Proffesional Install ?

[dommer]

Hello, a post for all you pros.

Just a few questions out of curiousity really.

My mum works in a small local pharmacy that opened a few months ago. She lives nearby and so is the first on the list to attend an alarm call. The system was fitted by a local firm. The last three nights the alarm has gone off, same PIR every time. The installers left no user manual, but I managed to figure out how to disable the problem Zone, this was confirmed when the owner dialled in to check it had been omitted and alarm set properly.

I have fitted my own alarm (bells only at the moment, until I invest in a dialler), G3 panel Texecom PIR's and Bell. Which I got some great advice from you guys about when I needed it. I don't think for a minute it's as good as I could have got from a proper alarm company, but it does everything I want it to, it cost alot less and touch wood, no false alarms yet.

Anyway back to the professional system. There are only Four Zones as it's very small shop. The problem PIR (Texecom) is in a locked storeroom with no doors or windows, with another PIR directly outside. No attempt has been made to hide the cabling even though there is a false ceiling.

My points/questions are for your comments.

1) All the equipment is Texecom which I thought was more DIY stuff, if it's a pro install, shouldn't the euipment be better than Joe Public can buy ?

2) Is it only important to hide cables for the look, and therefore not neccessary in a commercial install ?

3) Is there any need for PIR in the locked storeroom ? Would a door contact be better ?

4) Shouldn't the installer have left a user manual ?

Or am I too critical ?

Regards, Dom.

[mjw]

Hello, a post for all you pros.

Just a few questions out of curiousity really.

My mum works in a small local pharmacy that opened a few months ago. She lives nearby and so is the first on the list to attend an alarm call. The system was fitted by a local firm. The last three nights the alarm has gone off, same PIR every time. The installers left no user manual, but I managed to figure out how to disable the problem Zone, this was confirmed when the owner dialled in to check it had been omitted and alarm set properly.

I have fitted my own alarm (bells only at the moment, until I invest in a dialler), G3 panel Texecom PIR's and Bell. Which I got some great advice from you guys about when I needed it. I don't think for a minute it's as good as I could have got from a proper alarm company, but it does everything I want it to, it cost alot less and touch wood, no false alarms yet.

Anyway back to the professional system. There are only Four Zones as it's very small shop. The problem PIR (Texecom) is in a locked storeroom with no doors or windows, with another PIR directly outside. No attempt has been made to hide the cabling even though there is a false ceiling.

My points/questions are for your comments.

1) All the equipment is Texecom which I thought was more DIY stuff, if it's a pro install, shouldn't the euipment be better than Joe Public can buy ?

2) Is it only important to hide cables for the look, and therefore not neccessary in a commercial install ?

3) Is there any need for PIR in the locked storeroom ? Would a door contact be better ?

4) Shouldn't the installer have left a user manual ?

Or am I too critical ?

Regards, Dom.

Hi Dom

Happy new year

Texecom is'nt DIY stuff it is just readily avalible to the DIY market,quite a few professional companies out there installing texecom,Also cables should always be hidden(where practical) but it does depend on the engineer and the time scale he/she had to install the system,As for the locked store room again depends on why systems was installed insurance requirement etc also how easy is it to gain entry to storeroom also what is stored in the said storeroom??As for the user manual HE/SHE SHOULD then customer should have asked for it!!!

As for too critical only you can answer that one

[whistle]

After the 2nd alarm condition your mum should have called out the installation company out no matter what time it was and got a 4 hour responce ( Providing its under a maintenance agreement ).

The engineer should have then located the problem and put the system right.

A Quality system shoud not be going off 3 nights on the trot, it should not be going off at all.

If i was a customer i would call the company out after the 1st alarm if no reason is found, But i would wait until the next woring day if i was able to reset the system.

PS . You can tell who's on call tonight posting at this time on New Years Eve.. All the best.

[mjw]

Thats a little unfair,we agreed on four points but i dont how you can say he/she is too critical...you have'nt seen the state of the install

[dommer]

Thanks for the replies.

Just a note to say the installer has been notified and is coming out to sort the problem when they are back at work. Omitting the Zone was the best thing to do at the time I think. My mums boss and owner of the shop said not to bother setting at all because she didn't want my mum to be going backwards and forwards all night. Better a part set system than not at all.

Secondly the store contains nothing valuble, and the insurance company have already stated they won't cover the contents. It is not really used, and as I said has no other doors or windows. It can't be passed without passing another sensor.

Happy New Year, Dom.

[whistle]

PS : If the system is monitored the pir in the locked store room will be for confirmed. Due to there being one outside the room as well.

so now its a free for all in the store room and the rear of the shop until tuesday as no confirmed = no police responce

[whistle]

Major problem here - professional system requires 4 hour response not "when they return to work"!

Agreed

[dommer]

Hi.

There is no police response. And the Alarm Company never even mentioned attending until normal working hours. I presume the rest of the Zones will set off the system if triggered ? There is no direct access to the Storeroom, only thorugh the rest of the shop.

The whole system looks as though I could have fitted it, but neater cabling. Without Police reponse a standard dialler could inform someone without needing monitoring. The only reason to go pro in this instance is probably because the Insurance company insisited on it.

These installers give you good guys a bad name. They are installing systems a DIY,er could handle, and charging professional costs, that's wrong.

[Guest]

Major problem here - professional system requires 4 hour response not "when they return to work"!

True, thats how it should be done, there probably not governed in any way, and so don't bother with 4 hour response - wrongly.

[F C E]

PS . You can tell who's on call tonight posting at this time on New Years Eve.. All the best.

Indeed On Call didnt even realise till phone rang earlier

Happy new year all