What Does 6F On My Alarm System Mean?

The 6F message on your alarm system means that there is a problem with your system's communicator. This message is actually supposed to be bF, but some users misread it as 6F. The message will only be displayed on Fixed English Keypads. Alphanumeric Keypads will display Check 103.

Alarm systems use communicators to send and receive signals. If there is a problem with the communicator, the system's keypad will display a bF or Check 103 trouble condition to let you know about the problem. As a reference, bF stands for "backup failure".

The actual cause of the bF or Check 103 trouble condition could be a number of different factors, but it always indicates a problem with the communicator. The condition will continue to be displayed until you address the cause of the problem and acknowledge the trouble by performing a double disarm. This is done by entering the command [Master Code] + [1] + [Master Code] + [1].

As for the actual cause of the issue, there are many possible reasons. A very common issue is that the communicator is unable to transmit signals. This is usually the case for internet communicators when the internet goes down. Remember, internet outages are fairly common, and they sometimes occur for seemingly no reason at all. A power outage can also take your router offline and indirectly cause the keypad for your panel to display a bF or Check 103 error. Internet outages are a big reason why many users will add cellular communicators for backup.

Cellular communicators also sometimes experience outages, but this is much less common. A local cellular service outage due to severe weather or network problems may result in an outage. You may also notice an outage due to a weak cellular signal. You can have your alarm monitoring provider check your cell signal strength to see if that could be a cause. You may consider adding a cellular amplifier or a cellular antenna if signal strength is an issue.

A cellular communicator will also stop working when the associated network is shut down and retired by the service provider. Most 2G networks are already shut down, and 3G networks are set to be discontinued in the coming years. You should upgrade to an LTE communicator if you haven't already to ensure that your panel remains monitored in the long run. This is an important long-term investment for your panel, and it will keep it working for many years.

Other causes for a bF or Check 103 error are due to minor issues like a tamper cover, a communicator not being properly registered, a loss of communication between the panel and the module, or power and/or battery troubles. You may also have a communication path enabled within system settings, but you don't actually have that communication path properly installed. This can be any communication path, including IP, or cellular. You can fix this issue by disabling the associated communication path. This FAQ can help you.

Remember, a bF or Check 103 trouble condition will continue to be displayed until you fix the problem and acknowledge the error. You can acknowledge the error by providing a double disarm. If you don't provide a double disarm, the error will continue to be displayed. This is true even if you address the actual cause of the problem. The system wants you to know that the problem occurred. This is why it will require you to perform the double disarm. The double disarm command is listed earlier in this FAQ in bold.

An Alphanumeric Keypad that displays the Check 103 error will also display a 4-digit trouble code to tell you the exact cause of the problem. These codes are explained in the table below. Please note that the codes may differ slightly between different communicators. However, they are usually pretty consistent.