Wired/ hybrid alarm

[chris_gla]

Need to replace an existing alarm panel which has 6 wired pir's and wired sounder. The wiring to external sounder is a bit suspect ( one of 6 cores fail continuity after building work), so I'd like the option to use a wired sounder if I need to. I also need to replace the external sounder as had to whack it to silence when builders broke wire!
I'd rather avoid changing to wireless pir's due to high ceilings making battery changes more difficult (and why when the wired sensors work!)
Unfortunately all the Visonic systems only seem to have two wired zones- any suggestions for a diyable system with 6 or more wired zones, proximity entry, option to use wired or wireless sounder, and subscription free email notification/ arm/ disarm? Ideally graded!

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Up a ladder]

Pyronix enforcer has 2 onboard zones and a wired input to the supplied door contact, you can add zems to add more wired zones and each additional keypad/prox reader has an additional 2 wired zones too up to 32 wireless/34 wired zones. Texecom will be bringing out a wireless bell imminently too for the ricochet range. I dont know of any panels that email without a third party server. You could fit a galaxy and ip board and subsribe to selfmod but i think its about a quid a month and i dont think there is a wireless bell for galaxy.
You could program one of the outputs on any decent panel to do set/unset then use another piece of equipment to generate the emails (ip camera, dvr, emacsys, raspberry pi?)

 

[chris_gla]

thanks CCTVguy...will have a look at your suggestions.

 

[muppetman74]

FYI - I've just installed a Visonic Powermac and I think it's great(!) so had a question for you - do you really need more than 2 wired zones?Given you can daisy chain wired sensors, there is no issue with using your 6 wired PIRs. I've only used 2 zones (upstairs/downstairs) with my setup - I believe you can add an expander for more wired zones if needed

 

[Up a ladder]

Daisy chaining zones makes tracing faults or false alarms a nightmare and prevents sending confirmed alarms.
Visonic is one way wireless with no communication from panel to sensor. Sensors can clash sending their messages and after each activation the sensor goes to sleep for a few minutes to save battery. The detectors aren't the best, low is too deaf, high is false alarm hell.

 

[chris_gla]

I agree it doesn't seem to make sense daisy chaining sensors- the whole point of zones is to indicate where an alarm occurred to assist faultfinding and also so zones could be omitted if you want to leave a pet in the respective room, etc.
The Visonic sounds really nice feature wise but very interesting that it's one way only wireless which clearly reduces confidence.

I've found a small independent installer locally who can hopefully provide a good solution- can you tell me more about the "Self Mod" mentioned? (Unless of course CCTVGUY is near Galsgow then I'd be happy to use!!!)


I've also got a Galaxy 60 with RS232 and wireless modules in my own house that I bought a few years ago to integrate with Homevision. I gave this up as it seemed the only way I could get log messages from PIR activation was to have chime set on every zone so that a log message passed for each activation.
Has this position changed any?

 

[Up a ladder]

I'm based in west lothian but most of my work is in glasgow.
It depends on what version of galaxy you have but you can program output zones to follow inputs, or add logic like or, abd, inverted etc.

 

[rhinoman]

Scantronic ion range is what you need, either a ion40 or ion30 and exp-r10 radio expander. The wired bell I use only uses 5 of the 6 cores in a cable but there is also a wireless option with the above.

 

[Up a ladder]

Again only 1 way radio for detection, which is why most pro installers give it a wide berth. Pretty rkp tho.

 

[rhinoman]

Again only 1 way radio for detection, which is why most pro installers give it a wide berth. Pretty rkp tho.

And the disadvantage of one way is what?

 

[Up a ladder]

Easier to spoof signals, detectors go to sleep as soon as they have signalled, polling is less frequent and jamming is easier. 1 way kind of works of a fashion but its old tech, 2 way has substantial advantages, quicker response, easier walk testing, confirmation that the signal has been received, and there is no real price difference for the better technology.

 

[Ianandanne]

use a 2 Way Wireless take a look at Visonic Powermaster