New security system - planning

[Dippy]

I need to start thinking about what I need to do for my new security system. The ceilings are down so I can run whatever cables I need.

I am a bit anti-PIRs, having had false alarms with any PIR-based alarms that I've had. Plus we have cats (not the reason for the false alarms by the way).

So what are the alternatives?

A friend of mine just installed a new system at his house and used break-glass detectors on all his windows and doors. His reasoning was that he wanted the alarm to go off as the burgular tries to get in, not once he is in!

I have other questions:

1) I see that readily available alarm cable is 6 core. Can I just run a load of that point-to-point and expect that it will meet the needs of whatever equipment I put in?

2) Ideally I'd like a system with an ethernet port so that I can interface it to a PC (for a decent programming/log UI). Who makes such systems?

 

[Steve]

You dont need an ethernet port. Most alarms have an interface that will connect to a PC and program with software.

And the disadvantage of perimeter monitoring only is that if it gets approved for monitoring etc, the monitoring centre wont see any intruders, as they have only triggered one sensor by breaking the glass. They will not call the police for single sensors, only keyholders. Once two sensors have picked someone up, then the police will be called.

An example of this being put into practise is in shops. Inside the cigarette gantry at our shop, there are three compartments. Each compartment has a PIR and a vibration sensor. If the cig gantry gets ram raided from behind (glass panels), it will definitely trip more than one sensor and trigger police response.

Also vibration sensors can activate if someone throws a ball at the window or similar, if they are set wrong a breeze will set them off.

 

[saxondale]

all alarms will activate, wether this is a false alarm or not is a good debate for a quite night, hopefully by selecting better quality devices and following the manfs. guidelines these events are kept to a minumum ( our false alarm rate for non user events is less than 0.003) or to put it another way if you were one of our customers you could expect your alarm to go off once every 3 years.

I really wouldnt be happy to rely on just breakglass detectors ( or impacts too for the same reasons) - what happens if someone doesnt actually break the glass?

run a cable from each point back to the control panel - best all round

 

[RF Lighting]

Use dual tech passives.

 

[mdj1]

Personally i think an alarm on its own is pointless. All it does is make a noise and nobody takes any notice of them these days.

Get yourself a decent CCTV system and add detectors / pirs / sensors / SIM / Bell box to it. This way if anything gets triggered not only will it make a noise, you can be notified direct by SMS and then log in on your mobile phone and SEE if anyone is in your house. And if they are you will know what they were wearing, how tall they where, where they came in, what they touched (makes finding prints easier) Much more usefull than an alarm on its own.

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[bernardgreen]

Get yourself a decent CCTV system and add detectors / pirs / sensors / SIM / Bell box to it.

And make the recorder non removable otherwise the evidence from the CCTV will not be there when it is most needed.

 

[mdj1]

Yes, very good point. You could always have it dump the data to an FTP server aswell for added backup.


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[SecuritySupplies]

I always recommend shocksensors [shockgard - gardtecs range]
this way the intruder is on the outside not the inside when the system is activated.
Also install the odd pet PIR[rokonet zodiac are the best IMO.] as a back-up if they get in somewhere you wouldn't expect.

also the Gardtec CPX panel is very good, it has a built in dialer and can be connected for remote access via PC.

I would go for a kit of this sort, but with gardtec shockgard sensors, and a couple of PET PIRs and the CPX panel that has the dialer.

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[saxondale]

Yes, very good point. You could always have it dump the data to an FTP server aswell for added backup.


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And fit a UPS as well - hmm stick with an alarm

 

[Dippy]

Thanks. I'll think about mixing shock sensors and PIRs.
My point about ethernet is that I will be installing a network in my house and my programmable lighting system will be on it, so it would be handy to have an alarm panel that could sit on it too.

Regarding the purpose of alarms I think it does make a difference where you live. Where I live people don't ignore alarms. Plus the main reason I want one is for night-time break-ins, and I certainly don't ignore my alarm!

 

[mdj1]

I thought that it had been removed by one of the moderators, the last post was not spam at all. In fact after checking it has been removed and not by me so why did you remove the post?

 

[mdj1]

my removed post said.

All alarms do is notify you that you've been broken into before you get back. How many alarms do you know have caught burglars i.e. been used as evidence in a conviction. They are a great deterent but thats as far as they go!

 

[plugwash]

the alarms purpose is not to act as evidence of who committed a crime.

The main purpose of an alarm bell afaict is to draw attention to the crime scene before the criminal leaves it. Attention means witnesses which afaict are an important part of most cases.

monitoring may in some cases lead to the police getting there before the criminal gets away but even if they don't it means that you or the police can get to and secure the scene faster reducing the chance of looting etc.

though I tend to think monitoring for domestic alarms is probablly more trouble than it is worth.

 

[aptsys]

Dippy, Texecom do a module with a LAN connector for their Premier range of panels. See http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk/...age=product_info&cPath=36_57&products_id=1194

 

[Steve]

You can get relays for alarms that can turn on lights. I worked at a shop with a business management system, which controlled all the lights and heating, via a big control panel. It had an input for the low voltage "alarm day" signal, which the signal was recieved it would turn the shop lights, pop fridges, heating, water boiler etc on. But this was never connected. We used the manual override switches as we couldnt set the timer either!