Texecom Premier Elite Areas vs Part Arming?

[Wuffles]

The back story, purchased a load of Texecom kit last year to attempt a DIY install, never got round to fitting it, Wife demanded it was done so we had a local fitter round.

He "doesn't normally do these" which I heard repeatedly throughout the day, but he left us with a working system after a few calls to Texecom.

Once he'd gone I got the Com-WIFI module working and have been taking a look through things in Wintex. I've been labelling zones, given the users names and recoded them with proximity tags and backup codes for the keypad.

Currently we have a fully armed solution and a part armed. Would it not have been advisable to have used Areas for this instead of omitting zones bit by bit to make the part armed setup? Reason I ask is the part armed solution still seems to want the front door opened and closed again if you do it from tag or code, but not from smartkey (where there's a partial arm button).

There will be more questions in this thread I'm sure, but looking through the manual it seems to suggest if using Areas, there's an option for Part Arm Instant, which would be handy for when we go to bed and just want the front door contact armed and the outbuildings.

Lots of text there, sorry.

 

[Alarm Engineer]

Areas are mostly for commercial applications whearas one part of building with its own keypad can be armed/disarmed independently when another part of building is disarmed and controlled separately with users only having codes that work in authorised areas etc..

Part arms are ideal for domestic where only one setting is in use at any given time.

Are you pressing the Part button (or man in house button? ) Or prox tag/code then scroll down to "do you want to part arm system" then select your required part set.

I set these up with the Landing omitted on part arm 1, edit text to Night Set, enable quick arm on keypad, and in area options make part arm silent. For the user they just press the part button then it sets.

*Edit, just reread that you have outbuildings, in which case you may have a use for Areas, what panel model do you have?

You can still use part arm instant, and just configure it for area A as at present you have just a single area system.

 

[Wuffles]

Areas are mostly for commercial applications whearas one part of building with its own keypad can be armed/disarmed independently when another part of building is disarmed and controlled separately with users only having codes that work in authorised areas etc..

Understood.

Are you pressing the Part button (or man in house button? ) Or prox tag/code then scroll down to "do you want to part arm system" then select your required part set.

I set these up with the Landing omitted on part arm 1, edit text to Night Set, enable quick arm on keypad, and in area options make part arm silent. For the user they just press the part button then it sets.

On the Smartkey I can press the partial alarm and it seems to do its countdown and arms (guessing it knows to do that because it could be pressed outside the building and won't be waiting for the entry/exit to be triggered before countdown?), whereas from the keypad or with prox tag, scroll down to part arm and then it seems to wait an inordinate amount of time - like it's waiting for the front door to be opened and closed before the countdown.

There's nothing to be triggered upstairs or even near the keypad apart from the front door contact.

So ideally I'll stick with the part arm solution then if that's best practice, but try to figure a way of omitting the door open/close requirement before arming from a code or tag. I think.

 

[Alarm Engineer]

When you select part arm what does it say on keypad?

Have you enabled part arm instant A?

 

[Wuffles]

It asks which Part Arm I would like. Evening Arm, or keep scrolling for 1 and 2.

I have not enabled part arm instant A...where and how fun is it?

To be fair, the installer was groping about a bit. I'm sure he knew his onions, but some things are potentially setup incorrectly as it's not his particular brand.

 

[Wuffles]

Found it in the book, that looks exactly like what I'm after doesn't it.

 

[Alarm Engineer]

Ok so you have 3 part arms to choose from, as standard all circuits are included on all these settings. In Zone Setup you can omit the ones you want to turn off for example Landing PIR omitted on part arm 1.

Go to "Area Programming" > "Area Options" > Option 1 Part Arm Instant A.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Wuffles]

Waaay ahead of you. Done. And enabled the Silent option (now I know what you were referring to first of all) - sorry, because it was in Area section it's kind of what prompted my original question as I'd stumbled on it before. Didn't even occur to me that they'd all be in Area anyway...dopey.

Tried it, works a charm.

Can key fobs be tamed to just set and unset full or partial alarms through Wintex do you know? Neighbours with keys and fobs shouldn't be baffled with too many options if you catch my drift.

I owe you a pint!

 

[Wuffles]

And last question for tonight, how do you take off the requirement for an engineer code to reset box after tamper or alarm? Is that a simple click?

 

[Alarm Engineer]

In the relevent user, enable "auto yes" that way a user will fob it and it sets without other buttons being pressed & unsets the same way.

Or in Keypad setup enable "Quick Arm" this will allow you to just press Area Button (Bottom middle button) this will full set without code/fob. Or press Part button only without code/fob. To unset you still need code/fob.

Glad i can help you, its great kit & works well when set up.

 

[Alarm Engineer]

Area Programming > Area Options > Options 10,11,12 & 13 take the A away so its just - .... (Press the 1 key on keypad)

 

[Wuffles]

You are a STAR! Ever near Cheddar, shout me for that pint!

 

[Alarm Engineer]

No worries, your welcome.

 

[Wuffles]

One last thing...it's not mega important. With the "auto yes" for the arming set on one of the fobs, it'll still wait for the door to open/close, which is correct as it's full arming. Is that best practice or does it tend to confuse people?

I'm answering my own question here, it'd only confuse them the first time I guess. I wonder if there's a way to modify the message on the keypad to say, leave through main door (which is a couple of feet away from the keypad) rather than flash "Area in exit A" which isn't very friendly.

Or, would I change the door zone from Entry/Exit 1 to Guard for example, therefore getting rid of the need to open/close the door to kick off the timer? Still getting my head around the terminology for this alarm stuff, sorry.

The guy has left one of the PIRs set to Guard Access instead of Guard like all the others. Not sure if this was an error or not.

So that was three questions.

This one's worth a bag of peanuts.

 

[Alarm Engineer]

Front door leave as Entry / Exit as system needs to see you leave & needs a trigger for entry mode.
Hall PIR or anything on entry/exit route to be on Guard Access.
Area Programming > Area Text > you can edit the text for Area A which i think you"ll then see on the keypad.

This could turn in into a weekend bender....