When do burglar alarms flash?

[yakisoba]

We are going to install a dummy burglar alarm box on our new house until we get round to buying a proper system. It has a space for an LED light that you can set to flash.

For those of you with a proper alarm system, when does it flash? Is it when it's set? When it's triggered? when its malfunctioning?? Never?

Ta

(DH thinks I should post this on burglarsnet)

Ours flashes all the time, whether set or not...

I think ours flashes all the time too.

Thank you.

On our old house there were 2 small red (or green?) lights that used to flash alternately all the time.

There was also a bluish/white light that was much bigger and brighter that would flash if the alarm had been triggered at all. It would continue to flash (even if the sound had stopped ) until the alarm was reset.

Mine flashes red and blue all the time.

Ours flashes all the time - then does a little 'disco turn' when set.

I used to work for ADT and our real bell boxes didn't flash until they went off.

But, due to so many customers nationwide requesting it, they changed the boxes so the blue lights flashed constantly when the alarm is set. They felt that doing this was another indicator to possibly burglars that there is a working alarm on site.

Thank you RiojaHaze. Ours is an ADT dummy box. Very useful information!

my commercial one doesn't flash except, very brightly, when hooting or triggered. Some Yale ones flash briefly when you set or unset them, to tell you your command has been actioned; otherwise only when triggered.

Funnily enough, the flashing LEDs are more often a sign of a dummy.

Use good big batteries, preferably lithium, for long life.

IMO it is unwise to have a box that flashes to tell you the alarm is set. Because when it isn't flashing, that tells people....

Can I ask, with all this 'flashing' , do the neighbours say anything?

Can they see it from their window, does it keep them awake?

Also - how do you change the batteries? Are they at arms reach, from a top window I presume?

the flashing should not be bright, it is like a small torch bulb. You can see it in the dark, or if you look for it.

A "real" alarm is almost always wired. A dummy with batteries, I have know last for a couple of years. You may be able to fix the box with keyholes or cup hooks so you can lift it indoors from an upstairs window instead of needing a ladder.

Thanks P.John, am thinking of getting one when I move, & wondered about those things.