Do Home Security Systems Work when the Power Goes Out?

Yes, home security systems work when the power goes out. However, this is only true if the system is connected with a backup battery. Once the power goes out and the plug-in transformer is no longer supplying power, the system will switch over to the backup battery to receive power.

An alarm system depends on receiving power to provide active monitoring services. If the system is not receiving power, it will shut off. And if the system is off, it will not be able to detect when a sensor has been activated. It will also not be able to send outbound communication signals to a central monitoring station or to an end user. In other words, an alarm system without power is utterly useless.

Having the electricity go out is a major inconvenience. But when an alarm system is not powered on properly, it can represent a huge security and safety risk. An unpowered system will not detect or report any break-in that occurs. And if a life-safety sensor, such as a smoke detector or a carbon monoxide detector, activates then it is very possible that nobody will be informed about the potential emergency.

For those reasons, nearly every alarm system will have some type of rechargeable backup battery. Usually, the system will be receiving electrical power from the transformer that is plugged into the wall outlet. The transformer will also supply some power to the backup battery to give it some reserve power. So most of the time, the backup battery will be sitting there in reserve.

But when the power does goes out, the backup battery will be ready. The system will switch over to this reserve power supply and continue to run as if nothing happened. However, it is important to remember that a backup battery will not run indefinitely. Most backup batteries can keep a system running for up to a day, but it varies between different batteries and systems. Additionally, a backup battery will need to be replaced every few years. The system will let the user know when the backup battery is low.

In addition to a backup battery, another important add-on for a system is a cellular communicator. Cellular communication is the only reliable way to keep an alarm system monitored when the electricity goes out. Another benefit of cellular monitoring is that it is extremely reliable, and it is almost never down or unavailable. Plus, cellular LTE speeds are nearly as fast as WIFI, making a cellular communication path excellent for alarm systems.