Cable 'Routing'

[Brian c]

You'll like this one

When I was servicing for the 'yellow favourites', I went to a house that had seen a canvasser, and a sub contractor, like many other unfortunates. A nice looking new-build with a shiny yellow box (with nothing inside it!) on the front, and a friendly mug answering the door. I started to service the "alarm". He'd not long moved in as there were no carpets down yet, so I could see the cables stapled to the bottom of the skirting boards. I kept quiet. Moving upstairs to the panel in the airing cupboard, I noticed something on the hardbord floor. I had to get down on my hands and knee to believe it....these cowboys had gone to the time and trouble to dust off their tw***ing(it has 2 t's doesn't it?) ROUTER and made a nice curvy, wavy line all the way from one end of the landing to the cupboard. Now I'd like to assume that they had the sense to, at least, make the cut deep enough to bury the cables (3 of, if I remember rightly) flush with the floor. This, however, could not be discovered due to the fact that they had then covered it all in some kind of substance (which looked to be 'no nails') that created a nice bump all the way along!

I do think it's a shame that after all that care and hard work a carpet will go down and no-one will see it again for years.

The signalling and programming were also wrong!

I did mention to the customer the problems that may occur when he was having his carpets fitted, but I kept quiet about the floor due to some sense of company loyalty.

I did report it to my manager, but doubt very much was done about it.

I should've found out who installed it as I would very much like to see some of their newest projects!

[Chris Teague]

Same yellow sub contracting scenario: -

I've recently downpowered such a system for a client who moved into a house with the said system.

In the lounge, they had come out through the ceiling, stapled brown 8 core one way along the white coving, down a yellow wall onto a brown patio door for a brown contact, then the other way in brown for a PIR and down the other wall for a shock sensor on the front window (all with white staples) Mains supply took off of a lighting JB in the understairs cupboard for the panel.

Ripping it all out soon for a complete new system with cables hidden, a bit more detection and a real bell.

[Brian c]

tut tut tut

I didn't think there were stories much worse than mine.

Reading yours, though, I'm starting to think I may be wrong!

[Guest dale]

My parents system was installed many many years ago, and has been upgraded a few times by me... recently decided to upgrade the Sterling 10 to a fully fledged Texecom Premier system... problem is, over the years I have extended the system and installed new bits I never actually got around to replacing all of the old wiring... unfortunately the old wiring has been skimmed into the wall... and desperately needs replacing as the nice local company that installed it (that thankfully dont exist anymore) cabled the system up in telecoms cable and I seem to be getting lots of problems with broken wires. So it looks like I will have to just trim the old cables to the wall and put in new conduit.

Why is it that some companies use telecoms cable for everything... including alarm cricuits? I use it to connect the alarm system to the phone line, but thats it! Ive been to a few installs and found the entire system wired in telecoms cable... and customers wonder why they get problems.

I was really annoyed a few years back when I came to replace a sensor in our house and found that rather than drill the sensor to the wall... they decided to glue it with no-nails. Made a right mess trying to get it off!

[Brian c]

He he he

They were probably bt engineers doing alarms on the side!!

That reminds, me though, I have seen a sensor stuck up with double sided sticky pads before.

I was called out due 'A sensor has fallen off the wall'!!

[Service Engineer]

That reminds, me though, I have seen a sensor stuck up with double sided sticky pads before

Hows about bluetack..?

[Brian c]

lol not yet

but there's still time

:0)

[Chris Teague]

Dale, many years ago, BT used to give its six core cable to builders & sparkies for free down our way if they pulled it in for them on a development. It was easy for them to use for the odd alarm too

Never ceases to amaze me the bodging & short cuts we find. My guys were today extending and bringing up to scratch a fire alarm installed in a brand new office building installed by the electricians. On lifting the first ceiling tile the Intruder Alarm (a competitors) tampered. they had joined several cables with crimps, but had not secured them at all or put them in a JB. It was as tight as a guitar. The tile pulled it all apart. NSI Gold too Tut Tut.

[Guest]

the strangest thing i have seen is a pir fixed using velcro but the strange bit was when taking the cover off after a fa i see 2 screws...it had been a long day,but i started to doubt my sanity when it turns out the heads had been cut off and glued into the fixing holes so it looked like it had been drilled to the wall,i must admit i was waiting for beadle to appear some people....

oh and the same job(was a takeover)had a sa euro stu with wires soldered on the pins(9800+)and also stuffed inside was a speech dialler in there too turns out the sub was paying for redcare but the prev co(no names,but a small local)phones the geezer up when it activated prtenting to be comms(he had his account closed by the cs he used due to non payment)... all true i swear..

[Brian c]

that's a good one

classic

:0)