Elk Keypad question

[IVB]

I have a very basic setup [right now], with just the one keypad, and no optional programmable input or output devices. I see in the wiring manual that I use 4 of the 6 wires to connect the keypad to the main board.

Do I need to use a resistor or something on the other 2 [brown/blue], or do I leave them loose? Or do I Iie the brown/blue/black all together, and run that to the main board?

 

[toymaster458]

If you are not using the Databus Hub and the Keypad is at the end of the Databus then you do need to Terminate the Keypad by jumpering JP2. I think it comes from the factory terminated.

 

[IVB]

Thx.

Not sure if i'm misreading it, but the manual says to wire 4 of the wires to the main board, and 2 of them to the optional progammable units.

Since I don't have those programmable units, what do I do with the other 2 wires?

 

[Smarty]

IVB,

If you are just connecting the keypad directly to the main unit, these other two wires (blue and brown) are not connected. As mentioned before, the jumper on the main unit has to be set to JP3 (if only one data bus line), AND the JP2 should be jumpered on the keypad.

I know this because I just mocked mine up on the office table and it all works.

smarty

 

[Dean Roddey]

Yeh, mine has the blue/brown just wrapped up and not connected. It's directly connected.

 

[Spanky]

The RS-485 data bus can get tricky sometimes if you are not familiar with how it works. To make sure you have the proper terminating resistors on the data do this:

1. Turn off the POWER.
2. Using a voltmeter on the resistance measurement setting, measure the resistance across the A and B terminals on the RS-485 data bus.
It should read approximately 65 ohms + or - 10 ohms with two terminating resistors.
If it reads around 35 ohms you have too many terminating resistors. If it reads around 120 ohms, you only have one terminating resistor. Over 1000 ohms you have no terminating resistors.

ELK now only ships two terminating resistor jumpers in the accessory pack.

Remember the terminating resistors should be at the extreme ends of the data bus. The installation manual has several pages on proper RS-485 termination. Wire accordingly.

An improperly terminated data bus will do some freaky things.

 

[elcano]

ELK now only ships two terminating resistor jumpers in the accessory pack.

My control panel and keypad have the resistor embeded. Its just a matter of activating them using a jumper. So what are those terminating resistor for?

Do other devices like the serial expander and Z-wave expander included the internal resistor+jumper or do I have to use an external resistor?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

In my friend's house, I will have three keypads and two zone expanders. All the keypad wiring is home run to the box with four conductor #22 AWG wire.

I'm going to use an Elk Data Bus Hub inside the Elk box. This unit has four sets of outputs and each output can have two "home runs". Just connect the input of this card to the "Keypad Output" of the Elk M1.

So what I will do is run wiring from "Branch 1" on that card to each zone expander and terminate each expander as well (note each zone expander has its own wiring going directly to the Branch 1 terminals, not one set of wires going to zone expander 1 and another set of wires going from zone expander 1 to zone expander 2. You can do it this way, just don't terminate zone expander 2).

Each keypad will then go to its own "Branch" output (i.e. Keypad one will go to Branch 2, Keypad two will go to Branch 3 and Keypad three will go to Branch 4).

This way I don't have to worry about "series" connecting my home run cables and ALL zone expanders and keypads will get terminated.

I don't have this wired up yet (parts lying here, just haven't had the time) so if there is anything wrong with this methodology please let me know! <_<

 

[Sandpiper]

Do I need to use a resistor or something on the other 2 [brown/blue], or do I leave them loose?

The brown/blue wires are for an input and output which can be wired directly to the keypad. If you are not using them, just tape them up and hide them behind the keypad.

One possible usage for these: I have used them as a "message waiting" indicator(LED), and a "message acknowledged" pushbutton. When a message is displayed on the keypad, the indictor is lit. When acknowledged, the indicator goes out.

 

[noshali]

Here are my 2 cents. All the helpful people on this board guided me through the same thing that you are going through. It was a breeze when I had only the keypad and then I decided to add the thermostat and then the w800.

After a little while it was HUH and HUH. I am sure that for most of the folks this is basic stuff. I just decided to spend the extra $$ and got a hub. Now All I do is get a CAT5 and wire it like a standard network cable on one end and wire it per the simple instructions on the other and plug it into the hub. I did terminate (whatever I was supposed to) on the main panel and things run perfectly.

Now everytime I need to add something...i just plug it in and I am done.

regards,

 

[Aquatic]

on a related note....I bought an original KP off Ebay--got it in today and it didn't have the wiring harness like the one that came with my M1G system. It Looks like the 35A harness will work (5 wire) but the diagrams and everything talk about 6 wires, where the blue/brown are otherwise attached. I have the DataHub, so I'm using Cat 5, but likely NOT going to use the "special" capability of those 2 wires---least not on that particular KP.

Still though, I'd rather everything be "stock" so to speak and I'd prefer to get the right harness. Pre-made is better, but I can strip/tin and put together my own block if I need to---any sources for the harness? Can't seem to spot it on ELK site, so I thought I'd ask the gurus here.

Thanks in advance!


Aquatic / Craig.

 

[Spanky]

The keypad wiring harness comes with the keypad. You will have to special order it because it is not on the ELK site as a SKU item.

 

[Aquatic]

The keypad wiring harness comes with the keypad. You will have to special order it because it is not on the ELK site as a SKU item.

FIgured as much...so I can contact ELK directly for one? Or is it potentially available through a dealer--even though it's not a SKU'd item (and therefore likely not something they'd stock)

I appreciate the info!

 

[Chakara]

A friend of mine had the exact same issue with an eBay KP1. He contacted Elk and they provided him one, however I don't know that they "had" to or were just being nice.?

Are these eBay parts "grey" market?

Anyway....

 

[Digger]

A friend of mine had the exact same issue with an eBay KP1. He contacted Elk and they provided him one, however I don't know that they "had" to or were just being nice.?

Are these eBay parts "grey" market?

Anyway....

I saw them and thought a box fell off the truck somewhere........................ the fact that they are not "complete" and the ones I saw stated "factory fresh" makes them suspicious. A few months ago there were arming stations also.