ELK M1 Data Bus Location

[RonTJohnson]

I purchased the following:
M1 Gold kit
Data Bus Hub
two additional keypads
three Zone expanders
Ethernet port interface
Lighting, Thermostat int & serial exp.



My alarm zone wiring is home run to a different location than my main equipment closet (long story, see below). There are two cat5e cables running from the alarm zone home location to the equipment closet. My plan is to install the ELK M1 platform in the equipment closet along with the eithernet port interface and the serial expander. I will then Install the Hub at the Alarm Zone home location along with the Zone expanders. I plan to connect the Hub to the M1 using 2 pairs of one of the cat5e cables that return to the equipment closet. This means that I will not be using the first 16 zones on the main board for my input zones (except that i might utilize anther pair of the cat5e cable for connecting to zone 16 for smoke detectors).

Does anyone see a problem with this setup?

For those interested in sub-contract screwups:
Installer was supposed to look at my home that was being remodeled and give me a bid. For some reason he decided to send a wiring crew and geve a bid latter. My contractor thought i hired them to wire for an alarm system so he let them do their job. I showed up on day two and to my astonishment, most of the wire was installed and to a location that was not my equipment closet. (Its about 20 feet away). I was not happy for two reasons, 1) i didn't hire anyone to do anything yet, and 2) the wiring was to the wrong location. I thought that all was not lost so if i had them run two cat5e cables from the alarm home location to the equipment closet which they did. I have not yet paid for anything and i refuse to pay until i get a diagram of where the wires are which is something i was promissed. Can you beleive this?

 

[DeLicious]

shouldn't be a problem at all... I don't use the first 16 zones either. all of my zones are through input expanders and wireless, all of which are connected to a dbh.

 

[Steve]

I would not pay a dime until they did the work to YOUR specifications. If they jumped the gun and did the work without approval or specification, that's bad on them, not you. While the above should work fine, you may run into expansion issues later or something. I would make sure the work is done right and the way you want it done now before it too late, and before they are paid. Now, if you gave them a diagram they they went by and then you changed it then that's a bit stickier but they should still wait for approval from you to proceed. If you just don't want the confrontation and want to settle, then at least run some more wire between the 2 locations while you still easily can. Or at minimum a pull string.

 

[Aquatic]

Holy LIGHTBULBS BATMAN!

So if I'm understanding this right..... the wiring can I'm replacing (a brinks system in the master walkin closet ) can be replaced with a M1XIN instead, provided that I run a Cat 5 cable back up to where I REALLY want to put the new Wiring can (In the wiring closet with the A/V and phone--really an unused closet upstairs) and then I just program with Zones 17-32.....??????

What a deal! I have to run a Cat 5 anyway (2nd keypad needed one--first one was on the opposite wall of the closet) so instead, I run 2 back to the closet... MUCH easier.. Hmm.. Time to make an order and then wait for the Florida temps to drop down so the attic won't cook me when I do the work... SWEET.... Now.. why didn't I think of that!

 

[Steve]

Yes, all of the Elk's bus devices can go pretty much anywhere you can get a bus wire. And the secret to not dying in a Florida attic in the summer is to start early and be out by 10AM. The earlier you start, the more time you have to work.

 

[RonTJohnson]

I would not pay a dime until they did the work to YOUR specifications. If they jumped the gun and did the work without approval or specification, that's bad on them, not you. While the above should work fine, you may run into expansion issues later or something. I would make sure the work is done right and the way you want it done now before it too late, and before they are paid. Now, if you gave them a diagram they they went by and then you changed it then that's a bit stickier but they should still wait for approval from you to proceed. If you just don't want the confrontation and want to settle, then at least run some more wire between the 2 locations while you still easily can. Or at minimum a pull string.

I haven't paid them i don't plan to unless at least I get a diagram of what they did. It's pretty strange, they did the wiring without my giving them any direction or signing any papers. I only had a conversation about a bid over the phone. Its a vacation home so i wasn't there when they showed up and started wiring. The company is so disorganized they probably aren't going to remember to charge me. Is there any way to find wires in walls with a supper toner or something?

 

[rfdesq]

Is there any way to find wires in walls with a supper toner or something?

Yes, visit http://www.triplett.com/.

 

[db-us]

Like someone said above, if you don't want the confrontation then you can leave the wires that are run to the current homerun location. But you do have the option of having them run a full set of wires from the Elk location to the homerun location. You could then splice all the wires so that they continue on to the Elk location. This would basically treat the homerun panel as a pass through.