Yale 6400 door entry sensor question

[Maxng]

Hi all, happy to join the forum.

Quick question please on a Yale installation - I realise the magnet should go on the door and main sensor on the frame. However, on one door there is not enough 'depth' on the frame for the sensor - is it OK to fit magnet to frame and sensor to moving door?

One other queston if I may - if home alarming the system (sleeping at night) with the remote keyfob - ie door sensors and downstairs PIR's active only; how can you disarm with the key fob if (as I believe) a door sensor needs to be activated before the fob will deactivate the system...?!

 

[mdf290]

Re the keyfob. Yes thats correct you will not be able to disarm the system without instigating the entry device. This is a security measure to prevent lost keyfobs being used to deactivate the alarm or indeed keyfobs found in drawers etc by burglars breaking in upstairs.
You really need a remote keyPAD in order to disarm as you wish.

re the door contact, They can go the other way round if necessary BUT the device will be subject to RAIN if the door opens outwards or SHOCK damage if the door is slammed.

There are many different ways to fit the sensor when stuck for space. Try the sensor 'EDGE' on to the magnet. You will save a few milimetres that way and the sensor will still work fine as long as the magnet is adjacent to the long edge of the sensor. Try it. Hold the sensor where it will squeeze in and the magnet in place and open and close the door looking for the red led coming on and off as appropriate.

 

[Maxng]

Thanks very much for that, very useful info.

 

[bernardgreen]

You can also buy a stronger magnet from a hardware shop and have a larger gap between magnet and sensor.

As the sensor is battery powered you could take it to the shop and test the available magnets. If you need a gap of say 6 mm then get a magnet that works over say 15 mm to allow for any magnetic shunting by metal in the door and/or frame which will divert magnetic flux away from the sensor.

 

[Maxng]

Thanks again. Just thinking on the home alarm mode with keyfob - guessing you could always rig up a little mounted door magnet/sensor on a pirce of hinged wood by the bedside 'telling' the system it was another regular external door entry and just flick this open to then use the fob...

...just thinking aloud of course as a remote keypad make much more sense but the above would do the job I guess.

 

[mdf290]

Thanks again. Just thinking on the home alarm mode with keyfob - guessing you could always rig up a little mounted door magnet/sensor on a pirce of hinged wood by the bedside 'telling' the system it was another regular external door entry and just flick this open to then use the fob...

...just thinking aloud of course as a remote keypad make much more sense but the above would do the job I guess.

You could do that trick with a remotely mounted 'door' contact if you wish. It would have to be kept out of site.

Another option is to have a pir as an entry device in your hallway so it sets off the countdown as you come downstairs. I like this method as it audibly reminds everyone to turn off the alarm and cuts down false alarms.

If you have kids and they get up before youjust listen for the countdown starting and press your fob..

 

[Maxng]

That's a great idea - I've still to finish installation and set up but does setting the hall PIR in that way have any other effects (disadvantages)? What would it normally be set as?

 

[mdf290]

It could be set as burglar or home omit. However burglar setting would mean that it would set off the alarm when you came downstairs before people reached the panel.
It could be set as home omit meaning that you could set the alarm at night but that sensor would not pick you up going to a downstairs toilet for example.
I prefer the entry device option though even if it means disarming the alarm if going to a downstairs loo.

 

[JohnD]

Adding a keypad would be a much better solution. It is operated using a PIN of your choice.

IMO it is preferable to have the keypad near the entry door and the panel upstairs out of sight where it is less vulnerable to attack or being unplugged before it can phone out, but in a room protected by a sensor.

BTW if you buy the basic alarm kit with keypad but no panel, it can work out an economical way of buying additional sensors and a spare siren, e.g. if you have a large house. Buying devices individually is expensive unless you find good ones on ebay.

 

[Maxng]

Hi chaps - thanks again for your help, all set up now and working fine.

Just a couple of (potentially daft) questions but:

1. Can mail through the letter box set off the hall PIR?

2. When the telephone system rings out an alert how does it work with regard to the second number? Testing works fine but say deliberately tripping the alarm it will only seemingly ring the first number (even if not answered or going to voicemail) but does not go on to ring the second number.

 

[mdf290]

Falling mail can set off a pir. Not always . Technically what a pir sensor looks for is a heat signature difference of around 8 degrees C.

Hypothetically if a human was exactly the same temperature as your living room say 22 degrees C with the central heating on then the pir would not detect movement , but neither would anyone else as a human with a body temperature of 22 degrees will be dead.

So if your mail was the same temperature as inside your hallway the pir may not detect movement.

Going onto the phone question.
How long are you leaving it?

The control panel makes 5 attempts at a number before moving to the next one in the list.
Thats not 5 rings of the phone but 5 seperate attempts to get a response from the number dialled.

 

[Maxng]

Thank you. Surprised at that - there must be many people who have the PIR sweeping the hall area. The PIR is not pointing directly at the front door contact as part of the wall slightly blocks it but from 12" or so behind the front door onwards the area is covered so mail would fall in this area. Not sure what to do really as false alarms are the last thing needed.

 

[JohnD]

My mum's house has a Yale system with a PIR that can see the letterbox. It has never been triggered by mail.

It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has actually experienced it. Maybe it is just fanciful theorising.