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Trouble Light On

DSC Security Alarm

Severity: Minor

Source: OnlyErrorCodes.com — Every error code. One place.

DSC PC1864 Trouble Light On — Common Trouble Codes

What Does This Error Mean?

DSC trouble light means the panel detected a non-emergency issue.
Press *2 on the keypad to scroll through specific trouble codes.
Common: low battery (Trouble 1), AC power lost (Trouble 1 sub-code), telephone line fault (Trouble 2), zone fault (Trouble 5).
Each trouble has a specific fix — don't just disable the light.

Affected Models

  • DSC PC1864
  • DSC PC1832
  • DSC PC1616
  • DSC Power Series

Common Causes

  • Backup battery low or failed (4-7 year service life)
  • AC power loss to panel (often trips reset on circuit breaker)
  • Phone line fault (less common with cellular communicators)
  • Zone fault (sensor offline, broken wire)
  • Failure to communicate with monitoring center
  • Tamper switch on panel cover open

How to Fix It

  1. Press *2 to view trouble codes.

    From keypad: *2.
    The display shows trouble category number.
    Press the displayed number again to drill into specifics.
    Note all troubles — sometimes there are multiple.

  2. If Trouble 1 — battery or AC.

    Press 1 to drill in.
    Sub-code 1 = backup battery low.
    Sub-code 2 = AC power lost.
    Battery: replace the 12V 7Ah panel battery (20-40 USD, every 4-7 years).
    AC: check the breaker and the panel transformer.

  3. If Trouble 5 — zone fault.

    Press 5 to see which zone(s) faulted.
    Zone fault means a sensor is showing trouble — door/window open during arming, motion sensor wire broken, glass-break offline.
    Walk the zone, find the sensor, address physical issue.

  4. If Trouble 2 — telephone line.

    Most modern panels use cellular communicators (Telguard, Alarm.com).
    Phone line trouble on these means the phone line jumper isn't installed correctly.
    If you've gone fully wireless, technician needs to remove the phone line monitoring.

  5. Reset trouble light after fixing.

    Press *2 then # to acknowledge troubles.
    Light should clear within seconds if cause is resolved.
    If it stays on, the underlying issue isn't fixed — recheck.

  6. Get installer code if needed.

    Some troubles need installer code (default 5555 or set during install) to clear.
    Check with your alarm company.
    Don't randomly try codes — too many wrong attempts can lock the panel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I disable trouble beeping?

Don't.
Trouble beep is a feature — it tells you something needs attention.
You can silence individual beeps via *2 then #, but disabling the trouble system entirely defeats the purpose.
Fix the underlying issue instead.