months ago - could that have caused it?

Anyone have any ideas or know any Avital specialists in the South West? In the vicinity of Bristol if possible. I've looked on-line, but their website is not working properly.

Thanks!

[jaylee]

Hello,

I assume after you have had the alarm triggered & you unlock/disarm the van it chirps & flashes 3 times..? (or just flashes if the chirps disabled.)

So when you turn the ignition on after an alarm trigger episode, does your LED warning flash in unusual cycles..? (Series of patterns.)

Do you know if your alarm has a "proximity" sensor..? (Microwave.)

[I Love My Bongo]

Hi,
You'll have to bare with me - not too techie, when it comes to things like this...

Yes you are right, it does chirps & flashes 3 times after the alarm triggered & disarmed. It does not go off instantly, normally at about 3am after being on all night!

The LED does the same flashing cycles, I think. It's got 2 ultrasonic sensors, is that the same as a "proximity" sensor?

Thanks.

[jaylee]

Not really.. But both ultrasonic & microwave will detect an intrusion...

Don't worry to much about not being too techie...

Do you use your Bongo on a daily basis & alarm/lock the vehicle elsewhere without false alarms at other times of the day? (Or at least not discovered when you get back to unlock the vehicle.)
Or is your alarm going off at the "3am" slot regularly??

Do you park on the street at night..? I'm getting somewhere with this...!

[I Love My Bongo]

Hi,

We don't use it everyday and it's normally on the driveway when it goes off (not always at 3am, sometimes 5!) and we have stopped alarming it at the moment...
We will try and take it somewhere else and alarming it and keep you posted if that helps?

Thanks!

[jaylee]

Before we start looking at the possibility of dodgy connections or power drops to the alarm & a self powered siren sounding the alarm...?

I'm thinking the microwave bubble maybe set too big? & a bus at certain times (3am? you never know?) or a neighbour coming home after a late shift i a large vehicle (HGV?) setting it off....???

Or... On a more sinister note.. Someone setting it off cuz they can..? Jealous neighbour?? Nah..
Or maybe someone with the intention of triggering it till the owner of said vehicle with "troublesome alarm" leaves it unsecured having enough of it going off at stupid oclock, then has it away....!!?

[I Love My Bongo]

Yes, I was worried that it may be someone deliberately setting it off and waiting to come back and pinch it

Could be a vehicle setting it off too...

We have also noticed that the central locking is not working properly and the internal lights are very dim. We have a leisure battery which we think may be a bit low, so we are going to charge it up. Not sure if that's connected?

[jaylee]

Yes, I was worried that it may be someone deliberately setting it off and waiting to come back and pinch it

Could be a vehicle setting it off too...

We have also noticed that the central locking is not working properly and the internal lights are very dim. We have a leisure battery which we think may be a bit low, so we are going to charge it up. Not sure if that's connected?

A ha! the alarm could be connected to the leisure battery...? Get it connected to the starter battery.. Looking at a PDF i downloaded for your alarm.. (actualy 2 PDFs.) They are all pretty much the same in principle.. & yours in principle is similar to mine. You got (by the looks of it?) a self powered siren which charges of the power supply.. If the power drops or is cut to the alarm, it thinks it's tampered with & triggers.... The siren will have the power to sound the alarm independently!

[I Love My Bongo]

Thanks! I think that may be it. I'm charging the leisure battery now and will let you know how it goes!

[jaylee]

How are you charging it...? Off a mains supply?

[I Love My Bongo]

Yep... is that OK?

[jaylee]

OK by me...!

A quick check... Disconnect the leisure battery & if the alarm chirps or kicks off then we know where its powered from... If it does trigger as i suspect, you have a self powered siren.

[I Love My Bongo]

Just to up-date you... it was the leisure battery.

We tried to re-charge it, it said it was fully charged, tested it with a battery charger and it was actually faulty.
Bought a new battery now - the alarm/central locking all working as it should

Bongo is back on the road and ready for the sunshine!

[westonwarrior]

Wtg jaylee

Fantastic result

[jaylee]

Great news sorting your alarm/locking problem..

Though, i would suggest taking the live feed for the alarm system from the starter battery... If the leisure losses its charge from standard use, (camping, lights, radio, blinds) then you may find you the same problem may occur till its charged up again..?