Alarm Ideas

[Steve335]

Good afternoon

I'm looking for recommendations to replace my old defective alarm system.

I would be looking for a wireless setup with 3 No. Door sensors, and 3 No. PIR to start with.

The PIR should be able to be disabled and in their own zone.

I'd be looking for something expandable and perhaps integrate cctv into eventually. Or is that a standalone thing best left out the equation?

I'm a reasonably competent DIYer but can fall back on a friends brother in the trade if necessary.

I have a big old keypad already mains fed to replace, and an outside bell unit.

I'm assuming the bell unit could be recycled?

Any tips it links etc greatly appreciated...

 

[alan333]

I'm not an alarm expert but the general consensus on here is that wired is better. Could you re-use your existing wiring?

 

[Steve335]

Hi Alan the existing is actually wireless but there's nothing left except 1 PIR and the bell/control panel. It's this one below!

I could go wired but the door sensors I the important ones and it will be tricky to run cables to them I think.

 

[secureiam]

if you know someone in the trade are you not best to pick there brains.

Wired systems do not have the same issues as wireless ones, cheap rubbish from ebay is more likely to give you problems than say a well respected brand.

The first question is budget and if you want wireless/ hardwired or hybrid a bit of both if you like.

 

[Steve335]

Hi thanks secure I am - I rarely see him but even if I rang him I know he would talk me into a wired one!

If I was going down the wired route I would ask him to supply and fit. He maintained the one in my old house.

I just thought there might be a feasible wireless DIY option these days. Particularly as the whole house has just been redecorated.

I'm not fixed on a budget but I wouldn't be looking to spend a fortune on a DIY fit - a few hundred maybe.

 

[secureiam]

The Texecom ricochet system may meet your requirements or the pyronix enforcer.

People install these panels themselves but it doesn't make them diy, true diy panels you pick up from B&Q and screwfix likes of Yale, but theres not many pros that install them and the different models and the issues posted on here should be enough to put most off I suspect.

 

[Steve335]

Great that's the sort of info I need to start the research. I'd seen the Yale ones but didn't think much to them! I don't know why just didn't seem right...

EDIT - found some useful info:

http://benchmarkmagazine.com/intruder-test-texecom-ricochet/

Seems well priced as well.

 

[willco007]

I agree wired is better.
The advantage of wireless camera is much more pleasant to look at.
Personally I suggest wired cameras because wired offer better video quality than wireless cameras.

 

[bernardgreen]

EDIT - found some useful info:

http://benchmarkmagazine.com/intruder-test-texecom-ricochet/

Not once does that article mention interference or jamming from other equipment on the sam channel. It does include this paragraph :-

During the tests, which involved a high degree of deliberately created situations in which radio-based solutions would suffer, the Ricochet devices performed well, only failing when the operating environment was pushed way beyond what could be considered suitable for any wireless system. However, they provided a solution when point-to-point technology simply would not have worked.

It is not clear if these deliberately created situations included any simulated interference or prolonged transmissions on the same wireless channel.

That said the Ricochet concept and reliability is far better than the DIY "alarm" systems using one way wireless communication

 

[secureiam]

It is possible to create jamming situation on all wireless equipment that cant change its frequency of operation itself (ideally a two way would say it couldn't get through and then try an alternate frequency but don't think there is anything that works that way.), even then though I would suspect that a device on the system that does change its frequency becomes faulty that may jam the signal anyway, if it doesn't shut itself down).

The ricochet bounces off other devices to communicate if it doesn't have a direct route back to the expander, ideally in a domestic everything will report directly back to the expander and can see nearly all the other detectors to create an alternate route back to the expander if the original route back is blocked. ricochet looks for a route back, and if it finds a block on the route it trys an alternate route (self healing).

The more devices connected to a single expander the greater flexibility (signal security) you will have available.

 

[bernardgreen]

Unfortunately licence exempt operation of security alarms is limited to a very small number of channels so channel changing is not an option. Also the complexity of the channel changing hardware and software is so high that battery life would be reduced significantly. At which point the cost of installing wires would be far less than the cost of the wireless system.

Testing of a system can aonly go as far as ensuring it is compliant with the regulations for licence exempt equipment. That would be sufficient if all other equipment using licence exempt frequencies was compliant. A lot of equipment on sale is not compliant and thus compliant systems can be rendered useless when close to non compliant equipment.

( it is legal to sell non compliant equipment but illegal to use it )

 

[secureiam]

Visonic have one that changes frequency, but I understand that's a rotational between 3 or 4 frequencies, rather than on failure.

I am not a electronics designer and developments are always changing, I understand that its possible to change frequency and still have reasonable battery life if Visonic is to be believed.

As for what the frequencies are and how it complies I have no idea, I would be happy that the stuff they sell in the UK complies as Useable in the UK legally.

It is more unlikely that several frequencies are all jammed in anyone given location at any time if there is sufficient difference in the frequencies, but not my area of expertise.

You can check which network the Texecom expander has been assigned to in ricochet monitor, as to how the frequency is split across the different networks I don't know. However if you got jamming and you couldn't find the problem source and eliminate it you would look at trying to get the system on another network and I haven't done that as I haven't needed to.

 

[Steve335]

Hmmm dare I ask if this isn't good!

http://www.diy.com/departments/response-white-alarm-kit-pack-of-6/30052_BQ.prd?

 

[sparkymarka]

No no no just don't .... Buy an Pyronix enforcer kit if you want a cheap wireless system , fitted 20/30 no issues apart from fobs which have been sorted ....

 

[Steve335]

Well it took a while but the new alarm is in as of today!

My mate I referenced in the initial post fitted my a Pyronix Enforcer.

Mates rates - I'm sure I couldn't have even bought the components for what he charged.

Thanks for all the help.