Help - Gardtec 595 And Mcr 308 Wireless Reciever.

[Mweigh7]

Hi hope someone can help. New to the forum and looking for some advice if possible. Moved into my new build 6 years ago and there are completely separate Abel alarm in both garage and main house. No problem with either. They have worked flawlessly since we moved in. However, when decorating the garage I noticed there was an "extra" box next to the Gardtec 595 which turns out to be a MCR 308. There are no wireless detectors anywhere so I found this puzzling. On further investigation it turns out there used to be a couple of mobile PA buttons which were used by the sales girls when the garage was initially the sales centre for George Wimpey. The MCR 308 is still powered up and appears to be working (though nothing is attached of course). Checked the wiring and it is all still connected to the main 595 panel. I decided to try and utilise the wireless capabilities so bought both a smoke detector (mct 423) and a remote device (mct 234) - both these are 433mhz as is the wireless receiver I have installed both these devices to the MCR 308 and had the correct chimes and LEDs confirming correct installation (i downloaded the user guide for the MCR308). However this is where I am now stumped. Whilst I am confident that the wireless receiver has recognised the two devices how to I now get the main gardtec 595 to recognise the correct zones? I know that the ZEX need to be turned on for the gardtec wireless modules/receivers but assume (i correctly) that this is not applicable to the MCR 308.

Hope this makes sense and that someone can help. If I have missed anything out then please just ask. Thanks in advance Mike

[datadiffusion]

However, when decorating the garage

 

Reet posh you Mike ain't you

 

Whilst not something I have direct experience of, the MCR308 is a universal converter - so its likely there are already at least two zones wired directly into the panel.

 

These are likely the old PA zones. You'll need to go into the panel as an engineer and check out the zone numbers the wires go to from the MCR308 box.

 

Its unlikely - but possible - that the two PAs are just missing and not actually deleted - you're new devices may have been registered as units 3 and 4. In that case, its again possible that the wiring for zones 3 and above from the MCR308 aren't even connected. Some pictures would be great. Be aware of mains voltages in the panel, however.

[Alarm Protection]

Tbh I have never seen the visonic connected to a Gardtec panel as Gardtec make their own wireless receiver.

[Mweigh7]

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. The wiring from the McR 308 goes to the main panel. There are 6 wires - red and black of course and blue yellow to AZ4 +and- and AZ5 +and- so going from what you said should I just program zones 4 and 5 on the 595 to be the smoke detector and keyfob (though not sure how to do the keyfob)? Do the zones numbers on the Mcr308 need to correspond or will the wiring just dictate the numbers in the 595? As i note I went through the procedure to clear all the previous detectors in the mcr 308. I also have the engineer code for the 595 (abel were kind enough to give it me over the phone!)

[Cubit]

Tbh I have never seen the visonic connected to a Gardtec panel as Gardtec make their own wireless receiver.

I had one on a 595 system - only short term mind until i popped into the branch to get some kit.

[Mweigh7]

Thanks Cubit. Don't suppose you remember how you programmed it?

[Cubit]

Thanks Cubit. Don't suppose you remember how you programmed it?

Fraid not. It was on an existing system, simply swapped it over until new kit arrived.

[datadiffusion]

The wiring from the McR 308 goes to the main panel. There are 6 wires - red and black of course and blue yellow to AZ4 +and- and AZ5 +and- so going from what you said should I just program zones 4 and 5 on the 595 to be the smoke detector and keyfob (though not sure how to do the keyfob)?

 

I'd say so - keyfob see below

 

Do the zones numbers on the Mcr308 need to correspond

 

No

 

or will the wiring just dictate the numbers in the 595?

 

Yes

 

As i note I went through the procedure to clear all the previous detectors in the mcr 308.

 

Then you should be OK

 

I also have the engineer code for the 595 (abel were kind enough to give it me over the phone!)

 

ohhhkkkk...!

 

Generally yes to the above then, but I highly suspect the keyfob can't be used unless the gardtec accepts inputs as 'keyswitch set'?

[Alarm Protection]

Ah right I see where you are coming from.

You will have to programme zones you want them to be so zone 4 for smoke. The arm disarm should be able to be programmed from the outputs.

[Mweigh7]

Just been looking at the MCR 308 and can see that it is not a typical setup - within the casing for the MCR 308 is alos a RL-8. The wiring between the 308, the RL-8 and the 595 is exactly the same as in figure 4 of the attached instructions - except OUT-1 on the RL8 goes to AZ4 and OUT-2 on th RL* goes to AZ5. I have programmed the MCR 308 so that Zone 1 (sub zone 1) is the Smoke detector (not bothered with the keyfob yet). I then programmed the 595 so that both zone 4 & 5 were 24hr zones (did both I wasnt sure which output on the RL8 relates to the Smoke detector) - doesnt pick up any activation.

 

Hope that makes sense!!

 

In case it helps I have attached both the install instructions for the RL8 and the MCR 308

 

Hopefully this will give someone with greater knowledge than I the info that will allow me to be able to program the 595 - my inkling is that everything is wired and installed correctly but that the the 595 needs programing in a certain way to enable it to see the MCR 8 and therefore the wireless smoke (probably an obvious statement!!)

 

Thanks in advance all!

MCR 308.pdf

RL-8.pdf