Rob Kirk

Who uses a pts button inside the protected area? Unless you are trying to design around the guidelines, i agree its a loophole though. The correct wording should be pts button outside of the protected premesis.

Only the key fob and the wireless speaker/panic alarm button. But they are not truly two way tbh in terms of rf security, just two way in the fact that they need to be to perform the function they are doing. Visonic need to do a refresh, i like the price and the style of systems but not he lack of security which is why we are fitting an alarm in the first place.

From what i can make out the methods of complete setting for a confirmed system are only to be from a protective switch, shunt lock, pts button or door contact. but then nsi say this: NOTE 1 This prohibits the use of a timed exit procedure whereby, following initiation of the setting procedure, the IAS sets after a given time has elapsed. This is because of the possibility of a false alarm if the time is accidentally exceeded. Part setting: Clause 6.3 of the BS covers completion of the full setting procedure (to fully set the IAS). Therefore there is a certain amount of flexibility in terms of part setting the IAS. However, methods used to part set IAS should minimize false alarms. Always check with the local police force to see if they accept confirmed intruder alarms when the IAS is part set. ​So its kind of contradictory, but looks as though it shouldn't be a confirmed from a part set unless checked?

Noone at my old company would do PJ/overtime or get out of bed on weekends for less than 150 but that seems standard in the trades thesedays.

Have had one stop working completely, another would ping endless faults so ended up hardwiring to save some dosh and for piece of mind. They just seem very glitchy to be honest, dont like them at all. Its the downside of visonic plus most of the gear is not 2 way so not the most secure when trying to sell i think the detector line needs updating. Will try hkc soon see what the fuss is about, might bench test one for a while, they do look good though.

Have fitted around 20 visonic express and completes now found them ok but have had many issues with the wireless contact and now if i can always hardwire the door contact to zone 29. Anyway I'm sure its been covered before but wondered what peoples thoughts were on the best value for money wireless/hybrid systems.

Hi pnk. Thank you Peter for sorting my validation issue out.

well you learn something new everyday, does this apply only to commercials or am i reading it wrong?

The worst is if they nick your keys, find your car's gps and set it to home. I think fobs are ok though as generally people are so used to using a car fob and if it makes the user set the alarm more often or makes a sale to an otherwise code hating person then its better than having no alarm. If you think about it a car fob is a lot more risk involved as the car can be driven away immediately never to be seen again. A house on the other hand cannot be hidden and does not have a beep to say here i am unless there is knowledge of where the house is. Deleting a would be stolen fob from a visonic panel is something i need to learn how to do...will learn it tomorrow.

I thought a lot of those scennie panels were older than 16 years

Well I'm yet to find a good wireless kit with 3 detectors, contact, bellbox and 2 wireless key fobs for under £200 that also has a built in dialler that is not visonic... visonic is the only one i could find that is any good at that price that does all of that.. but by all means let me know what wireless systems you recommend. Whats the enforcer like compared to this other than being more expensive?

Very true six wheeled, i know they're cheap but the quality of them seems pretty good to me. just wish they had that extra internal and even external sounder on the express kits it would make them awesome.

Thanks for your suggestion yeti but no it doesn't have any power inputs. only has the option for another lithium cell addon to extend the service life. looks like i might have to buy the expander card for 30 quid and an external bell on many jobs If you lookout for the visonic mcs740 wireless sirens on jobs at night (or even in the day you can clearly see them flash) you will see what i mean by them looking like a strobe light without the speed of flash. Before i started fitting them i would mistake them flashing on houses for having not reset the alarm or a re-arm but its just a cluster of 4 bright leds that when flash look very bright like a strobe especially behind the blue lens. Anyway would prefer the more traditional quick flashing dimmer led as its more noticable due to the non 10 second gap between flashes and also doesn't look like a strobe. i could then turn the led comfort flash off as I'm sure it reduces battery life significantly.

Ok james, will just have to go on the estimated 30 meters that visonic state. Might email visonic and ask more info about how to range test when quoting.

Yeah, hes not got mortgage's on anything so is lucky. He doesn't buy to let much now has sold up all of those he mainly looks to do quick turnarounds but they are few and far between now as everyone is at it. Ill bookmark that and show him it anyway though, thanks mate.

Do like the hkc tester might invest at a later date, shame visonic dont do one. Would have to play around testing visonic equipment against the hkc tester and comparing before using in the field.

Hi yes he's aware, its about another 10k more on the stamp duty if i recall. Not going to put him off but he's hoping it puts others off because house prices in our area (essex london border) are astronomical, you go to view something there is 40 people after it all with cash all wanting to buy to let..must be all the lump sum pensions getting dished out and people not knowing what to do with all the money.

Hi all have fitted quite a few wireless powermax express and complete units lately and everything I'm happy with other than that there are no internal sounder terminals. I understand the system is closed and hasn't really got much in terms of wired add ons but it bothers me if I'm fitting the control panel in a cupboard in the protected area upstairs or in a garage and the customer can't hear the entry/exit tone or can barely hear it. Its a tiny piezo sounder permanently mounted to a plastic grill within the panel enclosure for the express and a proper speaker for the complete.. Would it be ok to chop this piezo sounder out and perhaps run a cable to it? only problem being its an ugly thing and does not have an enclosure with a tamper... how about a normal plastic internal sounder? or would the current provided for the piezo sounder be a different draw and it sound weird because its not piezo. Or i was thinking a cross between the two and mount the mini piezo sounder inside the plastic enclosure of an internal sounder....and wire the tamper from it to zone 29 tamper. But in doing this i would have to deviate from the intended design of the panel and have a terminal block joining the cores inside the panel.. sorry for the long windedness i know i could enable squawk but would prefer their to be a sounder not connected to the panel as I've always thought if you do get a break in it gives away the panel location too. Its the only thing that bugs me with the powermax units. Maybe I'm missing something, i know there are expander units that have the allowance for a sounder? but would prefer to not have to add this cost everytime i fit one.

Reading the current regs I'm going to have to invest in a stapler, any ideas whats the best for alarm 6 and 8 core? Sorry to bump an old topic, used to work for a company that strictly forbid stapler use and in 10 years of the trade have never fired a staple would you believe! They look good for certain application of one or two cables side by side. Whats peoples opinions of glue guns? Is glue gun and caulking filler a common thing still in the industry? used to be the goto method of smart concealing up a corner to a pir or panic button. Or along a skirting so one cable just looks like another extension of the routing pattern of a skirting.

Just out of interest, i have been fitting the wireless visonic bellbox for some time now and noticed the led is more like a strobe every 10 seconds, some people could mistake it for the strobe flash and think its not been reset. anyway i have been looking at alternatives to retrofit and see on fleabay there is a led flasher that lasts upto 5 years on a d cell battery designed for dummy bellboxes. wondered if this would be a more pleasing option than the visonic flash every 10 seconds that looks like a strobe...its around 8 pound though, not the cheapest thing if fitting them on jobs with already expensive wireless equipment.

I see a lot of you saying an rf explorer is good to have in our game, is this a good way of testing if the panel range will reach an area and vice versa or not? if i wanted to put a wireless contact on an outbuilding for example and wasn't sure of the range?

Just introducing myself as I'm looking to start my own company fitting alarms and cctv. Started working for a well known company in east london when i left school, left them in 2010 after completing my apprenticeship - they had me servicing 8 jobs a day then doing call outs all over london..got a bit too much. Have earned a full nvq 2 and 3 full apprenticship in alarms (level2+3) and cctv (level 3) Started helping my dad in his buy to let business but now the prices are too high in my area to warrant buying atm. So now I'm not doing much, have decided to go back to alarms/cctv but part time self employed. Would appreciate any guidance on getting nsi/ssaib accredited, i have fitted a fair few alarms for friends/neighbors so might already have the jobs needed just need someone to cover me when I'm on holiday and get the paperwork side sorted properly. Anyway thanks for reading have a good christmas everyone.