Wired Alarm system

[Jupiter01]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of replastering house so an opportune moment to lay cables for alarm system. I have used the Honeywell Accenta Gen 4 system in the past and been happy with it. I was wondering whether anyone else had any reccomemdations. Features I am looking for (based on prior experience)

- multiple zones
- multiple programs (grouping of zones)
- PIR's
- Smoke detectors
- Auto Dialler
- multiple keypads
- strobe and extrenal siren
- internal sounder (multiples)

Thanks in advance.

 

[sparkymarka]

First question how many items inc smoke alarms, pirs, door contacts , panic button , ect

 

[Jupiter01]

Hi,
6 PIR's, 3 Panic Alarms (same zone), 1 External PIR at the bottom of the garden, no door or window contacts.

 

[sparkymarka]

Wouldn't fit a optima with that set up !

 

[scott1980]

Same here. Ideally, each device needs to be on its own zone. If one of your 3 panic buttons goes faulty (not unknown!), how do you know which one before the neighbours get fed up of the false alarms? I'd also recommend fitting a contact on the main entry/exit door to start the entry timer.

You've got 10 devices, so as a minimum you need a panel that can support 10 zones. The Castle Euromini is a good panel, with 10 zones onboard, but it can't be expanded any further. The Texecom Premier also seems popular with DIY'ers, but I've never installed one so can't comment on that side of them. They seem easy enough to work on from the one's we've taken over.

What do you want the external PIR to do? If it's to trigger the main alarm, you may get some problems with false alarms.

 

[Jupiter01]

I have a field at the back of my house and if I were an intruder, that's the route I would pick. I thought I would be sensible to halt any advance on this front by placing a PIR at the bottom of the garden (connecting to the field) and thsi would then detect any human activity past this point. Given the situation, I need something which is robust and understand that you can buy dual infrared PIR's which look for detection at two heights which are consistent with a human. I have been told that it will not be triggered by neighbours, animals, etc.

 

[scott1980]

The company I work for look after a number of CCTV sites with off site monitoring, using expensive and high quality external PIRs to trigger the transmitter and even the quietest sites have at least 1 or 2 false activations in any set period, usually stuff blowing around, foxes and extreme weather conditions. Also, no PIR can differentiate between a neighbour and an intruder

I would look at a set of infra red beams in a strategic location. They'll only trigger if someone walks through the beam, so you know that any activation is a genuine alarm

 

[Jupiter01]

That's how I understood this PIR to work; it has infra red beams at the two heights I mentioned and both would need to be disturbed. A fox wouldn't do this due to the height. On the neighbours, since there I a fence separating us, I've been advised that it would block the infrared and hence the two rays will be localised to my garden. Sound plausible?

 

[Jupiter01]

Its the Prestige External PIR if that means anything.

 

[scott1980]

That's how I understood this PIR to work; it has infra red beams at the two heights I mentioned and both would need to be disturbed. A fox wouldn't do this due to the height. On the neighbours, since there I a fence separating us, I've been advised that it would block the infrared and hence the two rays will be localised to my garden. Sound plausible?

It does sound plausible, yes although a true active infra red beam detector uses seperate transmitter and reciever units and literally emits a beam of infra red that must be physically broken to trigger the detector. Much harder to trigger unless a person has actually walked through the beam. Providing you have a relatively "benign" garden, in terms of things that might move about in the wind (plants, trees or anything that's not fixed down if it's really windy) and you don't get a lot of wildlife, then for £45 or so, the Prestige might be worth a punt. You can pick up a set of A.I.R beams for around the £70 mark if the Prestige doesn't do the job. Take a look at the Takex units or the GJD940.

 

[sparkymarka]

Texecom....used them externally in boat rack/ canoe store ,not had any problems and it's set 90% of the time for the last 6 years ..... But it's inside a cage so that ruled out foxes and stuff blowing around

 

[bernardgreen]

Break beam detection is the best method for detection of intruders at the perimiter of the property.

PIRs are Passive Infra Red. They rely on the infra red ( heat ) energy from the person to be enough to create a changing "image" in the PIR's sensor. A person covered in clothes that are at ambient tempertaure will not be detected

As already said the beams have a transmitter emitting IR and anything that breaks the beam will be detected even if it is not emitting any IR itself.

The deterrent effect of a lamp inside the house coming on a few seconds after the intruder has been detected is very strong and may stop the intruder from attempting to break into the house.

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks guys. I am inclined to go with the Texecom Prestige External PIR given what you have said. I suppose if it's wired up and proving to be ineffective (I appreciate that it may be too late by that point...) I could swap it out for a different technology.