SimpliSafe Base Station Flashing Blue? (We Have a Fix!)
Making the move to a home security system is becoming a necessity these days. SimpliSafe, one of the top choices on the market, oftentimes ends up being one of the first names thought of by new customers. Setup is relatively easy and their products are reliable.
From time to time, however, you may notice that your base station is flashing blue. When the SimpliSafe base station is flashing blue, it is to alert you that there is some kind of issue with the base station. The alert informs you of a message with the details about the problem so that you can troubleshoot the problem and implement a fix or call a service technician in to help.
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What Do the Lights on My SimpliSafe Base Station Indicate?
When there is an issue with your SimpliSafe base station, there are a number of potential issues at play. These issues will be made known through different color lights. They are meant to serve as a visual indicator to alert you that something is amiss.
But if you are new to the SimpliSafe base station, those lights may not mean a whole lot to you. Knowing what the different lights mean can give you a better idea of what the problem is and how to properly troubleshoot.
Blue Lights
There are really only two instances of a blue light: a solid light and a flashing one. The solid blue light is a good one. It is meant to indicate that your SimpliSafe system is properly armed. If there is any light that you want to see, it is the solid blue one.
When your blue light begins to flash, that indicates that a message has been sent to the keypad. These messages usually pertain to some sort of error. The message will elaborate on the potential issue so that you can implement the right fix.
There is also a possibility that your base station was improperly set up. You will have to disconnect the base station and reinitiate the setup to complete the installation.
Red Lights
Blue lights are not the only color lights that you will see. There are three different red light variations as well: solid, dim, and blinking. Knowing what each does can be just as helpful as the blue lights mentioned above.
When the base station has a solid red light, that means an alarm was triggered. You can then check the base station to see what that alarm was. If the red light has turned dim, it means that an alarm was recently triggered. And, finally, the blinking red light indicates that there has been either an error with the base station or there was a loss of power.
Other Lights
There are also white and yellow lights that your SimpliSafe base station may have. The white and yellow lights give you an indication that the base station is working to better communicate with the devices that are attached to your system.
These lights are especially helpful when it comes to getting input from the keypad or downloading an update. You can get status updates as the device updates, letting you know when they have finished as well.
I’m Getting a Flashing Blue Light, Now What?
So, your SimpliSafe base station is flashing blue. We have a better idea of what the lights mean, but what caused the system to trigger in the first place? Remember that the blue light is meant to indicate that a message has been sent to your SimpliSafe keypad.
There are five error messages that you may see what you check the notifications on your device. Knowing what these messages are and what they mean are important to both diagnosing and resolving the issue.
SimpliSafe Base Station Error Messages
The error messages that you receive from your SimpliSafe base station are generally one of five things: an entry sensor left open, a power outage, an alarm, your keypad being out of range, or the keypad battery being low.
The entry sensor is a simple one. Sut means that something in your house – a window, door, etc. – was left open. Simply closing them can be enough to remove the flashing blue light entirely. Related to this is the alarm. You will either get a panic button, entry sensor, or motion sensor alert. More often than not, it will be one of the last two.
It could be that your house has had a power outage. Thanks to the battery backup, your SimpliSafe base station should be able to run for up to 8 hours after the power has been shut off. Likewise, it could mean that the batteries in the keypad are low. Simply replace them and you should see the flashing blue light disappear.
The final alert is that your keypad is out of range. It is entirely possible that you have set your base station up too far from the keypad(s). You may need to reset your keypad and the base station in order to connect them properly.
One More Potential Issue
Perhaps you have went through the process of troubleshooting and nothing has done the trick. Remember that the flashing blue light involves communication with not only the other devices but the SimpliSafe call center as well.
When your base station cannot connect to the dispatch, then it will flash blue. Just keep in mind that you need to have a subscription to use those dispatch services. If you do not have the paid subscription, then you shouldn’t see the flashing blue light for the dispatch problem.
How to Get Rid of the Flashing Blue Light
So, now we are familiar with what is causing the blue light on your station to flash. How do you get it to stop, though? First and foremost, address the issues that caused that problem in the first place. Most of the time, it is no big deal.
The good news is that you can clear the alert from your SimpliSafe keypad. It just takes a few simple quick steps to clear the alert and get your base station back to normal.
Step 1: Menu Button
Start by pressing down on the “menu” button. From there, you should be prompted to enter your PIN number in.
Step 2: Resetting the Blue Light
When you have entered your PIN successfully, scroll through the menu until you find “exit.” Select this option and it will take you back to the main menu. Most of the time, this should be enough to get your base station back to its normal levels of monitoring and functioning.
Basically, it resets the system and clears the alert. If you are having problems resetting the blue light, you may need to call to have SimpliSafe reset your base station.
Incomplete Installation
There is always the change that your SimpliSafe base station never completed the installation. The good news is that you can start the installation yourself. It is a bit longer to reset the device and restart the installation but should get you back to normal.
Step 1: Shutting Down the Device
Your SimpliSafe base station is hooked up to a power socket, simply remove the plug from the wall. But that won’t power down the device as it has a battery backup. Flip the station over and look for the battery slot.
Using your screwdriver, open up the panel and take the batteries out of the slot. Give it about 30 or 45 seconds before you move on to the next step.
Step 2: Restarting the SimpliSafe Base Station
After those 30 or 45 seconds have passed, you can put the batteries back in. Make sure to mount the battery panel back on and tighten the screws in place. Turn the device back on and wait for it to fully boot up.
This will take some time so try to remain patient. It can take as long as 10 minutes for the entire system to properly boot up.
Step 3: Check the Lights
When the SimpliSafe base station is done resetting, you should see either a flashing green or blue light. If the device has a flashing green light, then your device has been installed properly and you are ready to get back to normal use.
Should the blue light come back, then you may still have an issue at hand. You can continue troubleshooting the issue or call SimpliSafe directly. They may be able to troubleshoot the issue from their end and find a resolution.
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Final Thoughts
Those who have a SimpliSafe system may find a bit of relief in knowing that the flashing blue light is nothing threatening or alarming. Think of it as something of a notification text. Sure, there are issues at play but most of them are not critical and can be remedied easily.
Now that you know what the lights mean, it can help you troubleshoot potential issues as they arise. That can save you time and help you get your SimpliSafe base station back to normal sooner rather than later.
Ryan Womeldorf has more than a decade of experience writing. He loves to blog about construction, plumbing, and other home topics. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan.
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