CAT CAT Alarm System Maintenance and Testing 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How often should a residential security alarm system undergo a full walk-test according to industry best practices?
- Every 6 months (Correct answer)
- Every 5 years
- Only after installation
- Every 10 years
Correct answer: Every 6 months
Industry best practices recommend a full walk-test every 6 months to ensure all sensors and zones are functioning properly.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of performing a battery load test on a backup power supply?
- To verify the battery can sustain the system under actual load conditions (Correct answer)
- To check the battery's physical dimensions
- To confirm the battery voltage at rest
- To reset the control panel clock
Correct answer: To verify the battery can sustain the system under actual load conditions
A load test confirms the battery can deliver sufficient current under real operating conditions, not just at rest voltage.
Question 3: During a periodic maintenance visit, a technician finds that a door contact sensor fails to trigger the alarm. What is the FIRST step?
- Inspect the magnet alignment and gap distance (Correct answer)
- Replace the entire sensor immediately
- Reprogram the control panel zone
- Notify the monitoring center
Correct answer: Inspect the magnet alignment and gap distance
Checking magnet alignment and gap is the quickest non-invasive first step before replacing hardware or reprogramming.
Question 4: Which tool is most appropriate for verifying that a passive infrared (PIR) motion detector is properly detecting motion across its coverage area?
- Walk-test mode on the control panel with technician present (Correct answer)
- Multimeter set to AC voltage
- Oscilloscope on the sensor output wire
- IR thermometer aimed at the lens
Correct answer: Walk-test mode on the control panel with technician present
Walk-test mode activates zone indicator feedback so the technician can physically walk the coverage area and confirm detection.
Question 5: What does a high resistance reading on a normally closed (NC) detection loop indicate during a maintenance check?
- A loose wire connection or corroded terminal (Correct answer)
- Normal loop integrity
- A short circuit in the wiring
- The sensor has been bypassed in software
Correct answer: A loose wire connection or corroded terminal
Elevated resistance on an NC loop points to a poor connection or corrosion increasing resistance in the circuit.
Question 6: A siren fails to sound during a maintenance test but the control panel logs the alarm event. What is the most likely cause?
- Blown fuse or broken wire on the siren output circuit (Correct answer)
- Incorrect zone programming
- Faulty keypad
- Dead backup battery
Correct answer: Blown fuse or broken wire on the siren output circuit
If the panel logs the event but the siren doesn't activate, the issue is in the output wiring or fuse, not the detection side.
CAT CAT Alarm System Maintenance and Testing 1
How often should a residential security alarm system undergo a full walk-test according to industry best practices?