Scantronic 9448

[josh451]

Hi all
I have a scantronic 9448 that was installed about 15 years ago. It has 3 zones and a separate entry/exit zone. We have 6 pirs and 1 door contact.

Over the years we have had our house upgraded and had more pir's installed. I am looking to replace the panel and have realised that the different alarm installers have wired more than 1 pir to one zone and have made the connections somewhere in the ceiling void. So in our panel, we have 5 wires, 1 bell box and all 4 zones. Non of the Pir's are latching, so its a real pain to find out which one has activated. we have 2 pirs on zone 1, 3 on zone 2 and one on zone 3, which we omit for on a night.

So here's my question, is it possible to wire each pir to a separate zone on a new panel or would it be a costly job for an engineer.

P.S all the pirs are new and any recomendations on a good panel?

Any help would be appreciated
Josh

 

[djrock]

Hi, You could go for the newer 9448 (9448EUR-90). The only downside is you will fill all the zones up and have none spare for future expansion.

9448 Series Brochure

If you want each pir on it own zone then you need to find the junction box(s) or if you can run new cables to each pir.

If you get an engineer in you could get them to fit a panel with more zones in say a cupboard and just have a keypad at the front door.

 

[plugwash]

the problem is you will have to find those hidden connections so you (or your engineer) can wire each PIR seperately to the new panel)

 

[josh451]

Thanks for all your replies, the only problem is that i can't find the junction boxes anywhere. I have lifted floorboards up and downstairs and still can't find them. As to running new cables, this would prove difficult as the panel is next to the entry door in the hall and the engineer has knocked away at the plaster and placed the cables there and plastered back up to it. Also, the access above the panel from upstairs is difficult as we have laminate floor in the bedroom.

So, where would installers usually put junction boxes?
P.S i have had a look at the scantronic 9448 style and it looks a good panel, easy to wire etc.

 

[djrock]

So, where would installers usually put junction boxes?

They could be anywhere.

You could get your self a cable tracer. You will most likely need to run a few new cables from the junction boxes back to the panel to split the pir’s up.

There is one way around this if you can’t run new cables back to the panel and can find the junction boxes. If he used 8 core on zone 2 you could get a panel that can do eol (end of line). It uses resistors. So 2 wires would be used for power, 2 for pir 1 (zone and tamper), 2 for pir 2 (zone and tamper), and 2 for pir 3 (zone and tamper).

 

[joe-90]

Does only one cable go to each sensor? Maybe he's run them in series from one to another. Failing that the joint will be directly above the original sensor.

 

[josh451]

Just got back from holiday and was hanging up my clothes in the wardrobe and noticed a grey box. there is one wire going straight up from the floor to the roof and one stopping in the middle with the wires going into a junction box. I opened this and the alarm went off and said tamper. i opened up the panel and the only tamper we have connected is the bell tamper, not the global tamper. So this is for the bell i am assuming but why is there two wires going to the bell. We have only one bell! Also, i gave found zone 1's junction box, it was just wires taped together under the floorboards. could somebody please tell my what these wires are for!!

[/quote]If he used 8 core on zone 2 you could get a panel that can do eol (end of line). It uses resistors. So 2 wires would be used for power, 2 for pir 1 (zone and tamper), 2 for pir 2 (zone and tamper), and 2 for pir 3 (zone and tamper)[/quote]

He has only used 8 core cable on one of the Pirs, so would this still be possible?

 

[djrock]

So this is for the bell i am assuming but why is there two wires going to the bell. We have only one bell!

Possibly that cable is used for bell/for pir(s) as well. But who knows without testing.

Also, i gave found zone 1's junction box, it was just wires taped together under the floorboards. could somebody please tell my what these wires are for!!

tut tut. Fit a proper junction box soon since the tape can go dry and you will get problems.
Who knows what the wires are for? Without testing them or looking what wire goes where in the panel.

He has only used 8 core cable on one of the Pirs, so would this still be possible?

At the panel end the 3 cables for each zone how many cores do each have?

 

[josh451]

Think it is time to bring in the engineers and it would be easier for me and the work would probably be guaranteed. I could also get a new panel fitted at the same time

 

[djrock]

Think it is time to bring in the engineers and it would be easier for me and the work would probably be guaranteed. I could also get a new panel fitted at the same time

Sounds like a plan. Get a couple of quotes. Yes I would get a new panel since you have out grown the 9448 and as you have found out, finding which pir has set it off is difficult.