To determine what kind of battery you need, follow these steps.
1. Determine Which Component Needs a Battery
If your control panel is emitting a low-battery noise, figure out which security element is the source of the problem. Some common components that might run on batteries include the following:
- Control panels
- Keypads
- Door and window sensors
- Smart thermostats
- Smart door locks
- Wireless cameras
- Glass break detectors
- Smart smoke alarms
2. Call the Monitoring Center to Alert a Representative That You Will Be Changing Batteries
Alarm monitoring companies may flag the system as having been tampered with if you start removing batteries from components. Letting the monitoring center know you’ll be changing the batteries can prevent an unexpected visit from the police.
3. Determine What Type of Replacement You Need
At this point, you’ll be able to determine what type of battery the device needs. In general, the only components that might require special batteries are the control panel and keypad. Alarm system control panels often take large 12V batteries. The keypads of smart security systems might use a special battery pack, although many older keypads just take AAs.
Any other components are likely to use AA batteries or the round, flat batteries often used in watches.
4. Purchase and Install a Replacement
After you figure out which type of battery you need, you can head to the store to pick up the replacement.
If you need a battery that your convenience store doesn’t carry, you typically have two choices: contact your home security company to order a replacement or take the battery to a specialty store to have them order one for you.
Once you have the right battery replacement, carefully remove the dead battery from the device—remembering to dispose of it properly—and install the new battery. You can then call the monitoring center to let them know the battery replacement is complete.
While changing a system’s batteries does add another step to security maintenance, many people gladly take on the responsibility to avoid dealing with power cords, which can make a system look more conspicuous. To figure out if a wireless security system is right for you, check out our How to Choose a Security System page.
