External Wiring

[Guest Pace Electrical]

Hi all, I am just pricing a job for someone and I need a little advice. The guy wants a very basic, easy to use bells only system installed, just to cover two access doors to the property. I have recomended a mag contact on each door, a simple set fob reader at each door and one external sounder. The only problem is the guy does not want any cables run inside. I will need to get a multi core cable from the controll panel position (inside above front door) to the back door and back in. I may need 12 cores (fob reader, door cont, tamper loop). Can I use black external BT cable ? or is there a problem with the twisted pairs ? The cable run is no more than 15 mts. I will also need to run the sounder cable out side. Using conduit is not realy an option as the runs are a bit tricky. Am I asking for agro by running the cables outside ?

[ian.cant]

Well it wont comply with any standards but if thats not a problem to you then you can use any cable you want, bt twisted pair is fine. You can buy alarm cable in black btw.

As for asking for problems running cables outside, make sure you cover your ass with a disclaimer as it would be very easy to compromise the system not to mention vandal damage!

[Guest Pace Electrical]

Thanks guys, the reason I thought of using black BT cable is that it is quite tough and it will look like part of the telephone wiring, not the alarm. I will give the guy a diclaimer as it was he that insisted on external cableing. It is a fairly un assuming house in a low risk village location and I think more than anything else the cutomer just wants the visual deterand of an external sounder.

[Guest RICHL]

Sounds to me like you need to have a word with this customer. Unless the upstairs is tiled or fitted with laminate flooring then there is usually no reason why the job cannot be done properly.

If he wont let you do it properly then I'd just walk away from it.

Also if he said he just wants a "basic system" thats their way of saying cheap. I'd explain that running cables inside is cheaper than farting about outside with tube and all that. He'll soon come round.

And put a couple more sensors in aswell - just the front and back doors could lead you wide open to wrongfull advise or failure to operate.