Knowledgebase
| Word | Description |
| B Connector | A small insulated connector used to join and insulate two or more wires at a splice. The stripped ends of the wires are placed inside the connector, and it is crimped with pliers or (preferably) a crimping tool. The connectors are often call “beanies” or “chicklets” by installers. |
| Back Light Compensation (BLC) | A feature on newer CCD cameras which electronically compensates for high background lighting to give detail which would normally be silhouetted. |
| Backup Battery/Standby Battery | A rechargeable battery, normally in the control enclosure, that provides power to the system in the event that AC power is lost. In some systems, it is also used to supply extra current if needed during an alarm situation (to help power the sirens, for example). It is sometimes referred to as the Backup Battery. |
| Bell | Industry term for the sounding device, usually a siren, that loudly announces that the system is in alarm. In early alarm systems, the device was usually a large bell mounted on the outside of a building. Although these are rarely used now, the term has persisted. |
| Bell Cutoff | The amount of time before an alarm system’s siren (or bell) shuts off automatically after an alarm takes place. In many jurisdictions, this is required by law to be between 5 and 10 minutes. |
| Blended Sprays | Mace® Triple Action formula combines OC Pepper, CN tear gas and UV dye. The advantage of this formula is that it that you don’t have to hit the attacker in the face; even if you hit them in the chest the tear gas will affect them. |
| Bullet Camera | A type of camera with a bullet like shape. Can be used inside or out. Some come with infrared lighting. |
| Bypass | To deactivate a zone or zones before arming the system. For example, the user might want to arm the system while leaving the upstairs window(s) open for fresh hair. The window zone would be bypassed at the keypad before arming the system. Some alarm brands use the word “shunt” for the same function. |
