Home Security Alarm

Depends on your actual control panel, the texecom premier panels can take a wireless expander.
Yeah it's Premier Elite, and it can take an expander. Just wondered if there were any benefits in going to a new panel over fitting an expander.
 
Surely wired is better?
Depends on how you define better. Today with secure two way mesh networks I don't think you can just simply say that. However that doesn't mean all wireless ones are the same quality and standard, just like not all wired ones are either.
 
Surely wired is better?
The end result is the same if the systems are of a good standard and quality.
Someone comes in, alarm goes off. No difference.
Ongoing maintenance of batteries and fear of clever RF jamming etc can put people off.
But nowadays batteries last much longer, and the actual replacement is good as most wired PIR's sit for years without being opened or even looked at.
Any attempt to over ride an alarm normally results in activation, very rare that anyone would ever try to stop a system anyway. they will simply get in and get out. The burglary will happen with or without a system.
I'm much more of a fan of a hybrid system, mixture of both with the external siren and keypad at least being powered . Still an easy install but more solid IMPO :smashin:
 
Just for information.
Always be very careful of any insurance requirements you may have.
With certain valued items etc you may be asked to fit an alarm. This will normally have to at least meet with Grade 2 standards for homes (and Grade 3 for commercial buildings). That also means that it will need to be maintained. (yearly costs)
There may also be further requirements for notifications.
example;
upload_2017-7-1_16-0-12.png

A good quality wireless system, professionally installed can still meet this criteria in a home.

I have dealt with many people that believed that any old system would do, until I looked at their insurance docs. This is where the value of a company install comes in and most certainly why they attract a higher premium. Still good to shop around though :smashin:
 
Every time I read this thread may budget goes up :laugh:
 
I have nailed down my search to the Visonic kit.

After reading some reviews it seems the new PowerMaster-33 G2 missed some features from the previous model and is designed to be completely hidden away so that it's undetectable and it costs more. I am more inclined to buy the PowerMaster-30 G2

I believe the keypad KP-250 PG2 does away with having to access main panel on the cental unit, will it work with the PowerMaster-30 G2?

Anybody with the experience of PowerMaster-30 G2 tell me if the the internal sirens etc can be disabled? Do these units also work with broadband or will need a separate gsm module?

Do I also need an internal siren and does it need to be installed in a far to reach place?

Do I need a subscription if I go for the Next CAM PG2 motion detector with integrated camera?
 
I think:
You need either a broadband module or a GSM module to access the outside world other than via your landline telephone. I'm fairly sure you will need the broadband module and a subscription to work with the camera.
 
The kit arrived today.

There is a leaflet in the main installation booklet, which mentions there is no warranty provided on the kit if it's not installed by a professional installer. :-(
 
Can anybody recommend a decent security alarm installer around the Heathrow area or who services the area around Heathrow etc.?
 
Found one through Trusted Trader.com and resonably priced.
 
Blimey, not seen those in a while, they are like an ADE (honeywell now) accenta. I fitted hundreds of them years ago. Rock solid little panels :smashin:

The Veritas systems were modelled off the back of the ADE Accenta panels, for what it's worth the 8/9 years I worked in Honeywell's Tech Support for alarms the G2 was the best panel for home use, it's old hat now with all the connected homes work that's going on but the new system in the works looks epic which to be fair they need as they haven't innovated for a good number of years especially after the Flex crap they released
 
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Can anybody recommend a decent security alarm installer around the Heathrow area or who services the area around Heathrow etc.?

Found one through Trusted Trader.com and resonably priced.
Ha, I live just by Heathrow. I'm not self employed though and pretty sure you wouldn't pay what my company would charge :laugh:
 
Can anybody recommend a decent security alarm installer around the Heathrow area or who services the area around Heathrow etc.?
As I said before, really do your self a favour and listen. Get an NSI Gold installer. Be ready for insurance approvals. Don't go for anyone marking themselves as a security installer. Sure it may look simple but there is a lot more to it than you seem to think.
 
As I said before, really do your self a favour and listen. Get an NSI Gold installer. Be ready for insurance approvals. Don't go for anyone marking themselves as a security installer. Sure it may look simple but there is a lot more to it than you seem to think.

I am not sure I follow you.

I have been living in this property for more than 13yrs and it's only now that I have decided to get a intruder alarm installed.

I am not going for a 24 x 7 monitored system and I am getting this installed for my own piece of mind.

Hence I didn't follow your "insurance approvals" and "there is a lot more to it" comment.
 
I think he may have assumed you were getting an Insurance Approved installation done.
 
I am not sure I follow you.

I have been living in this property for more than 13yrs and it's only now that I have decided to get a intruder alarm installed.

I am not going for a 24 x 7 monitored system and I am getting this installed for my own piece of mind.

Hence I didn't follow your "insurance approvals" and "there is a lot more to it" comment.


One thing to bear in mind regarding the whole insurance approved thing is if you have an alarm fitted and inform your insurance company and they give you a small discount (and I mean a really small discount) off your policy, if you are burgled the first thing the insurance company will want from you is a copy of the event log from the system. If you haven't set the alarm and were burgled it's grounds for them not to pay out.

If it's not a monitored system even if it is an insurance approved model I wouldn't recommend telling your insurers.
 
After recommendations here I went for a Risco. Great system. Has fobs and a phone app. Notifications over phone and app.

I didn't tell the insurers I have an alarm as sods law will be the one time I forget to set it will be the time I get burgled.
 
I haven't got a clue with my alarm. Fingers crossed it's never tripped
 
I am not sure I follow you.

I have been living in this property for more than 13yrs and it's only now that I have decided to get a intruder alarm installed.

I am not going for a 24 x 7 monitored system and I am getting this installed for my own piece of mind.

Hence I didn't follow your "insurance approvals" and "there is a lot more to it" comment.
It wasn't necessarily about insurance approvals. Heck my insurance company Hiscox doesn't even provide a discount. Nor about remotely monitored systems.

What an NSI Installed does is ensure that the system is effective and working well together. They have the experience that you have the sensors in the correct places, maintain and setup the sensitivity correctly etc. And from a prevention perspective, following some conversations with the police, having the external bellbox active with screen printing of the name of a local NSI company on it, does add to the level of déterrant to skip your property.

My comments were purely based on the type of questions you've been asking, the product you ended up buying, and now asking for an installer.

The powermaster 30 is a fantastic product. Naturally I don't know anything about your property as in the size and the zones you require and number of entry points etc, but I do know about their range. I'd be surprised if the powermaster 10 wasn't plenty sufficient. But hey your choice.

I hope that it is all in now and you are happily using the multiple zones and swiping in and out with your rfid tags :)
 
I finally got the alarm installed using "FITTED HOME ALARMS LIMITED" and the guy did a good job.

The system has been stable and is working as expected.

I have installed the app on my phone and I am confused with the option under the "Alarms" tab.

One option says "Enable sirens" and the other "Mute sirens". I touched "Mute sirens" accidently.

Does it mean that my sirens are muted now and do I need to press "Enable sirens" to activate them back?
 
Texecom has the best wireless technology, Ricochet.

We even use it in some cases where wiring can't be done due to building being listed.

You seem pretty experienced in these things so wondering what you make of the Risco Agility system? I think wired would cause me (and/or installers) a lot of headaches due to wooden floors etc and the Agilty offers the extra features I think I would like....i.e text notification and an app I can log into to see what's going on via camera with no ongoing costs. Is there any particular reason you think Risco should be avoided? Seems a few others on here have been happy with them but always nice to get the opinion of someone in the business. Would appreciate your thoughts.
 
You seem pretty experienced in these things so wondering what you make of the Risco Agility system? I think wired would cause me (and/or installers) a lot of headaches due to wooden floors etc and the Agilty offers the extra features I think I would like....i.e text notification and an app I can log into to see what's going on via camera with no ongoing costs. Is there any particular reason you think Risco should be avoided? Seems a few others on here have been happy with them but always nice to get the opinion of someone in the business. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Hi
If the Risco system ticks all your boxes then go for it, I'm sure it will serve it's purpose.
I normally recommend Texecom as it is a semi professional system and the richochet tech is pretty good. Although other manufacturers use the same now.
Others here do seem to like the Risco system, so I'd take that as a good thing (fussy fudgers here ;))
I'm not in the residential field now so maybe a bit out of the know, but Risco is a make that has been around for many years, so they must be doing something right :smashin:
 
Thanks that's reassuring. One more question if you don't mind. I've been reading up about false alarms etc and was wondering the best option when it comes to sensors for a kitchen with a lot of glass floor to ceiling doors (about 10m in total) as well as a 3sqm skylight. I had originally hoped to have a PIR with camera covering the room and facing the doors so I can log in to the app and see they are all still in one piece for peace of mind. However, I read that lots of window and glass doors can trigger false alarms due to temperature fluctuations or something like that. Do you have any thoughts on this? I will be getting it installed professionally but I figured the more knowledge I gain before discussing it with an installer, the less likely I'll be sold things I don't necessarily need!
 

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