How Long Does the DSC Impassa Backup Battery Last?

The DSC Impassa backup battery lasts about three to four years in most cases. After that, the device will no longer be able to sustain a charge, and it must be replaced. When this happens, the panel will indicate a trouble condition. Checking this condition will reveal a low-battery.

The DSC Impassa backup battery is also known as the DSC SCWBATTERY. It is a rechargeable battery that slowly stores power when the system is running normally on AC electrical power through a Honeywell 1321 or other compatible system transformer. If the power goes out, then the backup battery will be there to keep the DSC Impassa Alarm System running. The DSC Impassa backup battery is designed to keep the DSC Impassa powered on for up to 4 hours. Once the electrical power is restored, the system will automatically switch back over to its AC power.

The way that the DSC Impassa backup battery works is by storing reserve power to use in the event of an electrical outage. But after a few years, the battery will no longer be able to maintain a charge and store power. When this happens a trouble condition will be indicated, as the panel will display a small orange triangle light. By pressing *2, a user can see that a low battery warning is present. If this is the case, it may mean that it is time to replace the system's backup battery.

However, a low battery warning does not necessarily mean that the system battery needs to be replaced. If the power was recently restored, then the battery might still be low from keeping the system powered. If this is the case, waiting 24 hours while the backup battery stores reserve electrical power may fix the problem. Once the battery has sufficient charge, then the problem may clear on its own.