installer_dale

I'm hoping to get accredited in the next year or two, most likely with SSAIB. Are there any qualifications that are essential to have? The pack just says competent and conversant with the standards. Lots on Tavcom but I'm not sure what I need. Also how do they calculate financial criteria? Is it 3 months operating costs in the bank etc? If anyone has any advice or templates of forms etc I'd be very grateful.

I fitted one so far it was just the same, super slow, freezing and errors. Was like using a udl keypad on slow connection, 3 second wait until button responds. Gave up powered down, Monday morning back on site to finish and much better no errors, but no where near as fast as the good video. Looks like a wired. This was a new kit with the 48w panel. Doing a 64 next week im wondering if its gonna be better. Just figured they were always gonna be slow as it's wireless. Contrast I agree is ****, I always fit at eye level where possible. But this is not correct really should be same as accessible switches.

Why don't you want text? I prefer it as it's much more informative. Dialler just plays a prerecorded message of you saying the alarm is going off. If you get speech module then 2 numbers per arc, so 6 total. Benefit is you can assign different reporting options to each arc, for example you get all alarms but others only get priority. Disadvantage is you need an arc for ip if you want the app later on. If you got a speech dialler or a speech and text dialer (remember unlike the com2400 with its speech module addon, this is a self contained product) you could get creative with digi outputs. Again my recomedation - as you already have a com2400 then get the speech module. Also means afaik you can carry on using it for udl, but you will prob never do anyway. Then if you also want texts get a Comgsm (better than the com2400 for texting as you can text commands back plus it's genuine instant sms, not a dial up modem going through service centre)

As u already have the com2400 then u can add the speech module to it (goes inside the panel) which allows it to ring you instead of only texting. The speech dialler and speech and text dialler is a standalone product that looks like a keypad which can ring and text you when it receives an input from any make of alarm. Old product tried and tested but nothing special. If you want a second backup communicator (which rules out speech dialler as it's connected to the same phone line as the com2400 as well as ip) then get the speech module for phone calls and also a Comgsm that will give you two way texting over gsm with a pay as you go simcard.

Add a Comgsm for texts and a speech module to get to the com2400 to ring. Or vice versa but the Comgsm can be texted back.

Texting gives you so much more information though. If possible change the sms sound for that contact to make sure it gets your attention. Does the speech module still work with the new elites? I'm sure I read somewhere it was being phased out.

If panel is on show I always fit screw covers. They usually push in easily the right way round and if not a quarter turn to raise/lower them. Mains cover is in the bag so it may as well be fitted, takes 5 seconds and helps keep things safe. More of a pain to remove though. Does anyone use the battery clips? Most systems I take over have tiny 2ah or less batteries, and a bigger battery either falls out when you open the panel or its got a cable tie wrapped round it.

I'm impressed u figured out the mains cover most installers don't seem to know that or they cba

Did you do it? I haven't got round to doing mine but no benefit of doing so until the new app is released. And then it might be pretty basic without Connect.

On my garden office I fitted a PSU200XP off which I have an external bell box, door contact, PIR's, fire and keypad. Also a small extension speaker so I can hear chimes from the house doors. A short run is usually ok to share cables with speaker, but not on a long run and especially not with keypads as you'll get network errors.

Just wanted to update. Many thanks to Paul and Mike at SystemQ for helping me with this. It's been working for the last month and the customer is very happy with it. I couldn't quite get the relay to work properly, it kept getting stuck in a loop. Instead added a changeover relay connected to the alarm outputs, so the custom toggles on and off an alarm output which activates talkback and disables the mic and vice versa. A bit clunky for my liking plus the popup for the alarm output covers half the image, but the customer is happy with it, and there is no feedback. I also outputted to the burglar alarm so that we have a doorchime and push notifications via the Texecom app. There are several of these video entry systems on the market, a lot of standalone systems with their own app. If you could adjust the doorknox to have a proper full duplex audio system it would be a great addition to the alien range. Ideally push notifications would be expected nowadays. Thanks again Dale

which is which?

No one seems to want it

I was expecting 150 to 200 from what id read on here although threads are getting on 10 years old. Maybe I should just start employing

As I'm growing the business I've started to need extra labourers. For the last 9 months I've been paying 3 trusted people I know to help out as and when (usually 1 day a week). This is mainly clipping cable etc they have no technical expertise, although are learning. I'm paying about £130 for a full day. They cant give much more time than this. Eventually I want to employ but it's too soon. Maybe zero hours for now. I'm going limited this year and hoping to get SSAIB next year. At the moment it's a husband and wife self employed setup. However from reading on here it seems sub contractors are popular. If I can pay a sub to go to a site and fit an alarm to the SDP all by himself it seems too good to be true. I haven't got perfect physical health so as time goes on I will need more help with the work. Have I got the right idea on this? What are the going rates in South Yorkshire and how would I find one? Thanks