Overview
The DSC PowerSeries PC1864 is a hardwired burglary control panel from the PC1616/PC1832/PC1864 family (firmware v4.5 and higher in this documentation set). It is aimed at small to mid-size residential and light commercial installs where you need a proven Keybus panel with room to grow through zone expanders, wireless receivers, and IP/cellular communicators—not a touchscreen-all-in-one platform.
At a Glance
| Specification | PC1864 |
|---|---|
| On-board hardwired zones | 8 |
| Maximum hardwired zones | 64 (with up to seven PC5108 modules) |
| Maximum wireless zones | 32 (with RF5132 or RFK55xx receiver) |
| Keypad zone inputs | 11 |
| On-board PGM outputs | 4 (PGM1/3/4: 50 mA; PGM2: 300 mA, supports 2-wire smoke) |
| Maximum PGM outputs | Up to 14 (with PC5208 and PC5204 modules) |
| Keypads supported | Up to 8 on Keybus |
| Partitions | 8 |
| User codes | 95 user codes plus Master code (code 40) |
| Event buffer | 500 events |
| AUX+ bus power | 11.1–12.6 VDC, 700 mA maximum |
| Bell output | 11.1–12.6 VDC residential / 12 VDC commercial, 700 mA, supervised |
| Panel nominal current | 110 mA |
| AC input | 120 VAC / 60 Hz (NA); 16.5 VAC / 40 VA transformer required |
| Battery | Sealed lead-acid or gel; 4 Ah, 7 Ah, or 14 Ah depending on standby requirement |
| Operating environment | 0°C to 49°C (32°F to 120°F), up to 93% RH non-condensing |
What This Panel Does Well
The PC1864 sits at the center of a traditional DSC PowerSeries install: it supervises wired loops and wireless transmitters, drives bell/siren output and PGM relays, reports to a central station over phone, IP, or cellular modules, and supports up to eight partitions for common split residential or small business layouts.
Eight on-board zones cover many installs; adding PC5108 expanders brings the panel to 64 hardwired zones. A RF5132-433 wireless receiver (v5.1+) or RFK55xx-433 keypad with integrated receiver adds up to 32 wireless zones without changing the panel itself.
Programming is done at the keypad with installer code [*, 8, installer code] or remotely through DLS once the user enables the DLS service window. End users arm, disarm, bypass, and read troubles from PK-series LED keypads, PK5500/RFK5500 LCD keypads, or legacy LCD5511/LED5511Z fixed-message keypads.
Before You Service or Replace One
Confirm these details before quoting parts, programming, or a swap:
- Panel family and firmware — Manuals cover PC1616/1832/1864 v4.5+; programming worksheets and feature limits differ by version.
- Region — NA vs EU install manuals and transformer models differ (e.g., PTD1640U-CC for plug-in NA installs).
- Expansion already in place — PC5108 v1 and v2 must not be mixed on the same panel; jumper settings assign zone banks.
- Wireless generation — 433 MHz PowerSeries wireless; CO wireless requires RF5132 v5.1+ or RFK55xx-433 v1.2+ with WS4913 detectors.
- Communicator path — Phone (RJ-31X), T-Link TL-250/TL-300, TL260GS, GS2060, and related modules each have their own wiring and programming sections.
- Listed install type — UL/ULC burglary, fire, and SIA CP-01 false-alarm reduction each impose specific programming defaults (entry/exit limits, EOL types, bell timeout, etc.).
Official Sources
- Product page: DSC PC1864 (ID 1436)
- PC1616/PC1832/PC1864 User Manual v4.5 and Installation Manual v4.5 NA/EU — DSC official documentation
Use the official installation manual for wire gauges, resistor values, and programming section numbers; use the user manual for keypad commands and end-user trouble display.