Cat5e for Alarm?

[Adam09]

Hi, looking to wire up my new shed to the existing house alarm.

Is it possible to use Cat5e cable? Solid core twisted pairs.

Also, can anyone recommend any sort of door contact instead of a PIR?

Cheers
Adam

 

[shockfire]

Good question, i'm interested in using Cat5 for an alarm system too.

I'm guessing it would work 100% fine (we use Cat5 for allsorts of stuff at work, including sending analogue audio and video down the cable), any experts got a definite response on this?

 

[drgl]

CAT5e is twisted pair & solid core, alarm cable is straight & stranded. I'm guessing the main problem would be solid core more prone to breaking in scew connector blocks?

 

[caretech]

Solid drawn cable is more prone to breaking, and not accepted for certified systems. It will work fine so the choice is yours. I would rather run the correct multi stranded cable as recommended.

Grahame

 

[Lectrician]

I would use the correct cable too - and whats more, it's cheaper.

 

[plugwash]

BTW if using thin solid cable (e.g. cat5) with screw terminals (in any application) take care when stripping it. Badly stripping a stranded wire results in losing some strands and as long as it's only a few this is generally a non-issue. Badly stripping solid core wire results in a wire with a score line that is prone to breaking.

 

[Adam09]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

I purchased 100m of Alarm cable and used that instead of Cat5.

Could anyone help me on wiring up magnetic door contacts? I have a Veritas V8c alarm panel. The magnetic contacts that I have purchased are Euro flex CA503B, specifications below.

Two reed switches, normally open, form A
Both reed switches held closed by magnet
Maximum current: 500mA each switch
Maximum power: 10 Watts each switch
Maximum voltage: 50 Volts each switch
For closed circuit applications

It has 4 wires. I checked for continuity on each pair, expecting one pair to be closed which would be used for tamper, but this was not the case. Both pairs only close when the magnetic contacts are touching.

Does this mean I can’t wire the Global tamper for this contact? Would the alarm still sound if someone cut the wires breaking the zone pair?

If I can't use Global tamper, what is the use of 2 pairs of wires for the contact?

Cheers
Adam

 

[scott1980]

On the contact you have, there are no tamper connections. Simply twist the two tamper wires together and terminate them under any one of the brass screws. The alarm circuit then connects to the two silver screws.

 

[Adam09]

Thanks for the reply.

The contact is aluminium, and is not accessible inside.

This only has 4wires coming out, giving me 2 pairs. One for each reed switch. Can I double the pairs up and put them into one zone on the panel? I have run 6core cable, so can I use the spare 2 cores for tamper, twisted together in the junction box where the contact connects to the 6core alarm cable?

Hope that makes sense

Cheers
Adam

 

[Lectrician]

You wanted a 402 really. There is no tamper facility on yours.

You have two reeds. Use either, or both in series.

You can only take your tamper as far as the joint box.

You should use a joint box with a tamper on the lid. The fly lead to the contact will have no tamper.