Galaxy Flex 20

[simonuk77]

Hi all,

I'm currently carrying out some home refurbishment and since I'd like to install an alarm in the near future I thought it would be a good idea to install the cables before I replaster. The alarm I'm considering is the Honeywell Galaxy Flex 20 since it meets all my requirements. Since I'd like to get the cables installed myself I'd be grateful if anyone here could help me out with a few questions:

1. Which cable should I use? (I was thinking of standard 8-core alarm cable). Can this cable be used to connect PIR sensors, the keypad and the bell?

2. If 8-core cable is used, is it normal practice to use a pair of cores for each connection on a PIR sensor?

3. Do I need to run a separate cable to each PIR sensor, the bell and the keypad? I saw references to daisy chaining in the manual, but since I'll only have one keypad and no expansion modules it doesn't look like it's relevant to me.

Regards
Simon

 

[Europlex]

You do have the Manuals, don't you? They DON'T come with the panel and you won't get them from Honeywell.

 

[socdesign]

Hi all,

I'm currently carrying out some home refurbishment and since I'd like to install an alarm in the near future I thought it would be a good idea to install the cables before I replaster. The alarm I'm considering is the Honeywell Galaxy Flex 20 since it meets all my requirements. Since I'd like to get the cables installed myself I'd be grateful if anyone here could help me out with a few questions:

1. Which cable should I use? (I was thinking of standard 8-core alarm cable). Can this cable be used to connect PIR sensors, the keypad and the bell?

2. If 8-core cable is used, is it normal practice to use a pair of cores for each connection on a PIR sensor?

3. Do I need to run a separate cable to each PIR sensor, the bell and the keypad? I saw references to daisy chaining in the manual, but since I'll only have one keypad and no expansion modules it doesn't look like it's relevant to me.

Regards
Simon

Yes, standard 8 core alarm cable is fine in domestic situations for sensors, bell and keypads.

No need to pair wires for sensors. You will only use 4 of the 8 cores per sensor. The others are there for spares / future use. Don't snip off the spares, tie them back.

Best to wire with a separate cable to each device from the panel. Your RS485 connection will be the panel at one end and the keypad at the other. Terminate with the 680R resistor at the keypad end.

PM me if you need further info.

 

[oasistechnical]

Europlex
mate, the flex comes with manuals on disk

 

[simonuk77]

Hi socdesign,

Thanks, that information is really helpful and just what I was after. I did manage to find the installer manual for the Flex 20 on the Internet after posting my message. I think I have the information I need to get the cabling in place as part of my refurbishment work. I'm thinking of using shielded 8 core cable since it's only about £15 more expensive, though I think my longest cable run will be about 20m so it might well be overkill.

I'm trying to build up the confidence to install the unit myself. I'm happy I understand the RS485 cable connection now, but I'm trying to make sense of the PIR wiring diagram shown on page 17 of the manual. It only shows 3 connections leaving the control panel, am I missing something here? Judging from the manual it looks like the first 4 sensors would connect as follows:

Sensor 1 - connects to zone 1, 0V and +12V

Sensor 2 - connects to zone 2, the same 0V terminal as sensor 1 and the same +12V terminal as sensor 1.

Sensor 3 - connects to zone 3, the next 0v terminal, and the same +12V sensor as sensor 1 and 2.

Sensor 4 - connects to zone 4, the same 0v terminal as sensor 3, and the same +12v terminal as sensors 1,2 and 3.

Of course, I'm assuming that each sensor should be wired back to a separate zone. I'll only have 6 sensors in total.

You've already told me what I need to know to get the cabling installed. If you could help me once again I think I'll have enough to attempt the installation too.

Thanks
Simon

 

[Europlex]

Dumbing down now then are they?

 

[socdesign]

Hi socdesign,

Thanks, that information is really helpful and just what I was after. I did manage to find the installer manual for the Flex 20 on the Internet after posting my message. I think I have the information I need to get the cabling in place as part of my refurbishment work. I'm thinking of using shielded 8 core cable since it's only about £15 more expensive, though I think my longest cable run will be about 20m so it might well be overkill.

I'm trying to build up the confidence to install the unit myself. I'm happy I understand the RS485 cable connection now, but I'm trying to make sense of the PIR wiring diagram shown on page 17 of the manual. It only shows 3 connections leaving the control panel, am I missing something here? Judging from the manual it looks like the first 4 sensors would connect as follows:

Sensor 1 - connects to zone 1, 0V and +12V

Sensor 2 - connects to zone 2, the same 0V terminal as sensor 1 and the same +12V terminal as sensor 1.

Sensor 3 - connects to zone 3, the next 0v terminal, and the same +12V sensor as sensor 1 and 2.

Sensor 4 - connects to zone 4, the same 0v terminal as sensor 3, and the same +12v terminal as sensors 1,2 and 3.

Of course, I'm assuming that each sensor should be wired back to a separate zone. I'll only have 6 sensors in total.

You've already told me what I need to know to get the cabling installed. If you could help me once again I think I'll have enough to attempt the installation too.

Thanks
Simon

You are correct with the zone wiring. Two sensors share a ground (0V) and 4 sensors share the +12V. Ideally, there would be a single 0V and 12V for each zone, but panel manufacturers seldom provide this. And yes, keeping a single zone to a single sensor is the best way to wire the system.

Normally, installers wire the sensors double-balanced with four wires, although two of these wires are actually wired back to 0V at the control panel. The diagram in the manual is showing a single 0V wire and showing it split into two at the sensor side (AL and V-).

 

[simonuk77]

Thanks for clarifying, that makes sense. Makes sense to use a separate core for the second 0v connection I suppose. I guess they designed it that way so you end up with 4 wires in each of the 0v and 12v terminals in a system with all zones used.

Once again, thanks for all your help. I think I now have enough information I need to get started.

Simon

 

[jay786]

Thanks for clarifying, that makes sense. Makes sense to use a separate core for the second 0v connection I suppose. I guess they designed it that way so you end up with 4 wires in each of the 0v and 12v terminals in a system with all zones used.

Once again, thanks for all your help. I think I now have enough information I need to get started.

Simon

Hi Simon, have you managed to install the system. I am struggling how to wire the system?

Any Help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[socdesign]

What do you want to know ? You have the 1k resistors ? The zone open is 2k and closed is 1k.

 

[jay786]

why does it require resistors? im sorry but i have no clue.

currently i have a nexus alarm 8 zone alarm system ... i thought it was a quick cable swap over but boy was i wrong.

My current 7 wired zones are running on a 6 core cable and want to hard wire those zones on the galaxy flex and add another 8 zones wireless.

what cable goes where ... anyone have a picture of a zone connected to the system and what colour is what and goes where?

I really appreciate your help guys.

Thanks

 

[jay786]

or i am willing to pay for someone to can come and install it for me.

im based in london.

Thanks

 

[simonuk77]

Hi Jay,

Yes, I've wired up the system and it's all now working. Whether you need the resistors or not depends on the sensors you're going to use. Some of them have the resistors built in and you select the resistance values by using jumpers. These are the sensors I've used for my PIRs. I also used a door sensor which needed the resistors adding manually, but the wiring schematic is included in the manual that comes with the flex.

On the flex control panel you'll see the sensor connections are all in a row at the bottom. You'll end up with 4 cores going from the control panel to each sensor. You will need one core to go from the zone on the control panel (the numbers 1 to 12) to the alarm input on the sensor. Take two cores from the 0V connection nearest the zone output, and wire this to the V- and NC connections on the sensor (might be marked up as something else, but that's what Honeywell refer to them as). Finally you'll need a connection from the +12v on the control panel to V+ on the sensor. So, you could actually use 4 core cable, though I used 8 core just in case I need additional cores in the future.

Hope that helps, but if you want any more info let me know.

Simon

 

[jay786]

Okay thanks and how do i set up the wireless door sensors and pir?
Reason why its more harder is because i dont know what cable is what ... wouldve been much easier if it had been colour coded eg red goes to alarm green goes to v+ and so on

 

[jay786]

I just spoke with an alarm installer on the phone in regards to the honeywell flex system and he said apparently theres an issue with the system as it only functions properly either hard wired or wirelessly but not both ... is that true?

Simon ... are you using a mixture of hardwired and wireless sensors?

Thanks