How Do I Default My DSC PowerSeries Alarm Panel?

To hardware default the DSC PowerSeries Panel, disconnect both AC and battery to power down. If there are wires connected to Z1 and PGM1, mark them appropriately. Then remove them from the terminals. With a piece of wire, place a short across Z1 and PGM1. Then restore AC power to the system.

There are a number of reasons you may want to default your DSC PowerSeries PC1616, PC1832, or PC1864 Panel. You may have moved into a new home with an existing panel, and you want to begin from scratch. Your panel could be behaving erratically, and you believe a default will set it right. Or maybe you're moving and taking the panel with you to a new location, and the entire panel configuration will change. Whatever the reason, the following steps will set your panel back to the factory default configuration.

The exception to this is if the Installer Lockout Enable in programming location 990 has been enabled. With this field enabled, a hardware default is impossible. To let you know this is the case, when the panel is powered back on during the default process, the line seizure relay will chatter 10 times (heard as a series of clicks, if you are near the panel) to let you know that this feature is enabled.

If you have access to programming prior to the default, you can enter programming and check this field. To do so, press [*] + [8] + [Installer Code] + [990] to see if this field shows enabled. The default Installer Code is 5555. Press [#] as many times as necessary to exit programming. If you do not have access to programming, and gaining access is the reason you wish to default, be aware that this method may not work.

Complete the following steps to default your DSC PowerSeries Alarm Panel:

1. Prepare the terminals. If there are any wires connected to the Z1 and PGM1 terminals, remove them and mark them appropriately. Once the default is completed, you may want to re-attach these wires to their respective terminals.

2. Power panel down. Remove both AC and Battery power from the panel. Do this by unplugging the panel's plug-in transformer and removing the wires from the battery. Verify that it is completely powered down.

3. Short across terminals. Take a short piece of wire. Connect one end to the Z1 terminal. Connect the other end to the PGM1 terminal. This will serve as a short.

4. Apply AC power. Plug in the AC transformer for 10 seconds. When the Zone 1 light is lit on the keypad the default is complete. You must use AC power for this. Powering up using battery will not successfully default the panel.

5. Remove AC power. Once again, unplug the panel's transformer so that the panel powers down.

6. Remove the jumper. Remove the short piece of wire from between the Z1 and PGM1 terminals. If desired, replace the original wires that were connected here.

7. Restore power. Plug-in the AC transformer, and reconnect the wires to the appropriate battery terminals.