Burgler alarm

[Douglas2]

Hi - I am looking to install a burglar alarm but don't really know what to look for.

What is best - wired or wireless (or doesn't it matter?). How much should I be looking to spend to protect a 4 bed, split level house. Can I fit this myself (reasonable, but amateur, understanding of electrics) or is a company installed system better.


What offers best protection - PIR's, contact strips etc. Is there anything else that I should be thinking about.

Also - I have a cat that roams through the house (but no catflap). As such, I need a system that can cope with this.

 

[bernardgreen]

Wired is best, despite what the Wireless Brigade say.

Almost zero risk of the system being compromised as the wiring is protected and cannot be reached by burglars ( assuming it is installed correctly )

Despite what the Wireless Brigade say any systems using wireless for their communication can be compromised by jamming in various ways that will make them in-effective as a reliable burglar alarm.

Wireless connected sensors can be useful when wiring is impossible or extremely expensive to install.

Free standing items in museums may have wireless connected sensors but each of these sensors will cost more than an entire DIY wireless home burglar alarm. This is because they are designed to detect and resist jamming properly.

 

[drgl]

& how many of your average burglar has this jamming technology?

 

[Europlex]

& how many of your average burglar has this jamming technology?

Oh for heavens sake 'jamming' (interference) does not have to come exclusively from equipment designed specifically for the job.

In fact there will be more jamming/interference from every day appliances than you could imagine.

RF problems are VERY difficult to pin down, your fridge, next door's hoover, electric drill etc all generate RF. Depending on the circumstances & location in respect to the alarm equipment.

Yes there are filters of assorted flavours that can be retro fitted to alleviate the problem, but being a DiYer with little knowledge of these devices, what is he going to do?

Hard wired is the way to go, it'll save a lot of grief and cash in the long run

 

[Atilla]

Wired is best, despite what the Wireless Brigade say.

Almost zero risk of the system being compromised as the wiring is protected and cannot be reached by burglars ( assuming it is installed correctly )

Despite what the Wireless Brigade say any systems using wireless for their communication can be compromised by jamming in various ways that will make them in-effective as a reliable burglar alarm.

Wireless connected sensors can be useful when wiring is impossible or extremely expensive to install.

Free standing items in museums may have wireless connected sensors but each of these sensors will cost more than an entire DIY wireless home burglar alarm. This is because they are designed to detect and resist jamming properly.

nice contradiction there but in your defence we have just declared that no more wireless equipment (and we mean expensive wireless) will be fitted under our name.

 

[drgl]

& how many of your average burglar has this jamming technology?

Oh for heavens sake 'jamming' (interference) does not have to come exclusively from equipment designed specifically for the job.

In fact there will be more jamming/interference from every day appliances than you could imagine.

RF problems are VERY difficult to pin down, your fridge, next door's hoover, electric drill etc all generate RF. Depending on the circumstances & location in respect to the alarm equipment.

Yes there are filters of assorted flavours that can be retro fitted to alleviate the problem, but being a DiYer with little knowledge of these devices, what is he going to do?

Hard wired is the way to go, it'll save a lot of grief and cash in the long run

So your an RF expert are you? This is a DIY forum, the DIY wireless kit does the job just as well as the wired. I'd also love to know how a filter can be fitted to wireless equipment to alleviate any RF problems. This forum is full of bullshit-people claiming anything wireless is useless.

 

[Atilla]

[, the DIY wireless kit does the job just as well as the wired. .

unfortunatly it simply doesnt and you cannot argue it does - we have 3 sites "offline" due to RF issues and THAT doesnt happen with wired.

 

[Europlex]

& how many of your average burglar has this jamming technology?

Oh for heavens sake 'jamming' (interference) does not have to come exclusively from equipment designed specifically for the job.

In fact there will be more jamming/interference from every day appliances than you could imagine.

RF problems are VERY difficult to pin down, your fridge, next door's hoover, electric drill etc all generate RF. Depending on the circumstances & location in respect to the alarm equipment.

Yes there are filters of assorted flavours that can be retro fitted to alleviate the problem, but being a DiYer with little knowledge of these devices, what is he going to do?

Hard wired is the way to go, it'll save a lot of grief and cash in the long run

So your an RF expert are you? This is a DIY forum, the DIY wireless kit does the job just as well as the wired. I'd also love to know how a filter can be fitted to wireless equipment to alleviate any RF problems. This forum is full of bulls**t-people claiming anything wireless is useless.

Well you're obviously not, have a look at http://www.actmeters.com/2468-RFI-Filters.php one of many types available, will give you some sort of idea what's around.

By the way if you are going to make that sort of cleaver dick comment, I suggest you read and digest the post first. Have another go and you will read that I said and asked "but being a DiYer with little knowledge of these devices, what is he going to do?"

 

[bernardgreen]

So your an RF expert are you? This is a DIY forum, the DIY wireless kit does the job just as well as the wired. I'd also love to know how a filter can be fitted to wireless equipment to alleviate any RF problems. This forum is full of bulls**t-people claiming anything wireless is useless.

12 years of my career were designing radio based communication equipment used for critical applications such as emergency service communications, emergency alarm systems, lone worker monitoring systems. While my involvement was the logic and control modules it was essential that I had a good knowledge of the principles of wireless communication and the problems that had to taken account of when designing the overall system.

 

[John45]

I actually believe Bernard to be correct on this issue.

I would agree a good wired system is preferable to a wireless system.
Bernard is one of the few posters I fully respect on here.

However wireless can be an option depending on the needs of the householder and ,

The level of risk and the nature of the secured valuables.

The desire of the 'lady of the house' to not have her decorations spoiled. (A remarkably important factor)

The money available to fit the alarm

I have yet to experience an alarm being jammed and noone has ever reported to me that it has happened to them.

However I will not discount it could possibly happen.

 

[drgl]

& how many of your average burglar has this jamming technology?

Oh for heavens sake 'jamming' (interference) does not have to come exclusively from equipment designed specifically for the job.

In fact there will be more jamming/interference from every day appliances than you could imagine.

RF problems are VERY difficult to pin down, your fridge, next door's hoover, electric drill etc all generate RF. Depending on the circumstances & location in respect to the alarm equipment.

Yes there are filters of assorted flavours that can be retro fitted to alleviate the problem, but being a DiYer with little knowledge of these devices, what is he going to do?

Hard wired is the way to go, it'll save a lot of grief and cash in the long run

So your an RF expert are you? This is a DIY forum, the DIY wireless kit does the job just as well as the wired. I'd also love to know how a filter can be fitted to wireless equipment to alleviate any RF problems. This forum is full of bulls**t-people claiming anything wireless is useless.

Well you're obviously not, have a look at http://www.actmeters.com/2468-RFI-Filters.php one of many types available, will give you some sort of idea what's around.

By the way if you are going to make that sort of cleaver dick comment, I suggest you read and digest the post first. Have another go and you will read that I said and asked "but being a DiYer with little knowledge of these devices, what is he going to do?"

Well Mr Clever Dick please do explain how that WIRED filter can be fitted to WIRELESS equipment?

 

[drgl]

I have yet to experience an alarm being jammed and noone has ever reported to me that it has happened to them.
However I will not discount it could possibly happen.

Which is the point.

The other point is RF can just as easily affect wired services.........(ironically pointed out with the above link to RF filters for WIRED applications!).

 

[PJF]

Wireless is fine when it works but once you get a fault, thats when the fun starts. I pride my self on my fault finding skills on wired systems but a fault on wireless ? replace the device & hope for the best is not the way to go.

Over many years fitting top end alarm systems I have had to fit some wireless systems in castles etc. Some work fine & still are ok after many years but some are so bad that I have paid for the manufacture to attend site with a hope of fixing.

Back to the original question, does the cat have full run of the house if yes then that rules out PIRs & vibration detectors. If you can lock the cat up in one room, fit a door contact in that room & PIRs in the rest.

Shop around at your local electrical wholesalers to get some prices for a good DIY kit. Texecom equipment is good & has easy to use instructions. However, getting a engineer to fit the system is not that exspensive £300-£400 depending on survey.

Also remember if you go DIY & get it wrong your neighbours will love you for all those quiet nights spoilt by your alarm bell ringing

Paul..

 

[John45]

Faults on wireless systems are very easy to locate.

When a device is enrolled into the system the control panel will then poll that device continually.

If the device due to lack of signal dissapears from the system the fault log will indicate which device is out of order and will operate the fault warning light.

The control panel of the devices I install indicates all the following faults on the log.

tamper for all devices (except smoke alarm)

loss of signal from any enrolled devices

Jamming of signals

Battery low including device name

Loss of AC power

Loss of telephone line

 

[Atilla]

Faults on wireless systems are very easy to locate.

When a device is enrolled into the system the control panel will then poll that device continually.

If the device due to lack of signal dissapears from the system the fault log will indicate which device is out of order and will operate the fault warning light.

The control panel of the devices I install indicates all the following faults on the log.

tamper for all devices (except smoke alarm)

loss of signal from any enrolled devices

Jamming of signals

Battery low including device name

Loss of AC power

Loss of telephone line

and how does one "mend" a jamming indicator?