Appreciation post: a client's old panel taught me to check the battery first

Got a call for a beeping panel in a 1990s house, the homeowner was sure it was a board fault. I pulled the old panel, a Vista 20P, and was about to order a new main board for about $120. My boss told me to just swap the backup battery first, a $15 part. The beeping stopped right away. I've seen three jobs this month where the fix was just a dead battery, not a bad panel. How many times do you guys see this happen with older systems?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordanl821mo ago

Wait, shouldn't checking the battery be the first step, not the last?

olivia_carr71mo ago

Ugh, that's such a classic move. I swear the simplest fix is always the last thing people check. Your boss saved you a ton of hassle there.

-2

jason_wood1mo ago

Yeah, the simplest fix being last is basically my life story. I'd probably still be checking the power cord if it was up to me.