Final checks before instructing LV installer

[upstatemike]

- For any ELK keypads all i need is cat5 right? Or if local code requires is 16/4 firewire (my installer should know). From what i understand the power for the keypads is coming through the cat5.
Cat5 is best, especially if home running with a DBH. If code absolutely requires firewire, you may be better off daisy-chaining the keypads, because with just 4 conductors, you can't really home run them all (unless you only have 2).

FYI, with an Elk-M1DBHR (Data Bus Hub for Retrofit) board you can homerun all your keypads using just four conductors.

Also remember that you are not limited to 4 conductors with fire wire. 8 conductor fire wire is alaso available.

 

[felixrosbergen]

Doesnt seem like Connecticut code requires firewire, at least the LV installer didnt mention this. :angry: So cat5's it is.

 

[AceCannon]

How did you go about finding a lv installer? I've requested a referral through Elk on several occassions but get no reply. I am in the northwest Chicago suburbs and could really use somebody to wire up the place while I install the panel.

Thanks for any assistance you or anybody else might be able to provide.

Allen

Make a lot of phone calls. I interviewed several people / companies before selecting someone. I cold-called some local alarm companies, told them I was only interested in a pre-wire. Got some contacts from them. Guys that do contract work for them.

 

[Spanky]

Try Keyth Systems in northwest Chicago.

Clarification on the SP12F speakers. You can place 2 to 8 in parallel. 8 in parallel gives a 4 ohm load to the control. That is the max load on the control. You do not have to place any load resistors on the circuit to try to get to an 8 ohm load. The M1 will operate from 4 to 32 ohms.

The idea is to distribute the sound evenly throughout the house without have to use one big speaker.

 

[felixrosbergen]

Thanks Spanky,

Somebody suggested putting the speaker at outlet level so that it is less visible....is this commonly done?

 

[AceCannon]

Thanks Spanky,

Somebody suggested putting the speaker at outlet level so that it is less visible....is this commonly done?

I am about to nail some 1-gang LV boxes up on the walls near my 10foot ceilings. I plan for sp12f's to be mounted in these. I will run one cat5e to these locations and surface mount motions next to the 1-gang speaker, both connected via the single cat5e. The motions need to be up high anyway, so the flush-mount speaker won't make things much more noticeable than the motion by itself.

 

[tmbrown97]

The motions need to be up high anyway...

Just be sure to double-check your motions. I use rokonet pet-immune ones and they don't want to be more than 7ft up... they work great, but my LV installer wanted to do it his way at first, and screwed one up by putting it too high - so I'll be moving it soon and patching his holes.