The short answer is: burglar alarms can have batteries, but they don’t always need them.
Battery-Operated Burglar Alarms
Plenty of burglar alarm systems have battery-operated components, and most models that use batteries will come with low-battery indicators. If you’ve ever been awoken by your smoke alarm beeping at odd hours of the night, you’ll be familiar with how this works.
Fortunately, most battery-operated burglar alarms last a good few years before the battery dies, averaging a lifespan of between three and five years. Here at IDS Security Systems Ltd, we only use battery-operated products if we are fitting a wireless system.
A wireless intruder alarm system involves an intruder panel, powered by the mains. This intruder panel then wirelessly “speaks” to devices and keypads which are battery powered. If we are contracted to undertake regular maintenance visits to your premises, we will check to see if any batteries need replacing during such visits.
Hard-Wired Burglar Alarms
We will only use wireless alarm systems if cabling in the premises is too difficult to install for any reason. Otherwise, we will install hard-wired intruder systems.
Hard-wired burglar alarms are all powered from the mains and connected via wires to the central panel. This means they don’t need batteries.
Pros & Cons of Burglar Alarms with Batteries
Both wireless and hard-wired systems have their advantages and disadvantages.
Wireless systems can be more flexible and cover a wider area than their cabled counterparts, because cabling isn’t a necessity. However, the need to replace batteries every so often can leave wireless systems occasionally vulnerable to failure.
Otherwise, what you need for your burglar alarm system will vary depending on how the premises you are alarming are laid out. A wireless system can have more components added with ease, and can easily be removed completely, but in larger premises the range may struggle to provide adequate coverage.
If you need a new alarm system at your premises, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll help you find the right one for your needs.
