Elk M1Gold retrofit setup questions.

I am in the process of installing my new Elk M1Gold Panel. I currently have an Ademco/Honeywell Vista50p with several hardwired and wireless zones. The windows & doors are all hardwired homeruns back to the panel in series with the EOL resistor making up 3 zones. (windows split into 2 / doors on 1)

I plan to use an ELK-M1XIN to make all 16 windows each their own zone and 4 doors their own zone with the M1. I am trying to get a clear understanding as to what the best placment of the resistor is. At the panel or the contact? Are they necessary? I am using recessed magnetic contacts.

below is the current connections with all showing connection running in series with the resistor connected to the panel via a short wire

An EOLR is pointless @ the panel; and to be honest, most home installations don't bother... When used properly, they belong at the remote end of the circuit - ie: at the window/door.

Basically put, either relocate the EOLR resistors at the point of detection, or remove them completely. Unless you're in a high-end/high-target residence, they're not too important IMHO.

thanks for the quick response

so does it matter which side of the contact the EOLR is on? (zone input or negative side) and in which direction on the line the EOLR is facing? (meaning the EOLR has 3 red stripes and a gold is there a correct in and out to a resistor?)

Correct, doesn't matter if it is the only contact. It should be at the physical end of a wire if more than one sense. This diagram may help, it shows that any sensor AFTER the resistor is not supervised for a problem such as a staple that shorts the wire.

thanks!!

i found some helpful info on a few sites.

http://www.diyalarmforum.com/diy-alarm-faq38/

http://www.structuredhomewiring.com/TamperProofWiring.aspx

http://www.structuredhomewiring.com/AlarmWiring.aspx

Linwood said:

Correct, doesn't matter if it is the only contact. It should be at the physical end of a wire if more than one sense. This diagram may help, it shows that any sensor AFTER the resistor is not supervised for a problem such as a staple that shorts the wire.

Click to expand...

Not true. While it is true regarding no polarity regarding the EOLR, the EOLR should always be installed both at the last point in a circuit electrically, as well as on the negative side of the zone on a panel that shares a common negative. It makes a ground fault/loop so it faults the panel.

Do you mean to detect trouble if the contact itself shorts to ground? Is the issue as shown in the diagram, and the idea (on the top) that a short where shown shows as a valid monitored closed contact, whereas on the bottom it shows as a supervisory fault?

Does it really do that however with the panel not grounded (as Elk recommends)? I clearly haven't tried it, but it implies continuity from the ground on a contact (e.g. a window) back to the panel common negative, right?

On the other hand, and shame on me for not doing my homework, it is clearly better because it MAY give a fault whereas the other side will not (though it also likely won't arm).

My apologies, and thank you.

There's a difference between an earth ground and a ground loop and a resistive fault. Connection of the panel to earth ground would not change the result or reference.

The condition I'm referring to is the first diagram, where a ground fault negates the circuit seeing the contact(s) downstream.

I have seen this sort of fault/no fault happen with EOLR's installed on the "wrong side" of a circuit, albeit more on the commercial end of the spectrum, with contacts installed on extruded aluminum door openings and steel door jambs, even with the metal shavings from the initial drilling for installation causing problems after the fact by making a high resistance bridge between contact terminals.

It doesn't necessarily happen often, but when wiring a simple 2 state EOLR, it's better to start out with the best circumstances for a fighting chance to mitigate as many possibilities as can be done first.

so i have decided to pull all sensors and add the EOLR in the correct location. is there a trick to removing the recessed sensors from the aluminum window frames? i am having a bit of a time doing so? i acutally purchased new sensors in the event i cant remove them or have to drill them out?

any suggestions much appreciated!

for 16 windows and 4 doors, it's way too much trouble than it's worth to retrofit EOL. Just do the Normally Open / Normally Closed option at the panel for each zone..

If the sensors and wiring is in good shape, forget the EOL.

I agree, for a residential install, you don't need EOL resistors, especially if you have working sensors now. I WOULD perform a leakage and continuity check with a multimeter though before I hooked anything to the Elk. Look at my How to Install a Home Security System How To for details.

I'm going to agree as well; I think a few people overstate the importance of EOL resistors... They're ideal, but often more trouble than they're worth to install after the fact. I guarantee the percentage of home installs with EOLR's is very low.

FWIW, I decided to not bother with EOL for my home. Reading through old posts when I was researching all of this I saw a post by an Elk engineer (Spanky) that said NC provides better transient immunity than EOL and he wouldn't do EOL in residential.

FYI, here is a diagram I made a while ago showing why you need to have the resistor at the contact/sensor.