Keypads stopped working (1st Gen)

Recently, our keypads have required multiple entries for the base station to accept the code. It seemed to be getting worse over time. Today, we tried muliple times to enter the code and finally used the app to turn off the alarm. Also, the red connection light was on both keypads. One of the keypads is about 6 feet from the base station.

After that, I couldn’t get the keypad to arm or disarm the alarm, the red light was on. I called support and we went through quite a few troubleshooting steps including removing the keypad from the zwave network. Then we couldn’t get the keypad reconnected. We then moved the base station to another room and the keypad connected. I was only able to get it to arm once and now it’s in the same state. Both keypads work occasionally, but only after many tries and the red connection light displays. I’ve tried moving the base station to every room in the house along with the keypads without success. It was working great for 10 months and recently started to degrade.

Is this an issue with the keypads?

@jamecl wrote:

Recently, our keypads have required multiple entries for the base station to accept the code. It seemed to be getting worse over time. Today, we tried multiple times to enter the code and finally used the app to turn off the alarm. Also, the red connection light was on both keypads. One of the keypads is about 6 feet from the base station.

After that, I couldn’t get the keypad to arm or disarm the alarm, the red light was on. I called support and we went through quite a few troubleshooting steps including removing the keypad from the zwave network. Then we couldn’t get the keypad reconnected. We then moved the base station to another room and the keypad connected. I was only able to get it to arm once and now it’s in the same state. Both keypads work occasionally, but only after many tries and the red connection light displays. I’ve tried moving the base station to every room in the house along with the keypads without success. It was working great for 10 months and recently started to degrade.

Is this an issue with the keypads?

Hello @jamecl ,

You’ve stated that you have already called and talked to Ring Support, but your issue still is present. I don’t know all the troubleshooting procedures you accomplished alone or with the Ring Support assistance, so some of my ideas you may have already tired, so I hope I’m not going to say something that your already tried and it didn’t help.

My assumptions are that you have 2 Keypads (since you’ve been using the plural word) and both your Base Station is 1st Generation like your 1st Gen Keypads. I makes me think what factors that both your Keypads have in common?

First, I don’t know if you are using your Keypads with the electrical power adapter plugged into a house outlet or not. Many people use their Keypads while constantly plugged in, some do not and only utilize their Keypads off the internal battery. Typically, a fully-charged 1st Gen Keypad should last six to nine months on a single charge before needing a recharge. If you are among those that do Not keep your Keypads plugged in for constant charging power, your batteries are almost (if not already) depleted down so that they don’t work properly. Since I assume you may have purchased both Keypads at the same time, that could account for them both acting up at about the same time too. I simple recharging should solve this issue.

If you do keep both your Keypads constantly plugged in, maybe the plugs are not fully seated/connected into the Keypad, and although you thought they were plugged in, maybe they were not and you’ve really been operating only on the batteries? It might be worth a shot to double-check those power connections.

Another confirmation that your Keypad batteries are dying would be to check their Battery status by: Main Menu (the 3 horizontal lines Icon, upper-left-corner of Dashboard) > select “Devices” > Alarm Base Station > select a Keypad > and then look at status of the Battery Icon (upper-right). If power is plugged-in, you should see a Green Battery (green indicates it is has a good charge) with a “lightning bolt” in the center of the Battery Icon (indicating that it is charging).

**Battery Level: **

  • Green = good (26-100%)
  • Yellow = low (11–25%)
  • Red = warning (1–10%)
  • Red with line through it = empty (0%)

Another thing your Keypads would have in common is they may have received a software “Firmware” update that periodically and that Firmware was either incomplete or slightly corrupted. You might need to ‘schedule’ a latest Firmware update:

https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360028982991-Updating-the-Firmware-on-Your-Ring-Alarm-Keypad

But in your case, if it is the Firmware, it might be slightly corrupted and you may be better off wiping all the Firmware updates out of your Keypads and start fresh with only the Firmware that the keypads had from the factory. You could perform a hard “Factory Reset” on your Keypads and then allow them to get fresh updates again:

  1. With the Keypad plugged in, press and hold the number “5” button.
  2. Press the pinhole reset button on the back of the Keypad. A paperclip works well. Do not release the “5” button.
  3. The Keypad will light up the ring briefly, then the network icon at the top left of the keypad will begin to flash.
  4. When the network icon stops flashing, release the “5” button.

https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042141352-Troubleshooting-your-Ring-Alarm-Keypad-1st-generation-

Although you said you tried removing the Keypad from the Z-Wave network, but I would attempt that again if the Keypad Factory Reset does not solve your issue. Under Alarm Devices, if the Keypad(s) are there and and it says “Waiting to connect to a network” or something similar, follow through with a Remove Z-Wave of the keypad. To do this, ensure the keypad is plugged in and near the Base Station. Go into the Ring app > Main Menu >Devices > Alarm Base Station > Base Station > Gear icon at the top right > Advanced Options > Z-Wave > Remove Z-Wave Device > Remove and then when it’s “Listening for Device…” try pressing and holding the “1” key for 5 seconds on the keypad. It should say Device Removal Successful.

If we can rule out the Keypad issue, then the other thing they both have in common is they are both Z-Wave connected to the same Alarm Base Station. Maybe your Base Station is acting up and is the culprit?

Before you attempt anything with the Base Station which is the important ‘heart’ of your alarm system, **do NOT attempt a hard “Factory Reset” of your Ring Alarm Base Station without guidance and support from a trained Ring Customer Support expert. **

Check the battery status of your Base Station (like you did with your keypad). Next try unplugging the power cord, waiting for about a minute, and then re-plugging the power to the Base Station. Then, as I have read in other postings, you could do a single, quick press of the Reset button (not the pairing button) with a paper-clip, on the Base Station to force a reboot (this is not a ‘factory reset’).

If all of these possible remedies still do not help you, then I recommend you again telephone Ring Support for help:

https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036196372-Get-in-Touch

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19, their available hours have been changed also:

https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041597471-Ring-s-Response-to-COVID-19

I hope this information is helpful. :slight_smile:

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