ADT Alarm – What Happens When the Power Goes Out

Various ADT users wonder about the system’s abilities when there’s no power. This article will cover and explain what happens to the ADT alarm when the power goes out.

ADT is a known brand that can add a security layer to your home and acts as a great deterrent to robberies or even fire. But a storm can cause a power outage in your home or neighborhood. 

So does the alarm continue working? Well, yes. But only for a limited amount of time. When there is no power to use electricity from, the alarm automatically switches to its backup power, being none other than batteries.

If the built-in battery backup is filled with new, fresh batteries, then the alarm will have a way of powering itself and function normally. Thus, with or without power, your home continues to be safe.

Yet, as stated previously, it can only last so long. Usually, users will have a range of 6-12 hours of power from the batteries. If the power is still out after that, the system will shut down.

So now you know what happens to an ADT alarm when the power goes out, but how can you ensure that it will happen and the backup batteries will kick in? Continue reading for more information on how to keep your ADT alarm running with no power.

Want to find out more about how ADT security system works? Check out the article for more information.

ADT SafeWatch Pro 6150 Keyboard

Updating ADT Alarm backup battery

ADT alarms are easily maintainable, but it does not mean you can put them aside completely. You must still take the time to check on it every so often and keep new batteries in at all times.

Periodically check the status of the batteries and make sure they aren’t low or discharged. The panel should notify you if it senses the battery’s level is low.

To put in or change batteries on the ADT alarm, we recommend you to first look at the instruction manual or check the ADT website for step-to-step instructions. This is because different models do not have the same procedures.

Nevertheless, the general method is to place the system in test mode to keep the alarm from connecting to the station and triggering an alert. Then open the panel up and look for the battery compartment.

The compartment tends to look like a black box with black and white connectors on top. You can then remove the batteries and place everything correctly before closing the panel.

Then turn off test mode and arm the system up. Once armed, you should see battery-related notifications vanish. For new batteries to integrate into the system, it can take up to 48 hours.

Thus, if you see low battery notifications during this time period, pay it no mind until 48 hours have passed. If, after that time, the message continues to show, then check the battery’s connection is correct.

If it is correctly placed, contact ADT for further assistance. However, if it is positioned incorrectly, insert the batteries correctly and await another 48 hours. If you need to purchase battery replacements for ADT Alarm, choose a reputable seller.

After the power is on

Now that the power has come back, there isn’t much for you to do. You could go about your day normally if it lasted a few minutes. However, if the alarm had no connection to power for hours and the batteries ran out, you need to replace them and reset the system.

Reseting ADT alarm panel

Be cautious of your ADT alarm when the power goes out; it is crucial to get it back up and running as soon as possible. Here is how to reset the alarm:

  • First, enter your master code into the panel
  • Then press down on the “OFF” button twice

And you should have a reset alarm now. If this didn’t work for your alarm, take a closer look at your model’s manual. There are some models that utilize other steps, combinations, or actions to reset.

Once your ADT system has been reset, the alarm should be functional and connected online. The panel screen should not display any error messages.

Final Thoughts

It is safe to say that there is nothing to worry about concerning the ADT alarm when the power goes out. Power outages, whether short or long, will not affect your alarm system too much as you will continue to be online.

The system’s backup battery is only one of many features that make ADT customer friendly and worthy of investment. Now you do not have to worry about your alarm not functioning!

Any other issues concerning batteries and resetting your device can be solved by reaching out to ADT’s customer service, and they can help you through the process.

And don’t forget to maintain a fresh set of batteries in your panel at all times to ensure your alarm will work whether the power is out or not.