Diy Alarm System Install Questions

[bennynoneck]

Hi,

 

I've been reading this forum for a while now and am impressed. The level of help for DIYers is very good.

 

I'm a DIYer who made the ultimate mistake! I re-wired the whole house (all overseen and signed off, don't worry!), completely re-plumbed, had ceilings down, moved walls, plastered everything etc, and only then thought about installing an alarm. A complete nupty mistake, but there you go. Something to remember for next time.

 

Anyway, my parents got burgled a few months ago and co-inidentally my next door had an alarm put in around the same time. These are what got me thinking about putting an alarm in. I have a budget of around £300 (ish!). Thanks to Cyber Gibbon's blog, I've avoided buying the Yale system I had in mind.

 

You can guess what Im going to say - I want a predominately wireless alarm and have narrowed it down to <yawn> either a Pyronix Enforcer or a Texecom Richocet as these look the most secure.

 

However, I really don't like the look of the Enforcer's all-in-one panel, so currently am going for the Texecom with the blank end station and the keypad.

 

Thanks to the layout of the house (mainly flat roofs at the front and back), I am not prepared to retrospectively put wired sensors in these areas so need a wireless system. However, I have found a conceilable route to get upstairs to install a wired bell box. I can use this access to put a few PIR wired sensors upstairs as well.

 

My main questions for the moment, if you can please indulge me, are:

 

1) Does the Texecom Premier Elite panel have space for a any wired zones, or would I have to buy an additional add-on to do this?

 

2) Without wading through all the literature, does one of the comms add-ons for the Texecom panel allow for wireless connection to the internet to alert me and control the panel (remote arm and disarm)? I don't have particularly good mobile signal here and running phone line cable is just another hassle (although minor I know!).

 

3) My property has a concrete ground floor so the first floor suspended timber floor is quite busy with electrical cabling. For the bell box (and any hard-wired sensors I can get in on the first floor), I'll need to run a very short amount through the floor near the existing wiring. Will this present a problem, or is interference only really a problem when run in parallel for a decent length?

 

4) Am I missing any other alarm manufacturers? I want two-way wireless for security.

 

5) Can alarm cable run together okay? They don't interfere with each other (in a manner of speaking!)?

 

That's about it for the moment. Thanks very much for any help. I'm still picking up the lingo so bear with me, but am finding it all quite interesting!

[james.wilson]

1, yes it has 8 hard wired circuits

2, dont know dont know it well

3, ideally you need to keep at least 6" away from power cable, this is mainly for safety as alarm cable is rated at 50v not 600v

4, for diy id recommend the texecom as they will support you, some equipement is limited to professionals only so you cant buy it anyway

5, yes

[QSXS]

I would look at the Texecom 48-W Kit2, should fit in your budget.

http://www.texe.com/uk/products/series/wireless-kits/premier-elite-series/

The Panel supports 48 Zones.

I think there is 4 Hard writeable zones in the Main Panel + 2 More in the Keypad (RKP)

Richocet is 2 way wireless and builds connections on a Mesh network.

It will also support Wifi with a module CEK-0001 Premier Elite ComWiFi 

The only concern I would have is over the programming.

These are a pro grade system, There is a lot of options and setting to get your head around.

Edited August 31, 2015 by QSXS

[al-yeti]

Come on.... Means the word should be sensored.

Ok in the small space you have, you could run two 8cores up to serve the sensors and bellbox upstairs

And wireless elsewhere , or depending on how close panel is to front door sometimes you can get an 8core to the front door , especially if it's in the understair cupboard

[QSXS]

As for keeping cables apart, it not so much for Electrical Insulation, both Mains and alarm wire are double insulated. 

Its to reduce electromagnetic interference by inductive coupling, which could cause false alarms, but it is rarely an issue in IMO.,unless you have some big high current items on the end of the circuits.

[james.wilson]

they are double insulated but is for mechanical protection not for em protection, need screened or swa etc for that. Plus the insulation on alarm cable is rated for selv not lv

[QSXS]

3, ideally you need to keep at least 6" away from power cable, this is mainly for safety as alarm cable is rated at 50v not 600v

 

they are double insulated but is for mechanical protection not for em protection, 

The voltages you quote are the working voltages, the actual insulation voltage for 1.0mmT&E would be >7KV,  The only time safety comes into play, is if the insulation was damaged.

Say you pass them though the same hole in a joist, then put a screw through them, the panel is not going to like it. But the alarm cable outer insulation alone should be good for 300V.

The Double insulation is for both Electrical Insulation and Mechanical Protection. Screening will help with RF Immunity, but not inductive coupling.

Inductive coupling is best solved by Distance, Twisted Pairs or Steel Conduit.

Edited August 31, 2015 by QSXS

[james.wilson]

id disagree you run any cable close then voltage will be induced, screening it will dump that induced voltage to earth before it can induce into the cores.

Twisted pair using a balanced signal allows for induced noise to be mitigated and in effect ignored, does not mean it isnt there.

Agree on working voltage but not sure if 7kv would be ok on t&e

 

ie 2kv ac will arc at about 1.5mm in air

[datadiffusion]

I have a budget of around £300 (ish!). Thanks to Cyber Gibbon's blog, I've avoided buying the Yale system I had in mind.

 

 

I'm (we are?) very pleased you avoided the Yale.

 

But did you spot that some of the Yale kits retail for more than £300. And we still consider them junk.

 

How much did you spend on your car, flatscreen TV, ipod / iphone, SKY membership, gym membership last year?

 

Did your house cost £3000 - if it did then spending a tenth of that on security would seem fair. £30,000? One hundredth on protecting the biggest asset you own?

£300,000 - doesn't £300 seem like a very small amount to spend, when there is little we would recommend for that price (for the whole house anyway).

 

The best I would recommend is a 'starter kit' at around your budget and adding everything else as soon as you are able.

[QSXS]

Datadiffusion,

I try to justify this to customers, but it just does not register.

The only time the consumer starts to take security seriously is after they have been burgled or a close friend.

Lets say the average professional alarm cost £800 - £1000, Its still only 0.5% of a £200K house.

Spending £35/M for 24 Month on a IPhone, no one even see it as an issues, even if they have very little money,

Most Gym Memberships get paid and people do not even go.

The Alarm is a one off cost that will last many years + Small Maintenance and Monitoring fee if taken.

The consumer also misses the additional benefits of the risk assessment and advise on Better Locks, Security Lighting, Fencing etc.