Door Sensor on Shed

[sonypoolplr]

I am going to use a wireless door/window sensor on my shed connected to the ELK and I was wondering how anyone else who has done this has the sensor set up in the ELK. I am not sure if I want to have it set up as an exterior burglary door and have it set off the alarm when triggered, or set it up as a 24 hr auxiliary and then just have HS send an email to my cell phone if the zone is violated. I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this.

Thanks.

 

[Digger]

I have the same project on my to do list (but the Honey do list over rides my list). I was planning something like this:

Make it a non alarm zone. Then write some rules saying if the shed door is opened to beep the keypads X amount of times and display a message shed door is open, or just voice announce. If the system is armed away then chirp the outside siren (and make it repeat that for a few minutes) and email my cell phone.

I then found a really neat Moose Piezo Siren that is incredibly loud for $3.00 on eBay and decided to switch that on with a relay if the shed doors is opened and they system is armed away. I will mount the piezo siren in my attic at the end of the house where the shed is.

You might be able to use some of those thougts.

 

[carry15+1]

I am going to use a wireless door/window sensor on my shed connected to the ELK and I was wondering how anyone else who has done this has the sensor set up in the ELK.

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My shed is 28' x 36' and hardwired to the house. There is a keypad in the shed, and the shed is set up as a separate partition from the house. This allows me to give a user code to my neighbor so he can disarm the shed, but not my home. The doors service door is set up as a typical entry/delay zone and the overhead doors are all instant. I also have smoke, heat and motion detectors in my shed, which is around 75' from my M1G. The shed is totally enclosed in metal, including the roof. RF has a tough time getting in or out, so wireless is out of the question.

If you're looking for minimal protection on a small shed with just yard tools, etc. you can program a partition in the M1G and assign the sensor to a zone in that partition (area) and write rules to do whatever you want when it is violated. As sonypoolplr suggested, program the zone as a 24 hour aux. type. This is the way I have my drive alarm set up and I get a log entry every time it is triggered. I also have a rule to beep the keypads for 10s and verbally announce drive activity.

My experience with wireless sensors is the range seriously deteriorates if the sensor is mounted on or very close to large metal areas. If your shed is metal, you might experiment before installing the sensors.

 

[sonypoolplr]

Thanks. I'll see how the sensor works out in the shed. I am a little comcerned about the range. I think I might try the 24 hr. aux. setting and then experiment.

 

[Chakara]

My siding/roof shed is ~50' from the house. i use a wireless sensor inside there and it works just fine. The Caddx receiver is behind stucco and 2 standard 2x6 drywall walls in addition. Also I have the receiver mounted in the can, instead of outside of it. Haven't had any reason to move it as so far everything I've tried just works.

Also, the shed is a perimeter instant on with the rest of the house. I couldn't find a reason to treat it differently....

I am jealous as I don't have power out to the shed yet meaning I don't have all the fancies like carry15+1....

 

[sonypoolplr]

I tried setting up this sensor in the ELKRP and I can't get it to work. The sensor is a GE NX-454, and I am not sure how it should be set up. Is it a EOL Supervised/RF, a Normally Closed. or Normally Open?

Thanks.

 

[sonypoolplr]

I got the sensor to work as Normally Open. I also set it up as a 24 hr aux. The only problem with the setting is that the monitoring company gets a signal from the elk whenever this type is opened. (Armed or not) I had my alarm company call me and tell me that I would have to notify them if I didn't want this zone to trigger a call to the police. After talking to them they recommend setting it up as an exterior door/window and then if the alarm is armed stay or away yhey will call me if it is triggered and if we are home then we can reset the alarm, but if we are away then the police will come out to investigate it. However, if the alarms become too numerous, then the police might suggest a change in the setup of the sensor.

 

[Digger]

My opinion is that this will be annoying over time.

I think I would make it a non alarm zone that voice announces when violated.

However, if the panel is armed away you would want it to generate an alarm which can be done. Have a rule that if the zone is violated and the system is armed away then output 3 (the onboard relay) should trip. Have output 3 trip a hardwired zone on the M1 which would create an alarm and call the Central Station.

You can tweak that to suit your needs maybe?

 

[Steve]

Also you want it to be RF/EOL Supervised.

 

[carry15+1]

Did you create a new "area" and assign the shed to that area - (which will not be armed if you use a rule to do what you want when the 24 hr aux. zone is tripped) ?

 

[sonypoolplr]

As always, thanks for all the help with this. Steve, I changed the setup to RF/EOL Supervised and it does work. Digger, I am already using output 3 for my garage door opener, but I will keep your suggestion in mind, and I know it will help someone else as well. Carry 15 +1, I didn't think about setting up another area for this. Since I am new to the ELK I obviously have a lot to learn. I will continue to think about this, and thanks again.