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Troubleshooting Concepts
Troubleshooting, like detective work, involves taking a number of
clues or symptoms and following them back to a logical conclusion.
This process can be very difcult if the installer skips steps or assumes
answers. The technician must be careful, methodical, and thorough
when troubleshooting.
Follow the steps below to begin the troubleshooting process. Keep
notes throughout the process detailing what steps have been taken
and the results that have been seen. Write down system messages,
error messages, multimeter readings, AI device addresses, AI device
functions and locations, etc.
To make troubleshooting easier, you should have a good installer/
service company do the initial install and keep a thorough set of
records about the system that includes: a site map showing the
location of all equipment and wiring, a list of AI devices with functions
and locations, regular backups of data from all software, copies of all
manuals, all software disks, and contact information for the installer
and responsible personnel.
Begin troubleshooting by asking the question: “Was the item working
in the past or has the problem been there since it was installed?” It is
important to be very honest at this point. Generally, if something has
been installed for awhile, it probably worked at some point. The trick
is to nd out when it stopped working and why.
If the item is newly installed and the problem has been present since
the beginning, carefully go back over every part of the installation
process. The following sections will detail the troubleshooting steps
for specic items.
If the item worked when it was rst installed, ask “What has changed
at the site that may have caused the problem?”
Examples include:
• Construction/electrical work on-site or in the area
• Change made to the system
• New computer component added (PDA, printer, hard drive, etc.)
• New employee operating the system
• Furniture moved (pinching wires/pulling wires)
• Power interruptions or surges (blackouts or brownouts)
• Lightning strike or electrical storm
• Vandalism or other physical damage
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