Yale alarm questions

chunkylover53 · 16 Jun 2011

Hi

Recently bought and fitted the HSA 6400 for the most part. Only the sirens haven't been mounted due to lack of necessary tools. Anyway I have a few questions that you guys could help me out with.

1) Does the main white control panel ever dim, can it be made to dim after a certain period of time?

2) If I drill in the extra keypad HSA6080 will the actual pad be removable without undrilling?

3) More of a stupid question, if somebody breaks in and takes the control panel and runs off will the siren still ring?

4) Any alternative ways of installing the sirens on the wall without drilling the wall plugs and installing the siren?

5) What is the ACTUAL range of the PIR from experience?

6) Can two PIRs face each other?

7) Does a PIR get affected if in front of a lightbulb?

8 ) Can the keyfob accessory HSA6060 deactivate an activated alarm?

9) Any type of batteries that last longer in the siren?

10) With the normal non pet friendly PIR what is the minimum weight to set the PIR off?

Sorry for the multitude of questions but thanks in advance for at least taking the time to read them even if you cannot answer them. I value all input.

Thank you

JohnD · 16 Jun 2011

1) I don't think so. Put it out of sight or in a cupboard and it won't disturb you, and will be less prone to interference.

2) you screw the white plastic holder to the wall, the keypad clips in and can be removed to change the batteries or if you want to carry it with you e.g. during test or setup

3) if someone manages to disconnect the phone line from the panel before it rings out, it won't be able to phone for help
if they manage to disable or smash the panel it before it turns on the siren, the siren won't sound. However once it has activated the siren, the siren will continue to sound for iuts preset period even if the panel is removed or smashed. So I keep my panel out of sight and well away from points of entrry (it is behind an upstairs door, but could have been inside a wardrobe). As you have a remote keypad you can mount that near the front door (mine is inside the understairs cupboard and out of sight but accessible)

4) Eh? what is it you want to do?

6) you must not mount sensors (PIRs or door) where they will both pick up the same intruder at the same time. Otherwise they may both transmit the signal at the same time, and the transmissions would interfere with each other and not get decoded by the panel

8 ) Mine does. I changed the settings, and it will also disarm the system from outside the house (this is not standard in case someone finds or steals your bunch of keys) I think you need to read the manual/CD

9) I got extra sensors, also have an additional siren fixed to the landing ceiling inside the house, and need quite a lot of batteries. I got a lot of Memorex ones at a good price off fleabay.

9) In the recent "Which" tests, Energiser Hightech were a Best Buy Alkaline batteries. Lithium batteries hold more power and last better in high-drain devices (which these are not) but I don't know how long they'd last when you put them in a low-drain device and leave them for years. Again Energizer Ultimate Lithium scored best. BTW I fitted my external siren where I can reach it through an upstairs window to bring it inside to change the batteries. I would guess the task of getting a ladder out might cause some people to put the job off "until tomorrow"

yaleguy3 · 16 Jun 2011

With apologies to JohnD if I repeat any answers

chunkylover53 said:
Hi

Recently bought and fitted the HSA 6400 for the most part. Only the sirens haven't been mounted due to lack of necessary tools. Anyway I have a few questions that you guys could help me out with.

1) Does the main white control panel ever dim, can it be made to dim after a certain period of time?

They did not used to but latter panels do indeed dim if a key has not been pressed for a while.

2) If I drill in the extra keypad HSA6080 will the actual pad be removable without undrilling?

Definately it is designed to be removed from the bracket and can be used as a portable device.

3) More of a stupid question, if somebody breaks in and takes the control panel and runs off will the siren still ring?

Yes as soon as they remove the panel from the wall its tamper switch will immediately activate the siren.
They are incredibly resiliant and I have experience of panels that have been attacked with spanners and stamped on breaking the lcd screen but they have still continued to operate.The internal sounder in the panel still operates and believe me you would not want to hold one that is sounding in your hands for long.

4) Any alternative ways of installing the sirens on the wall without drilling the wall plugs and installing the siren?

You MUST drill the sirens to the wall I am afraid. This keeps the tamper switches closed.

5) What is the ACTUAL range of the PIR from experience?
The pir range? Do you mean(A) the distance the pir senses movement or (B) the distance you can site a pir away from the control panel.
(A) is 12 metres
(B) is up to 30 metres dependent on how many walls the signal has to pass through and what they are made of.

6) Can two PIRs face each other?
not reccomended.

7) Does a PIR get affected if in front of a lightbulb?
No

8 ) Can the keyfob accessory HSA6060 deactivate an activated alarm?
Yes it can set the alarm but can only unset the alarm under the following condition. - When the entry door is open.

9) Any type of batteries that last longer in the siren?
You could try lithiums.
You will get 2yrs usually at least however high power alkalines are not reccomended probably because they have a propensity to leak after a while.

10) With the normal non pet friendly PIR what is the minimum weight to set the PIR off?

A moth or spider? so less than one ounce!

Sorry for the multitude of questions but thanks in advance for at least taking the time to read them even if you cannot answer them. I value all input.

Thank you

chunkylover53 · 16 Jun 2011

Hi

Thanks both of you for the swift replies. My main concerns are now actually fixing the siren to the wall which I will have to wait till somebody with a proper drill comes along. Also the fact that a moth or spider can set the PIR off is a bit disturbing (Q10), is there anyway I can make the PIR less sensitive because surely there would be a lot of false alarms?

Thank you once again

JohnD · 16 Jun 2011

if you seriously haven't got an electric drill or are not capable of drilling into a wall (why not?) then you might consider fixing the siren inside the house, but very close to an upstairs window so it can be heard and seen from outside.

If you have a ladder problem, you can mount it in a position that you can reach by leaning out of an upstairs window. It must be inaccessible to anyone on the ground.

If you look at the anti-tamper switch in the siren box you will see how you can put tape or a rubber band round it to hold it closed, if it is not fixed to a wall.

btw a moth or spider has never set one of mine off. Yaleguy sees a lot more installations, though.

alumni · 16 Jun 2011

I don't believe what i'm reading here.

Scary or what!!

Europlex · 16 Jun 2011

As the Yale PIRs are set off by moths and spiders I strongly suggest you get a professional kit with decent PIRs that won't be set off by insects if installed correctly.

Sheesh, what a thing to admit to in black & white, still I suppose it does serve a purpose, nice to have one of their failings mentioned by the 'expert'.

yaleguy3 · 16 Jun 2011

hmmm very strange we are talking here about something crawling accross the lens or getting inside the pir if not properly fitted not insects wandering about the room. certainly a bird would activate the sensors.

You really are the drollest of trolls

Europlex · 16 Jun 2011

Ok, a moth is an INSECT, a spider is an ARACHNID.

I'd suggest that the O/P was thinking about the size of his dog or cat, NOT moths or spiders that you brought into the equation.

I suggest you think like the general public who ask the majority of questions here and answer more appropriately.

yaleguy3 · 16 Jun 2011

Europlex said:
Ok, a moth is an INSECT, a spider is an ARACHNID.

I'd suggest that the O/P was thinking about the size of his dog or cat, NOT moths or spiders that you brought into the equation.

I suggest you think like the general public who ask the majority of questions here and answer more appropriately.

I did answer appropriately. The OP wanted to know what size things had to be to set off a sensor and I told him.

If he was perhaps thinking that he had some hamsters or or perhaps a rabbit or rat then they would be picked up just as a cat would by a normal pir.

The reason I posted was to make sure he was aware that std pirs will pick up just about anything.

I'll decide for myself what I consider to be an appropriate answer without any guidance from you if you don't mind.

JohnD · 16 Jun 2011

yaleguy3 said:
we are talking here about something crawling accross the lens or getting inside the pir

not like a hampster, dog or cat then

Europlex · 16 Jun 2011

YALE PIRs can be set off by moths or spiders.

That's why I suggested a professional system with PIRs that are NOT affected by that sort of livestock.

I'm still certain that my dog & cat comment is correct.

bernardgreen · 16 Jun 2011

Almost any PIR will detect motion if something like a spider, even a very small one, walks across the sensor inside the unit.

Question is how does even a small spider find a way to gain "un-authorised" entry into the sensor's case ?

yaleguy3 · 16 Jun 2011

So a moth landing on the fresnel lens would not set off anything other than a yale then?Is that what you are saying?

I always tell my clients NOT to leave windows open even with the alarm set as birds - moths - bees - currents of air can trigger an alarm.

What do you tell your clients?

Europlex · 16 Jun 2011

bernardgreen said:
Almost any PIR will detect motion if something like a spider, even a very small one, walks across the sensor inside the unit.

Question is how does even a small spider find a way to gain "un-authorised" entry into the sensor's case ?

That's what I've been waiting for, INSIDE, the detector.

You won't find any spider INSIDE any detector that is fitted by the company I work for.

Any half decent PIR is sealed around the detector add to that the 'sealing' that any pro. would complete at installation time.

I've been waiting for the Yale guy to recommend sealing of 'his' detectors to alleviate the possible problem.

He just 'bit' the wrong way, as usual and went off at a tangent.

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