Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 47 Location: London, United Kingdom Thanked: 0 times
Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:24 pm Post Subject:
help please - new alarm choice
I currently have an old self-installed hard wired alarm system at home ... usual kit ... control panel/several PIR zones/one final exit/entry magnetic door contact/full anti tamper/external SCB siren and so on.
The thing is I want to rip the whole lot out, ditch the cables and start again with a wireless kit.
I read that shop bought kits (e.g. the Yale HSA3600 system stocked at Homebase stores) are on UHF short range frequencies leading to false alarms and unreliability. The preferred choice (apparently) is for a system built round VHF transmission/reception for more stability, fewer false alarms and less problems with interference.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any suggestions welcome for a good wireless kit and/or places to go to buy it.
Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 47 Location: London, United Kingdom Thanked: 0 times
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:54 pm Post Subject:
Trouble is the current system keeps breaking down (it's old, like I say) and I'm fed up with having to chase/replace cables all over the house, track down cable breaks and so on. Not to mention that the wires have, over the years, become an unsightly mess in cornices and alcoves.
I get your point but this is the very reason I ask the question. My immediate neighbours have monitored systems from ADT and I'm thinking the VHF signals won't interfere with them. So fas as I know it's the UHF systems that cause the trouble with false alarms, interference etc.
Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 12857 Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom Thanked: 22 times
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:37 pm Post Subject:
Cables dont just break, you must be damaging them somehow. You'd be best going with a new wired alarm system.
Wireless alarms, no matter what frequency range they operate in, will always be susceptible to interference from many, many sources. The airwaves are becoming increasingly crowded and frequency ranges getting closer together.
And everyone on this forum will say get a wired alarm, because none of us enjoys being woken up or otherwise disturbed by noisy false alarms from unreliable alarm systems.
If you can get under the floorboards, its a doddle.
Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 47 Location: London, United Kingdom Thanked: 0 times
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:53 am Post Subject:
Thanks everyone. All comments duly noted and much appreciated.
Like you all here I had thought a wired system was superior. That's why I fitted one in the first place. However, you can imagine ... a 4 zone panel when I started, house has had 3 extensions added over many years .... new cables added to the alarm system as well .... all grown like topsy. I now have multiple PIRs on each zone. I have replaced backup batteries, malfunctioning PIRs etc. from time to time.
Due to age, I suspect, something somewhere in the system has caused it not to work at all. I fully arm the system but nothing triggers an alarm condition. I'm sure it's going to take me ages to track down the fault(s) and I'm dreading it!
I have the feeling that the time has come for a fresh/new entire system - much bigger control panel, one PIR to each zone, new external sounder/SCB and so on.
However, I'm older than I was when I started all this and am less fit! I can't face the thought of running new cables everywhere with new kit. In other words ... starting from scratch again. The enthusiasm's not there like it used to be.
Maybe I should get it professionally installed. Any recommendations? South east/south west London border.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Forum Index
Help
Register Free
Bookmarks
Search
Login
OK OK ... your views received and understood!