DSC PowerSeries PC1616 Control Panel

The DSC PowerSeries PC1616 is the smallest panel in DSC's classic PowerSeries line, sized for apartments and small homes. Like its bigger siblings it is a wired panel in a metal cabinet, controlled from keypads on a four-wire bus DSC calls the Keybus. It takes wireless sensors through a receiver.

At a glance

PowerSeries family

All three use the same keypads, expanders, and communicators, so moving up is a board swap and reprogram, not a rewire.

The PC1616 reports troubles through the yellow Trouble light. Press * 2 to see which: 1 service required, 2 AC failure, 3 phone line, 4 failed to communicate, 5 zone fault, 6 zone tamper, 7 wireless low battery, 8 loss of clock. Full explanation and fixes: DSC PowerSeries trouble codes.

Out of zones

With six zones on the board, many PC1616 installs share one zone between several doors or windows. If you want each opening reported separately, add an 8-zone expander (up to the 16-zone limit) or move to a PC1832.

Trouble 3 and 4 after dropping a landline

The built-in dialer needs a phone line. Add an IP or cellular communicator; see Compatible peripherals and communication failure.

More fixes

• Replacing the backup battery
• Adding or deleting user codes ([*][5])
• Bypassing a zone ([*][1])

• Keypads: full-message LCD, icon LCD, 8-zone LED, and versions with a built-in wireless receiver.
• Zone expander: 8-zone hardwire expander.
• Communicators: TL280 internet, and LTE/IP dual-path communicators such as the LE2080 / TL280LE.

• Programming: * 8 + installer code, then three-digit sections. See DSC installer programming.
• Keybus wiring: red and black carry power, yellow and green carry data. Keypads and modules all share the same four terminals.
• Power: a 16.5 VAC plug-in transformer and a 12 V sealed lead-acid battery.