Hard wired v wireless

[AJB1984]

Hello

Just bought a new build (not yet built) property and pretty keen to have some form of burglar alarm installed.

The developers want £1,200 to fit a hard wired one - i wouldn't be over the moon to pay it but if it's a decent system then I'll probably be willing to go along with it.

I've looked at the Yale smart home wireless alarm and it looks pretty good - what are the benefits however of having hard wired over wireless? Is it just the fact that you won't have to change the batteries? Presumably the hard wired ones are usually backed up with batteries too?

Do the wireless ones have anything on the hard wired ones? Not bothered by having it wired as the developer can just have that ready by the time we move in. Not bothered about being able to take it with me either when I move again.

If they are going to charge £1200 to install the system, what's the minimum features I should be looking for? It comes with 4 sensor points which is ample for a 3 bedroom semi with only 3 access points downstairs (lounge window, front door and back door). Will probably end up putting the 4th in one of the rooms upstairs.

The sensors you put on windows - are they worth it? My understanding is that they can be quite easily worked around?

I do like the idea of the Yale wireless alarm that links to the power sockets so a light can come on if the outside one is triggered - maybe a bit concerned that it's gimmicky though?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[EightyTwo]

£1200 isn't exactly a bargain but if you're getting concealed contacts on the doors and a decent PIR or DualTech in all the downstairs rooms and on the landing and the alarm has a proper LCD keypad, then it's probably worth it. Especially as all the cabling will be installed before the decorating is done.

A cheap diy wireless alarm may not be very effective - you can have problems with interference and the alarms can be jammed by smarter burglers. You'll have to change the batteries regularly too or the alarm will wake you up at 4:00 in the morning to tell you that you've forgotten! Installation is easier and cheaper than a wired system but reliability and maintenance cost are worse.

For the price you've been quoted, I'd want to make sure that it included a year of maintenance with from the installer...

Vibration sensors on windows (often called "Vipers" - a popular brand) are very effective but may be overkill in a domestic installation on a new development. You may like to consider a speech dialler (like an answerphone that works backwards - it calls you and plays a pre-recorded message) or, at least, have a phone cable run to the control panel.

 

[bernardgreen]

Internal lights coming on a few seconds after an intruder has been detected are not gimmmicky, they are an effective deterent.

As mentioned wireless systems are prone to being interefered with, both accidental or intentionally.

Some systems when blocked by transmissions from another system and thus disabled can only alert the user by activating the siren. These activations appear to the user as false alarms asd there is no sign of a break in. One manufacturer recommended turning this feature off if there were too many false alarms. That is the same as turning of the tamper system and enables a burglar with a bit of kit bought on the internet to totally disable the alarm before breaking in.

 

[AJB1984]

£1200 isn't exactly a bargain but if you're getting concealed contacts on the doors and a decent PIR or DualTech in all the downstairs rooms and on the landing and the alarm has a proper LCD keypad, then it's probably worth it. Especially as all the cabling will be installed before the decorating is done.

A cheap diy wireless alarm may not be very effective - you can have problems with interference and the alarms can be jammed by smarter burglers. You'll have to change the batteries regularly too or the alarm will wake you up at 4:00 in the morning to tell you that you've forgotten! Installation is easier and cheaper than a wired system but reliability and maintenance cost are worse.

For the price you've been quoted, I'd want to make sure that it included a year of maintenance with from the installer...

Vibration sensors on windows (often called "Vipers" - a popular brand) are very effective but may be overkill in a domestic installation on a new development. You may like to consider a speech dialler (like an answerphone that works backwards - it calls you and plays a pre-recorded message) or, at least, have a phone cable run to the control panel.

Thanks for this - it's really helpful.

What's the benefit of the speech dialler then?

 

[AJB1984]

Internal lights coming on a few seconds after an intruder has been detected are not gimmmicky, they are an effective deterent.

As mentioned wireless systems are prone to being interefered with, both accidental or intentionally.

Some systems when blocked by transmissions from another system and thus disabled can only alert the user by activating the siren. These activations appear to the user as false alarms asd there is no sign of a break in. One manufacturer recommended turning this feature off if there were too many false alarms. That is the same as turning of the tamper system and enables a burglar with a bit of kit bought on the internet to totally disable the alarm before breaking in.

Cheers - presumably the light getting switched on is limited to wireless?

I guess with all the wireless devices that'll be at the development, there is a fair chance they'll get some sort of interference.

 

[alan333]

What's the benefit of the speech dialler then?

It'll call you when your alarm goes off, and play you a recorded message. I'm not certain but I believe some of these can also reset the alarm using a PIN code.

There are also systems available which you can control remotely using the internet or a phone app. With (some of?) these you have full access to the alarm as if you were standing in your hallway, so you can see which zone set the alarm off and decide whether it was the cat or not etc. The one I have costs £1 per month and can give me emails/texts/voice calls to several different numbers for alarm events, all set up to my requirements.

 

[bernardgreen]

Cheers - presumably the light getting switched on is limited to wireless?

No it is not limited to wireless.
Wireless is however a very convenient way to retrofit as it requires no cabling to be installed. Since the lamp turning on is not a critical function in the defence system the probability of failure can be accepted. ( Sounding the siren is a critical function )

I guess with all the wireless devices that'll be at the development, there is a fair chance they'll get some sort of interference.

Yes there is, also there are increasing numbers of illegal to use items that use the same radio frequency being sold on the internet. Some are sold for the purpose of jamming car key fobs which use the same wireless frequencies as burglar alarms.

The point with interference is that it can and does block signals from sensors which means the panel is not aware that the sensor has been activated. The sensors in the better systems ( professional ) will repeat alarm messages until they receive an acknowledgement of the message from the panel. These use two way wireless communication, systems using one way communications cannot do that.

 

[socdesign]

For a new build it's best to get a wired system. Wireless systems have battery maintenance. Also, you're tied to the vendors sensors and cannot just select any sensor like you can with hard wired.

£1200 sounds very expensive for what you are getting (based on your description). Hardware wise, you're probably talking less than £300 worth of kit and the install on a new build is much easier for the installer than a finished & decorated home!

When my house was built, I agreed with the builders to get access to install the systems wiring prior to the plaster board going up. When the house was complete, I just added the components. Even if you cannot do this yourself, it may be worth getting another installer in to do this for you.

 

[AJB1984]

For a new build it's best to get a wired system. Wireless systems have battery maintenance. Also, you're tied to the vendors sensors and cannot just select any sensor like you can with hard wired.

£1200 sounds very expensive for what you are getting (based on your description). Hardware wise, you're probably talking less than £300 worth of kit and the install on a new build is much easier for the installer than a finished & decorated home!

When my house was built, I agreed with the builders to get access to install the systems wiring prior to the plaster board going up. When the house was complete, I just added the components. Even if you cannot do this yourself, it may be worth getting another installer in to do this for you.

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

I did think £1,200 would be expensive. They're sending me over the spec of their system so I can see exactly what it involves. Always room to negotiate when we come to choose our 'extras' later on down the line.

As they're arranging it all I'm sure there's a massive mark up on their prices.

I spoke to a local fitter who seemed to suggest that the wireless ones aren't that bad these days.

I'm not massively worried about having a ridiculously high tech and high security system. The area is decent, it's in a pretty secure location that would probably make any form of substantial burglary quite tricky. It's more of a final deterrent than anything else and some peace of mind, particularly when the development is still going on and there'll be loads of deliveries, collections etc visiting the site every day!

 

[andywhit]

I installed a Yale Smarthome alarm chez moi a few months ago and am happy with it. Any questions, just ask.

 

[E999]

Mee too! Ive fitted over 20 ENA-kit2 systems and they have been trouble free apart from one panel which all credit to Yale they replaced no quibble.

As a DIY system I'm not sure....BUT if your prepared to digest manual you should be fine........Yale do give techy advice which is really worth a lot..unlike Visonic who offer to installers only....

 

[Europlex]

.........unlike Visonic who offer to installers only....

.......... the difference between DiY and Pro equipment.

 

[seasickstevie]

But does it generally mean that 'pro equipment' is preferable, or even better, if some manufacturers offer back-up and some don't?

 

[bernardgreen]

Pro equipment has a few "secrets". The information about these secrets is restricted to bona fide installers. Secrets which make the equipment more effective at being a burglar alarm and therefore need to be kept secret..

DIY equipment cannot have such secrets as members of the public have to know how to install it otherwise it is not DIY.