Optima Compact Alarm Addition

[kevintat]

CAN ANYONE HELP - IS THERE AN EASY SOLUTION?

I have just moved house and find that the new hall way is unprotected by the alarm system, the worst case being an intruder could enter through the downstairs loo (although window tiny) into the hallway and get upstairs at night (upstairs being omitted). Also being the forgetful type we are continually setting off the alarm first thing in the morning by walking straight into downstairs rooms and triggering the alarm as there is no audible reminder.

The solution I therefore believe to be to fit a PIR in the hallway with wiring picked up from the front door contacts - to act on a timed activation warning of an intruder and also to aid our memory first thing in the morning by triggering the audible timed warning.

Is this possible by merely fitting a PIR looped into the front door wiring?

A wiring diagram would be handy

 

[scott1980]

It would be much better to put in a new cable to the control panel, as your front door contact won't have any power (your PIR will require a 12 volt supply to work, contact's don't require power)

 

[kevintat]

It would be much better to put in a new cable to the control panel, as your front door contact won't have any power (your PIR will require a 12 volt supply to work, contact's don't require power)

Thanks - I will have a look at the wiring to see if there is 12v to this point and if not there may be a chance of powering up other cores to get power to the proposed PIR?

 

[scott1980]

There won't be 12 volts there already, but it may be possible to use a spare pair if the cable is a 6 core, or you may be happy ditching the tamper pair and using that as power. Don't forget, you've got to joint all this in a tiny contact, and there may be joins in the cable where the installer has'nt carried the spares through which could lead to a headache...

 

[kevintat]

Thanks

I don't mind a bit of fiddling and if necessary I will have to get the old soldering iron out - anything to save running a new cable and spoiling decorations.

Presumably it is possible to have a PIR and contacts on the same timed loop?

Just checked contacts - 4 wires so could use your suggestion to us tamper wires for power.

Other problem I think is that once this is done the PIR will trigger the CHIME on front door - something the good lady would not want to be without!

So it is looking like a separate timed loop?

 

[scott1980]

Yes, it's correct that if you put the PIR on the same zone as the contact, the PIR will also chime whenever it's triggered!

Idealy then, the new PIR needs to go on a new zone programmed as Entry Exit for which you will need a manual and engineer code (google for the manual, the engineer code is likely still the default code)

Sure there's no way of getting a cable there? I presume the panel is in the hallway as is usual on a panel with a built in keypad. There's usually a piece of trunking going up to the ceiling containing all the cables. Then it's simply a case of lifting a floorboard or two (I can almost guarantee there will be some loose near where you want to get to) to get the cable where you need it.

If the panel's under the stairs, you can usually drill up at a slight angle from inside the cupboard and come out in the hall.

 

[kevintat]

Thanks - I have the eng code and the manual but not the confidence as on my last effort I succeeded in firing the alarm and could not turn off the external bell for 30 mins or so attracting the 'interest' of new neighbours.
Although manual details powering up it doesn't explain best way to power down?
My understanding is - disconnect 240v - open cover, fires alarm, secure tamper switch - enter user code and reset?
Do we disconnect the battery or leave it connected to maintain settings?
On completing work reconnect battery if required? release tamper switch firing alarm - refit cover - enter user code and reset - reinstate 240v?
In the manual it says that factory defaults can be restored by pressing Reset Reset within 5 seconds of powering up but I don't see this as being possible as you are fiddling with the tamper switch and refitting the cover?
Also I don't understand the Programs 1,2 & 3 which presumably are of little interest to the householder and defaults automatically to program 1

 

[kevintat]

Anyone else able to give some guidance on powering down the Optima G4 without setting off the alarm or if it does go off ensuring it can be turned off without having to wait for it to time out or for the battery in the bell box to exire?

 

[Europlex]

"My understanding is - disconnect 240v - open cover, fires alarm, secure tamper switch - enter user code and reset?
Do we disconnect the battery or leave it connected to maintain settings? "

1. DON'T secure tamper switch at this stage

2. Disconnect battery, or you have NOT powered down, outside will sound.

Have not read all this thread so might be wrong here, why power it all down to work on the system, take the mains off, yes but leave the battery connected.

If you need to power down detectors to work just find the 12v supply to them and remove that. I've not got the manual for your panel so can't tell you where this 12v is, sometimes marked up as AUX.

Good luck

 

[cjrboat]

Hi i can suggest that you go to the control panel and press PROG 9999 and see if the attack light is lit if it is then all you have to do is disconnect the electric supply to the alarm and open the panel without the alarm going off if the attack light is not lit then you will have to open the panel without the engineers code when the alarm goes off simply put the code number in and that will stop the alarm and stay like that until you put the cover back on and press reset you don't have to disconnect the battery as this keeps the bell box quiet
i whould sugest that you put a passive either on the top of the alarm panel or along side it as you don't want any wires showing and point it to the stairs so it will pick u up as you come down or in the hall as for the wiring i would take 4 wires to the passive
1==+12volt
2==o- volt
3+4 alarm contacts
take cable 1== and connect it to 13v on the control panel
then take wire 2==and connect it to ov on the control panel
this will give the passive power
you should have a wiring diagram for the passive same as the control panel
now if you get a small on =off switch and put it on the side of the control panel and connect wire 3 to one side of the switch also take 1 wire out of zone 1 and connect it to the same side of the switch so you have now 2 wires in one side of the switch now take wire 4==and connect it to the other side of the switch also connect a wire so it will go to zone 1 where you took the wire out of now you should have 2 wires in both sides of the switch and that should be ok just switch the switch off during the day and on at night or when you go out you will find out witch is on as the chime will chime when you make the passive and not when it is off sounds complicated but if you draw it on a peice of paper you will see it better cheers nobby good luck

 

[kevintat]

Thanks - This looks good and what I will be attempting - fingers crossed >>>

 

[kevintat]

Just tried entering the Eng Prog but the attack light is not lit - just the tamper? So do I just open the box in the day mode and not bother trying with the Eng Prog? Then on firing the alarm enter user number but not hit the reset button. 240v off of course but 12v remaining connected throughout.

Have done a wiring diagram and can see the logic - basically to be able to switch out the PIR during the day thereby preventing it generating continuous chimes - but we will have to remember to switch back in at night so that a 'time' reminder will be generated in the morning by the new PIR.

Your help greatly appreciated -

 

[cjrboat]

Hi kevintat glad you could understand my wiring diagram for your new passive if you shop around you will pick up some very small and discrete switches ideal for what you want
as for the tamper light coming on when you put the engineers code in it must be an old G4 panel because the new one the attack light comes on but you should be o/k if the tamper light is on because the older G4 /G3 panels have the tamper light on when you put the engineers code in remember to press reset when you put the cover back on and reinstate the 240v power= personally i would fit a new battery before you start if it has not had one in the past 2 years if it is an old battery you may run the battery down as you rewire the new bitts and pieces and that will set the external bell box off if you decide to fit a new battery get a 2.1 amp hr or 2.4 amp hr not a smaller one and change it with the power on just press prog 9999 and open the cover and change the battery then you can turn the power off BE careful AROUND ELECTRICITY IT CAN KILL by fitting a new battery you should not have any trouble when you have power cuts you will have plenty of power to back the system up good luck