Elk M1 - how to handle my new 3 season room?

MikeB

Active Member
Sorry in advance - this might be a bit rambling.
 
Recently completed an addition on my house - a 3 season room with a lot of windows.  Most of the windows are not very reachable without a ladder, though one is accessible from our deck.  There will be a TV in the 3 season room, so I do want to try and protect it.  
 
I hardwired a sensor to the deck-accessible window, the sliding door entering the 3 season room from the outside, and also the patio door entering the house from the 3 season room.  I also hardwired a motion in the room.
 
I don't consider the 3 season room totally secure because most of the windows will be left open most of the time, which is why I put a sensor on the door entering the main house from the 3 season room.  I am willing to close the deck-accessible window before setting the alarm, but I don't think it would be practical to close all the other windows every night - so I didn't bother wiring sensors to them.
 
My first thought was to just treat the patio door between the 3 season room and the house as any other exterior door, however I do envision situations where the alarm might be set to stay mode while people are going to and from the 3 season room. I also envision situations where we might want the deck-accessible window open while armed in stay mode.  My teenage son might be hanging with his friends on some nights in this room while the alarm is set in stay mode.  Or, perhaps someone might be sleeping in this room.  On most nights, however, I'd like to secure this room PLUS the patio door entering the main house just in case someone is able to enter this room from an open window.
 
How would you guys treat this room and its sensors?  Any advice on how to configure the Elk?  Any way to create 2 stay modes - one allowing access to/from this room, and one denying access?

Thanks in advance!!
 
After some thought I think my best bet is to just set the window and patio door to be force armable so the system can be armed with them open, but then they'd be secure once closed.
 
Open to any other suggestions though...
 
I think you're partway there - the problem with force-arming the door is that if armed in stay while it's open, then it closes, on next open the alarm triggers.  I'd probably use a function button that arms in a special mode - it'll arm what it can and can bypass the patio door as well - it's the force arm without requiring a code to be entered to arm (force arm requires a user code entered during arming if not done via rules). 
 
 I think you're partway there - the problem with force-arming the door is that if armed in stay while it's open, then it closes, on next open the alarm triggers.  
 
I think I might actually like that.  Once the kids close the door they are probably done for the night anyway.  I'd have to see how that works in practice.
 

I'd probably use a function button that arms in a special mode - it'll arm what it can and can bypass the patio door as well - it's the force arm without requiring a code to be entered to arm (force arm requires a user code entered during arming if not done via rules).
 
You know, I thought I read that force arming requires the code to be typed in but I seem to be able to do it by double-taping the STAY button.  Is that not nornal?

Thanks!

 
 
I don't recall - I don't use the feature myself; actually more in the habit of bypass, 999, away.
 
I have a bunch of points as force arm on my system (windows and a couple of doors) and the rule to auto arm stay based on time automatically shunts all the open points with no issues. How that works with your system design, can't say. YMMV.
 
 and the rule to auto arm stay based on time automatically shunts all the open points with no issues
 
Can you expand on that a bit?  Don't quite follow about the rule..
 
Thanks!
 
Many people use rules to automatically arm at a certain time, or a rule to arm the system on the press of a function button.  When the system is armed via some sort of rule, the force arm happens automatically without requiring any intervention.
 
Yep. In my case I have my attached but separated by breezway garage arm at 8 PM if disarmed, or follow the main partition of the house to arm if not armed. I also have the main house automatically arm at 9 PM, which also has a sub-attached rule to arm the garage (if not armed at 8PM) to keep the garage essentially armed the majority of the time.
 
Since I have windows commonly open and left open I have them set to force arm and it works really well. Only thing I don't like is the error tone when the system goes to arm and it shunts the open points.
 
Thanks guy!  I'm not sure if the auto arm at different times of the night would work for us since our schedules are all over the place, but I might give that a shot.
 
Setting those sensors to force arm seems to be working well for us.
 
If you have a perimeter system (as I do) with GBD's and PIR's then it's really not an issue, I have the system arm NIGHT, no PIR's armed, not needed. I've found the 9:00 works well for my house, YMMV.
 
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