What Happens to My ADT Alarm When the Power Goes Out?

Having an ADT alarm system installed in your house offers you an excellent level of protection from theft and fire. This is a great way to get some peace of mind, and millions of people take advantage of this opportunity every day. But what happens if the power goes out? What happens to your protection when a power grid fails, or a major storm moves through your area?

When the power goes out, your ADT system will automatically switch to its backup battery, ensuring uninterrupted protection. However, keep in mind that while the backup battery will keep the system operating for several hours, the charge in the battery will eventually run down.

Knowing that your ADT system is still ready to offer you the level of protection that you are used to, even when the power goes out, is a great relief during an already stressful time. Keep the peace of mind that your home is still protected from those who may want to take advantage of such a situation.

What Happens to the ADT Alarm When Power Goes Out?

When the power goes out, either from a storm or a problem with power lines, it can be stressful. You can rest a little easier knowing that you are still getting the same protection from your ADT alarm system.

During a power outage, your ADT alarm system will automatically revert to battery back up power. While in this mode, your system will function as it usually would, and you can enjoy the same level of protection.

However, you will want to make sure that your system is properly plugged in and that the backup battery is charging as it should be to make sure it is ready to go in case of power failure.      

Updating Your ADT Alarm’s Backup Battery

Though the ADT system is built to switch to backup batteries, some assumptions come with that expectation. This assumes that your backup battery is operating correctly and is charged.

If this is not the case, your panel will usually send you a notification or start to beep, indicating a low battery.

Changing the battery in your ADT system is fairly simple, though you will want to make sure that you check the owner’s manual for your particular panel to make sure you have the right kind of battery for your system:

1. Put your system in test mode. This makes sure the monitoring station does not receive false alarms from your system.
2. Open the panel. Some panels may require a key.
3. Disconnect the old battery. Make sure the pay attention to how it was connected.
4. Connect the replacement battery, paying special attention to connect it precisely as the original battery was connected.
5. Close the panel, making sure that everything is secure.
6. Take the system out of test mode so that it is ready to be armed and send signals to the monitoring station if needed.

When you have successfully replaced the battery, it may take up to 48 hours for the battery to charge. While this is happening, your system will continue to display a low battery alert. If this continues after approximately 48 hours, contact ADT support for assistance.

What Happens to the ADT Alarm After the Power Comes Back On?

After a power outage, it may be necessary to reset your alarm system.  This is especially true if power has been out long enough that the backup battery was depleted, and the system was completely offline. To reset:

1. Enter your code.
2. Press the “Off” button twice.

Note: This a generalization. You will want to check your owner’s manual to learn how your particular panel needs to be reset. There are several different types of panels, and they may operate differently.

When you restart your alarm system, this should bring everything back online. You will want to make sure that you are not receiving any alerts from your system that indicate a problem when the system has completely restarted. Any errors or failures could leave your system vulnerable.

Final Thoughts

Power outages are not fun for anyone. Knowing that your alarm system will still operate during a power outage is one less stress you have to deal with.

It is essential, however, to remember that the backup batteries have a limited operating period. If in a prolonged power outage, the system may cease to function if the batteries run out of power. They will not last indefinitely.

With that said, keeping your system batteries maintained and ready ensures that they are ready to jump in and take over the vital job of keeping you and your loved ones protected for as long as possible.