Texecom Premier Elite 24 - design and questions

[converse]

I’ve almost decided on the Texecom Premier Elite 24 (poly or metal, depending on space) to install in our new house, just a few questions for the brilliant experts here

Can the Premier Elite 24 control panel be installed somewhere permanently warm like an H/W cylinder cupboard? (Can’t find an operating temp range listed, the cupboard will always be around 26 degrees C, it houses H/W cylinder and all valves/piping so is always warm, our consumer unit is in here, so it could be ideal.)

My basic design, all wired:
- Downstairs - PIRs in all rooms and hallway.
- Upstairs - PIRs in landing and in two bedrooms near flat roof, other 2 bedrooms won’t have PIR as they aren’t near flat roof.
- Keypads - RKP in hallway and utility.
- Door contacts - front door, utility, internal utility-to-garage door and up-and-over garage door. (Normal access will be via front door/porch or utility door)
- Sounders - Internal sounder in hall or landing. SAB on the front of house, dummy or low current sounder on the back.
- Wiring - was planning on using FSL/EOL rather than double pole. Nearly all areas have been run with 8 core alarm cable.

PIRs – Was going to stick with the Premier Elite series (IR, TD, QD and DTs). We have 3 large rooms downstairs that have a big windows, skylights and glass doors. The PIRs will be in corners opposite the glass. Would a dual tech PIR be the best bet, or just a TD or QD? Two rooms will get sun through day and have hit over 30 degrees in summer, others will pick up afternoon sun. (Want to rule out false alarms on hot days.) Are the standard IRs ok for other rooms?

Patio/sliding doors - There is no cabling for contacts on patio doors (but rooms will have PIRs), I could expand panel with a wireless module for wireless door contacts. These doors will never be used for entry and exit triggers, so is there a need from a security viewpoint?

Porch - The property has a front porch - an external door to the porch from outside, then another external type door from porch to the hallway (which has PIR). My design is contacts on both sets of doors then to program in a part set leaving off external front door if we want to leave it unlocked for deliveries (if that’s possible)? No PIR in the porch, you have to get through two doors to reach the hallway and keypad to disarm in normal entry. Is that ok or is there a better solution?

Keypads - The RKPs spec lists RKPs having 2 additional zones, can these be used for contacts/PIRs, and do they add to the total zones permissible on the panel?
Are proximity tag reader RKPs good, and most importantly, secure, or is it better just to have PIN base system?

Expanders - need one expander straight away to cover all zones required, can the Premier Elite 24 take the internal plug on module: CCD-0001 - 8XE Plug-on Zone Expander (I can’t find it mentioned in the spec, but dealers sell it as compatible).

Can external expanders (like the CCB-0001 - 8 XP Remote Zone Expander) be located anywhere and connected to the panel with standard alarm cable?

Communications - I’d like to get alerts to our Android mobiles, but the reviews of the App are poor on Google Play – rumours are they are working on new software… Or can you connect direct via IP through the web if it’s on my own network via the COM-IP module?

Or, would module (COM-2400) which offers SMS alerts more reliable, I’ve no experience with TAP, is it straightforward with a SIM?

Programming - via PC with Wintex software. Can I do this with the COM-IP module via Ethernet, or do I need another module/cable? I’ve never fitted this type of system before, IT is my expertise, so I’m fine with setting up IP addressing, port forwarding and whatever it may require for the IP module to chat with my network via Ethernet.

Finally (for now!) can I fit the required expander and communications modules all internally within this panel?

Thanks all in advance

 

[Alarm Engineer]

Fitting in a hot environment is not ideal as it drys the lquid gel inside the standby battery and will dramatically reduce the life of the standby battery by a year or two. Having said that my own Texecom 48 is in the boiler cupboard as it was the most convenient place to install it.
My suggestion would be to find anothe location if possible and if you have to install near boiler keep the panel down as low as possible and as far away from boiler as you can. Be prepared to change the standby battery 1-2 years instead of 4-5 years, however you may be lucky and get longer, depends on the temp.

Go for QD in normal rooms and DT in hot rooms or just do DTs all over as I have on mine.

Keypad zones can be used for any hardwired device, then through programming you map which zones on the system you want them to be. For example. Panel zones 1-8 then keypad zones mapped to 9-10 11-12 the total zone addreses will not exceed 24 obvs!

Remote expanders can go anywhere and wire on standard cable they can be run inline with keypads on the same cable as they all wire back to same terminals on panel, although if this is done double up cores on power to prevent volt drop, once finshed measure votages at detectors and make sure everything is above 12.5 volts with mains power removed.

App at present is crap but is better than nothing, mine is 98% reliable with notifications although I think one of few lucky ones. New app is a year overdue and claims to revolutionise the whole system. visit www.texe.com and look for Texecom Connect for more info. Your panel will require a software upgrade once released, fairly simple but requires a flash upgrade module.

Com 2400 and the Tap service dated & currently works well but for how much longer is unknown. Others on here may be able to advice futher about TAP. No sim required, the message is sent via your landline.

You can prog remotely via wintex and COM-IP or Com-Wifi. Or buy a USB-Com (lead) and plug direclty on to panel. Prog can also be done at keypad too.

All com modules fit inside panel (more space on the metal version) plug on expander ok too but remote expanders go outside the panel.

You may require an additional power supply depending on how many powered devices you are putting on the system. All current consumptions are in the revelent instuctions for each device add them up and make sure you do not exceed the max amount for the panel.

 

[sparkymarka]

As above if you have to fit it in the airing cupboard fit a metal version as you will have more room inside the panel, the economy expander will only fit on the 24 and is a plug on pcb

 

[converse]

Thanks to you both for your input - really appreciated.

What do you think regarding the porch set-up and contacts/ coverage, what would you normally do in these cases?

 

[Alarm Engineer]

Usually outer door is unalarmed and inner door is. You can do both and make up a part setting which omits the outer door.

 

[converse]

Usually outer door is unalarmed and inner door is. You can do both and make up a part setting which omits the outer door.

Thanks, glad I'm on the right lines

 

[secureiam]

98% reliable, wow, need to know your secret as that's a lot better than most are getting by a long way ios or android?

as ios I can get close, using just wifi connection.

 

[Alarm Engineer]

I cant really complain, its been very reliable since install over 18 months ago & never had to touch it.

 

[secureiam]

hmm I can see one system, all systems and no system, can always get intouch with the panel to login on demand, so theres nothing wrong with the port forwarding, just the notifications.

just wondered of theres anything specific I can pick up from, single area, mutlipul areas android, ios, left the office this morning and got nothing and same on my return, but one of my customers systems did send in a message during the same time frame, so cant even use the fact it was because my smart phone had no internet connection.

possible it was hiding the notifications, but usually see two different systems seperatly, the ios app is much better for this and you can see everything.