Upgrade Advice

[jonwmm]

Morning All

You have all been a fountain of knowledge on previous posts and enabled me to create a really good home alarm system with the help of an installer obviously with a Pyronix Euro 46.

Fast forward to now and i have moved to a new build where i specced a "wired" alarm system for an fair chunk of cash (£500), I moved in a month ago and appear to have been installed a Texecom Veritas, I presume R8 as it has the keypad with no screen.

They have fitted 3 PIR's downstairs and 1 upstairs, no door contacts so when you come in you can pretty much walk round the house before it activates.

My installers option is to rip it out and start again with a pyronix but I cant afford that just yet and wandered if there was any way of making this system a bit better in the interim with maybe a proper display? adding wireless PIR's? tags?

It has been installed by the on site electrician so code is set to what it is so presume it has not been programmed in any other fashion.

Any guidance appreciated

 

[sparkymarka]

You cheapest option is going to be a Texecom 64w kit

 

[jonwmm]

Thanks for the quick reply, would this not involve the total removal of the old one too?

 

[sparkymarka]

Everything swop over then add wireless contact to front door
KIT 86 Gives you panel , keypad , 5 fobs , wireless contact , 3 wireless pirs ( sell them on eBay ) or kit a euro46 but that’s going to cost more ...

 

[jonwmm]

Great, thanks again. for some reason i though the texecom would cost more, I only recall the price of the pyronix stiff as that's all I've ever purchased, i could do the basics of adding to that system and only needed the installer for the tricky programming side, he seems to prefer the pyronix stuff so will ask around for costs on installing this package, looks like you get a fair bit of kit with it!

 

[secureiam]

You may find the installer isn't comfortable with that.

Wiring should be relatively straight forward for the basics, indeed the only things you probably need to change out of the box, is to ensure zones 5 to 8 are not used.

Zones 1 to 4 wiring type is not used, and that the text for each zone is programmed correctly.
If you want the Texecom Connect App then the smart com is all that is needed.

 

[secureiam]

I have seen a few new builds getting panels upgraded shortly after moving in, mainly because they put in Accenta or Veritas panels.

Out of interest how specific were you the specification?

Just thinking that people need to be made aware of what is specified.

As sparkymarka says the kit 86 works out at best value.
The petwise PIR's in the kit you probably get £60-75 for all 3 after fees, making the kit cost around £130/140.

The door contact in the kit can be added to your door, be aware that depending on the door construction you may require a micro contact deep base, but rarely needed, unless the door has high amount of metal work in it (some security doors).

as for the programming if you have a list of what PIR's are where, then the programming can be advised.

The zone types would need changing, for some of the PIR's in the house, missed the contact issue posted originally.

 

[jonwmm]

Hi secureiam

I wouldn't be doing any wiring myself, I'm not that advanced lol I worded badly that I could find my way around the basics of my old euro 46 after adding some extra items, I would never attempt and install.

As for the spec you don't really get a choice well I didn't anyway, I dropped on a plot that had fell through so was nearly at roof level and ready for first fix.
Options list was just that really, alarm was either wired or wireless, wireless was more so in hindsight should have gone for that but in my head I was thinking door contacts would be wired in and would have more pirs so would be better for upgrading when moved in. Cost difference was circa £200 more for the wireless

Alarm was fitted by the electrical contractor so even the developer didn't know models, I had an idea it would be this one from the showhome keypad, main gripe is the lack of pir's and basic keypad. I'm used to tags and a nice easy to read display on my old euro 46 not to mention the remote monitoring from the app.

 

[secureiam]

Veritas to elite it's very simple swap wiring wise, but fair enough

 

[scott1980]

Unfortunately, this is commonplace on new build properties. The alarm typically gets thrown in by the site electrician, almost as an afterthought. I did a panel change on Friday on a 6 year old property that had just been sold for nearly £500K (expensive house for the area) It consisted of an Accenta panel that hadn't been programmed, 4 cheap PIRs on ceiling brackets, no contact to front door, no detection in the garage, all tamper circuits disconnected...

I politely declined when I was asked about the option on my own house

 

[Budnzeus]

I bought a new build two years ago and looking at the kit in the show home decided against the £900 security packages (alarm and two outside lights).

i went for the texecom premier with some wired and some wireless detection. Basically if I could easily get a wire to it without much upheaval I used wired.

I’ve got the texecom app and also the text module (which I removed from my last house)

 

[sparkymarka]

Seen veritas panels fitted in new builds with 3 pirs wired on one zone ( entry route ) because the electrian didn’t know how to program the panel ....lol

 

[secureiam]

Less of an issue if they are done properly to start with, @sparkymarka its all too common.

@scott1980 seen people with expensive houses, have some really badly done cheap alarms, also some with better alarms done badly. Also seen some that have been advised badly about there options.

£1million pound house, accenta fitted, upgraded by a competitor to an Elite 24 (I recommended an 88 based on the survey and customers needs at the time and future), some wireless added, to be fair nice job was done giving the space they had to work with, but they placed the wireless expander next to the metal panel and between some other cables, not looked at the mesh but looks like they got away with it despite manufacturers recommendation and good practice. Unfortunately they now want to add some out buildings to the alarm and need to upgrade again, They didn't upgrade the hard wired PIR's I could go on.

Unfortunately customer went with the slightly cheaper option, he has asked for a 48 now to penny pinch, but he could add his out buildings with that but wouldn't be very flexible, but it has been explained.

 

[jonwmm]

I've noticed the pir's on this one down seem to arm as quick as my old pyronix ones with the blue LEDs. These are Honeywell square oonz, the red light doesn't come on until well in the room.

 

[secureiam]

could be how they are set up, could be pet tolerant hard for me to say don't use those Honeywell sensors so don't know whats normal for them.