Yale EF Alarm - arm and disarm by different methods?

[RichardHull]

Hello

I bought one of the standard Yale EF Alarm Kits (with a remote button keypad, not a digital one) and two key fobs. The alarm kit is this type - https://www.yale.co.uk/en/yale/couk...es-alarms-range/ef-series-standard-alarm-kit/

Is it the case that if I arm the alarm with my keyfob, it can only be disarmed by the key fob?

The other day I used the fob to arm it, and then planned to try using the keypad to disarm it on entry...but as soon as I opened the door the alarm went off.

This may be a problem - for example if I leave the house and arm it using my keyfob, but my parents visit when I am out and do not have a keyfob, they will automatically set off the alarm. Is there a way to make it disarmable by either method regardless of how it is armed, or does it always need to be done the same way?

Thanks

 

[secureiam]

don't really touch Yale kit.(DIY)

but 2I opened the door and the alarm went off" shouldn't happen, open the door the entry timer should start and then you disarm with a code/prox tag/radio fob accordingly.

You can use a radio fob to disarm prior to entry on many systems.

Does the system have an event log, if so what was actually recorded in the log?
I suspect the wrong zone type is assigned to the contact on the door or the PIR that picks you after you have come in through the door.

 

[secureiam]

Okay had a quick read of the manual

1. if you arm it via the keypad there will be a 20 second entry timer started when the first detector is activated
2. if you arm with the fob, there is no entry timer and you must disarm it with the fob.

To be honest I wouldn't give these alarms away, having had a quick read of the manual and how it operates.

You can get much better kit for a little more money at £150 for the flat and £200 for the house system, for £50/£860 more you could get a Texecom ricochet Kit 2 and a bell cover, granted its not as simple to install but it would be worth it. Although you would need it connecting to the mains, and you may need to pay a sparky for that.

 

[RichardHull]

As a system, in terms of the things included, it had what I needed and it was on sale in Maplin for about £160.

For the moment I just have a sensor on my front and back door, no PIR movement censor installed so far, although there are two with the box so I may do so later. Having the fobs is useful because I was worried my older parents would panic with having to rush to use a keypad (having never used an alarm before!) so giving them a fob that they can operate from outside just like a car key fob is ideal. But it would surely make sense for it to be interchangeable.

My current situation is that I'm going on holiday and will arm it with the fob when I leave. My parents will visit whilst I'm away and have a fob so can use that to enter and exit, but if for some reason they do something wrong, they can't correct it via the keypad. My neighbours have a spare key 'just in case' and i'm also mindful that these things can go off accidentally so if they hear it they could stop it from annoying everyone else! But if I've armed it with the fob, there's no way they can stop it. And if I need them to pop in to do something (lets say I leave the oven on!) then they won't be able to!

It just seems needlessly complex, why not just make it interchangeable?!

(FYI there's only two key fobs, though I can buy additional ones at £20 each. There's no 'log' that I know of...its not a digital system, the keypad has no display etc)

 

[secureiam]

I read the manual and its probably Yales worst (most basic) alarm in their range, that said if you have neighbours that will tend to the system if it goes off you may get away with it, so its not all bad.

You need to arm it with a keypad to disarm with a keypad on this panel, its all there in the manual, I would rather use the radio fob at least that way the sounder is going to sound when a device is activated, although to be fair the keypad arming only gives a 20 second entry time.

Don't want to sound rude, you have gone for possibly the cheapest brand you recognise, not necessarily understanding the limitations of what you have purchased.

You go for some of Yales graded equipment (subject to how its installed) and the functionality increases greatly but so does the price.

Its not complicated its very basic, including how the low battery and case tampers are notified, the manual states "be careful not to confuse the two different conditions". with a log you would have someway of knowing whats going on or has gone on without remembering if the audible pips were for one condition or another.

I would recommend you look at upgrading this to something better when you can.

Not convinced anyone can do much wrong on this system, even if you did, you would try the fob and the keypad and if that didn't work they would phone someone in the trade whos going to say sorry we don't do Yale its a diy system. If you get a Yale installer, (they do exist), they may not support the more basic panels.

All anyone can do with this. is learn devices on, set and unset and replace batteries

 

[RichardHull]

Fair enough, I'll have to live with it. You're right that I don't know a massive amount about these systems but I knew the basics of what I wanted (a sensor on both doors, a keypad, some fobs) and Yale is a recogniseable brand to me, and I assumed having one of their sirens on my wall would be something of a deterrent as opposed to one I'd not heard of. On the box and website it just says what's included etc, it doesn't suggest you can't use them interchangeably and it seems mad that you can't! I suppose I'll just have to find ways of working around it, thanks for the advice though.

 

[secureiam]

always a good idea to try and get hold of a user manual first and/or ask questions about systems, like you are doing now. About can a system do this or that.

There is usually someone else with your system knocking about somewhere.

there are engineers on here that can make panels do all sorts of tricks (undocumented features) by using there knowledge of a system, but sometimes they have to test it to see if the idea actually works.