ELK Keypad Optional Zone Input and Output?

MRL

Active Member
I'll be installing my ELK M1 system today. The keypad has an optional zone input wire (blue) and output wire (brown). What is this used for?
 
Probably nothing :( At least I don't use mine. I imagine the output would be used most often for a door strike/lock. I don't know what the most common use of the input zone would be. I assume Elk could add those pretty easily/cheaply, so they did, just in case somebody wanted them. Then again, they maybe very popular in the pro side of things?
 
Most mfg's have a zone on the keypad but not a lot have an output that I have seen. the zone can be used for the door contact if its near the front door etc without running wire all the way back to the panel. I think Napco has a keypad with multiple zones on it. Some mfgs (Napco and Ademco as examples) are building RF receivers into the keypads to minimize the installation time for the system (you install the keypad and the RF recevier is done at the same time which is key in a pro install).

The output could be used to trigger a door contact like you said or a status LED for something etc.

They are handy if you need them otherwise they are just two of a hundred features of the system I might never use.
 
I'm figuring/hoping on using the Zone inputs of the keypads I mount near the entry doors to wire in the magnetic contact switches of those doors instead of having to run/route another homerun pair of wires back to the elk.

No initial plans or use for the output, but the I'll have to keep the door strike idea in mind.

The Pod
 
I've seen pro installed systems where the keypad zone was used for tamper detection ie: if a would-be burglur yanks the keypad off the wall in a desperate attempt to kill the system by cutting wires or whatever. A plunger type switch is usually used for this type of application.
 
In some systems that can take some functions down. If the system has only one aux power bus for keypads and motions etc if someone rips the keypad off the wall and shorts the power leads you take the motions down as well. Also the dataline could be shorted which in some systems would basically kill the system until the short is removed. With the ELK they have several aux bus lines and they are individually potected by PTC's looking at the board. This would mean that if you short the power on a keypad you would not kill the motions etc if the motions are on another aux bus. A nice feature.

That is why the keypads are usually installed within the protected area so that by the time you get to the keypad you are already in entry delay or alarm. Once the panel is on that state it should still dial out to the CS if the system is not disarmed within the entry delay window.
 
Damn, I wished I realized about the Output. The keypad is just on the other side of the wall from my GDO. I could have used that output instead of pulling a cable across the house. Oh well, live and learn.
 
I just installed my system almost two weeks ago, and last week I bought a relay I'm going to install this weekend for use with the output. My keypad is mounted right next to my t-stat. My t-stat is an older Enerstat model (I think the same as what AprilAire is now). It's not programmable, but it has two temp settings (day/night). You can toggle with a button on the stat, or also with a contact closure. In the past, I used an X10 module to automate switching between the two settings. Now I'll do it with the M1, and the wire will already be run for me!

When my stat came out, it had the option (which I took) to be modded to allow future upgradeability to rs-485, but I never installed it. The need to get beyond two temps just wasn't great enough. I don't even know if I could still get that upgrade done. But I could now easily get multipe temps by combining some rules and the M1 keypads built in temp sensor... have the two settings in the t-stat be at the two extremes, and then if I want an intermediate setting, use rules to switch between the two extremes based on keypad temperature. B)
 
Things to remember when using the keypad inputs and outputs:

1. The input and output address is a function of the keypad address plus 192, ie: Keypad Address 1's input zone is zone 193 and output 193, keypad address 2's zone input and output is 194 ....

2. The input wire on the keypad is tied back to the negative wire from the M1.

3. When triggering a relay from the keypad, the output wire goes to one side of the relay coil and the negative power wire from the M1 goes to the other side of the relay coil. If connecting a relay directly to the output, it is advised to add a reverse 1N4001 diode across the relay coil with the banded side going towards the Output wire on the keypad. The diode kills the reverse transient that the relay coil generates upon turn off which could damage the driver transistor. The ELK-912 or 924 relay has the diode built in.
 
Spanky said:
If connecting a relay directly to the output, it is advised to add a reverse 1N4001 diode across the relay coil with the banded side going towards the Output wire on the keypad. The diode kills the reverse transient that the relay coil generates upon turn off which could damage the driver transistor.
Thanks, didn't know that. Since there's no appreciable current that I'm switching in my case, I'm using an extremely small relay (this one). Since this has such a small coil, and since a reed relay doesn't even have a real pole to create much of a reverse transient, doyou think a diode would still be necessary in this case?
 
1. The input and output address is a function of the keypad address plus 192, ie: Keypad Address 1's input zone is zone 193 and output 193, keypad address 2's zone input and output is 194 ....

I used this zone (193) for the door from my garage to the house since the keypad is just inside the door. However, I am embarrassed to say, I haven't been able to define this zone in RP. I'm sure it's obvious, I'm just not seeing it. I thought it might be associated with the keypad screen but I haven't found it there. My zones only show the 1-16 on the main board and I will be adding 16 more soon. Any tips on where in RP to set this zone up?

I just moved my panel from "the bench" to it's permanent home in the structured wiring panel so I will be down for a while but I want to get this working as it wil be the sensor that starts the entry delay most often.
 
opie said:
I used this zone (193) for the door from my garage to the house since the keypad is just inside the door. However, I am embarrassed to say, I haven't been able to define this zone in RP. I'm sure it's obvious, I'm just not seeing it. I thought it might be associated with the keypad screen but I haven't found it there. My zones only show the 1-16 on the main board and I will be adding 16 more soon. Any tips on where in RP to set this zone up?
Right click on "Inputs (zones)" and select "new input expander", then enter a 1 and 13 to create the expander used by the keypads.
 
Right click on "Inputs (zones)" and select "new input expander", then enter a 1 and 13 to create the expander used by the keypads.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I had tried the right click but thought I was going down the wrong path.
 
Thanks for this info! I looked forever! Where is zone 193 194 195 in the elkrp software! Looked online all over. After a long internet search, found it on good old cocoontech! Hopeful this newer post will help it to be found easier for others. key words: elk m1g keypad input-zone cannot-find zone-193
 
The Input of my KP#2 (in a small box on the bedside table) is for the alarm-output of the weather-radio and the output for a LED as an indicator of other alarms.

Kp#1 is at the entrance: Input is now unused but will become the tamper-switch for this device. And the output is an LED for testing or to see the waterpump running. Every week I have another idea.

Month ago, I connected a mousetrap in the pumphouse to a zone. And my wife became crazy when the light in the livingroom went on and off and on and off. Maybe an LED at the output of KP#1 will do it too ;)
 

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