Pro-tip: Stop your FiOS battery backup from beeping at you.

[mikebw]

I've had FiOS at my current location since 2007, and at that time they installed the system with a battery backup to use for their VOIP service, which they neglected to enroll us in. So in other words the battery backup was there, but we never got the phone service.

Fast Forward to last month, and the backup unit starts beeping b/c apparently the battery lasts about 10 years, and it wants a new one, ~$30 on amazon... not going to do that since it does nothing to help me, not having their VOIP service and all. The "Silence Alarm" button does NOTHING, so I tried pulling the battery but it didn't like that either, although that did seem to reset the unit and the beeping stopped for a while... but then it came back. A first it's not so annoying, a beep about once an hour, but it's not regular, I figure I can let it go...

Nope, this morning I had had enough. Decided to dismantle the box and desolder the buzzer from the circuit board. Works a treat now!

[Pam]

Ha! Mine wants a new battery every 3 months. I disconnect and reconnect and it's happy again. For about 3 months. This is a totally useless feature that's just a pita for customers who do not have a UPS.

[freeradical]

They're just taking their design cues from AAPL.

[3d]

My FiOS battery lasted about 2 years before it started beeping. The Silence button didn't do anything for me either. I just unplugged and removed it. Beeping stopped.

When my contract was up I called FiOS to see if they will replace the battery in the panel if I signed up for another $1400+ 2 year contract. Nope, they wouldn't budge. Battery was my responsibility. I cancelled FiOS service and went with Optimum.

[Big Daddy Cool]

I just called them and they replaced the unit with one that didn't have that annoying feature.

[wurm]

Pam wrote:
Ha! Mine wants a new battery every 3 months. I disconnect and reconnect and it's happy again. For about 3 months. This is a totally useless feature that's just a pita for customers who do not have a UPS.

That's pretty much our routine.

[mikebw]

wurm wrote:
[quote=Pam]
Ha! Mine wants a new battery every 3 months. I disconnect and reconnect and it's happy again. For about 3 months. This is a totally useless feature that's just a pita for customers who do not have a UPS.

That's pretty much our routine.
Well if you guys ever get tired of it I would encourage you to try removing the buzzer. You'll need to unplug the power from the BBU in order to take it apart so your internet will be down, took me about 15 minutes.

1. Remove plastic covers on BBU (for the battery and the lower right wiring harness cover)

2. Remove battery

3. Unplug wiring harness from BBU (at this point power to the ONT will cut off, no more internet for now)

4. Unscrew 2 mounting screws from inside battery compartment (behind where battery was)

5. Unscrew 2 very small phillips screws that hold a small plastic cover over a thermistor also inside the battery compartment (the thermistor is wired to the circuit board and will need to be free to move)

6. Turn the whole unit around, locate and remove the two phillips screws that are recessed into the housing, holding the front panel on

7. While pressing the tab along the inside edge of the battery compartment, just above the thermistor, pull the front panel straight out. At this point the circuit board will be free of the housing.

8. Locate the small black round buzzer at the lower corner of the board, it will be labeled BZ1 on the board.

9. On the back side of the board, use a hot soldering iron to melt the two contacts. Just be careful not to melt anything else nearby! It helps to do one leg first while pulling the buzzer away from the other side with your other hand. Go back and forth until it comes free.

10. Reassemble.

11. (optional) SMASH BUZZER WITH 10 POUND SLEDGE HAMMER!!!!

It didn't seem to like not having any battery, so I put the old one in and now everything is good.

[tenders]

wurm wrote:
[quote=Pam]
Ha! Mine wants a new battery every 3 months. I disconnect and reconnect and it's happy again. For about 3 months. This is a totally useless feature that's just a pita for customers who do not have a UPS.

That's pretty much our routine.
Me three. But I'm not doing that 11-step mikebw thing.

[Acer]

This method works for smoke detectors, too.

[mikebw]

tenders wrote:
[quote=wurm]
[quote=Pam]
Ha! Mine wants a new battery every 3 months. I disconnect and reconnect and it's happy again. For about 3 months. This is a totally useless feature that's just a pita for customers who do not have a UPS.

That's pretty much our routine.
Me three. But I'm not doing that 11-step mikebw thing.
I said step 11 was optional!