Honeywell VISTA: Upgrading PROM Chip Instructional
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Description
Once you’ve identified the type of Honeywell VISTA security system you have, opened the control panel and disconnected the power to your system, you’ll need to remove the PROM chip from your control panel circuit board and replace it with a more recent chip that’s capable of supporting Total Connect. With this new chip, you’ll be able to use Total Connect 2.0, which allows you to control aspects of your alarm system from a computer or mobile device.
Sterling from Alarm Grid explains how you can quickly and easily extract the PROM chip from your circuit board. While there are PROM extraction kits that are available online for a small price, there is also an effective DIY method that you can use to extract the chip, instead of purchasing tools.
In the video, Sterling illustrates this DIY method. He uses a small black binder clip to extract the PROM by removing the small metal arms from the clip and using them as an extraction tool. The binder clip’s arms have a right angle at either end, which allows the arms to function as levers so that you can lift the PROM chip away from its housing. Conveniently, there are two small grooves on the underside of the PROM chip located on opposite corners that you can stick your DIY extraction tool into to leverage the chip away from its housing.
As outlined in the video, you’ll use the binder clip’s arms to extract the PROM chip from its housing. Sterling shows how you can insert the arms underneath the grooves on the PROM chip and apply pressure to lift the PROM from its housing.
This will allow you to remove the chip without putting any stress on the delicate PROM housing that you’ll need to preserve. Damaging the housing or the circuit board, it’s connected to could ruin the entire system, leaving you to either pay for costly repairs or replace the system altogether. Once the old PROM chip is removed, you can replace that chip with a newer version that supports Total Connect 2.0 service.
Sterling explains that since Total Connect service is not supported by ADT, the PROM chip must be replaced with an unbranded Honeywell PROM, which will allow the use of Total Connect.
The video then describes how to install your new Honeywell PROM into the housing located on your circuit board by placing the PROM on top of the housing and ensuring the connections all line up, then gently pressing on the middle of the chip to secure the chip in the housing. You’ll want to be sure to that the chip is seated as far into the housing as possible to be sure that it’s well connected to the housing.
This video concludes with some instructions on how to reconnect power to your system. Once you’ve reconnected power and closed up your alarm control panel, you’ll have a home security system that supports Total Connect 2.0.
Transcript
[LOCKING] Now that we have our system powered down, we're going to show you how to pull your PROM out. While they do make PROM extraction tools and you can get them for a couple of dollars on Amazon, we like to show you the DIY option. So if you're familiar with a black binder clip, which has these two silver levers and are used to clip multiple reams of paper-- more than what a paperclip can handle-- it makes for an excellent PROM extractor. You simply remove the two silver levers. And you're left with a piece that has a nice 90 degree angle, which can act as a nice little lever to put pressure on the back of the PROM and lift it away from the PROM holster.
And conveniently, there are two notches on opposite corners of the PROM so that you can insert your two silver levers into the hole, push them close towards the middle of the PROM. And then, you have something to pull straight up away from the board. And it prevents you from having to put any pressure on the PROM holster, which can potentially crack that holster if you were, for instance, to try to pry it out of the holder.
So once you have your two little levers, you stick them into the opposite corners. And with a little bit of pressure, we have pulled our PROM out of holster. And you can see it's there. And you simply take your new PROM-- again, to do Total Connect, you need a 20P-912 or higher.
Because we are not an ADT company and we're looking to get Total Connect service, which doesn't work with an ADT system, you need to use a traditional Honeywell PROM. Now that we've removed our PROM, we're going to locate our new non-branded Honeywell PROM. So instead of the WA3000 or WA3001, now we have a chip that says WA 20P-912. Again, that 912 number is critical for Total Connect 2.0.
You get the correct PROM. You line it up into the slot. Make sure that the writing is upright. And simply put pressure on the center of the PROM and push it down as far down as you can do it. Once it's in nice and tight, you can power your system back up by simply reconnecting your battery lead and replugging in your transformer to your wall outlet. Now you have a control panel that supports Total Connect 2.0.
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