Hello all...
I'm doing a major remodel on our house (meaning I'm down to studs) and I'm putting in all sort of new HA toys, including an Elk M1 system.
A couple of questions have arisen:
- With lots and lots of zones, I was very happy to learn that the expansion boards can be placed away from the control box, with only one data bus (and any aux power) needed as a home run. Regarding the expansion boards, are they able to go into unconditioned space (specifically, the attic)? I know the main control is not supposed to (max 120 degrees) but I couldn't find any docs on the M1XIN's ability to be installed in an attic. This would help me, both in amount of wiring and placement of cans, but it not, I'll find some utility space on that side of the house to stick some small cans.
- I really like the idea of running separately zoned 4 wire smokes in order to pinpoint which one went off. Code here allows smokes to be part of a low-voltage alarm system as long as the alarm panel is on a separate circuit, has battery back-up, and if one smoke is tripped, they all trip. This last bit is the rub. If I go with smokes with a sounder in each one, and zone each separately, is there a way via a rule to trigger all smoke sounders if one zone faults? If not, I'm guessing I could probably put enough of the small SP12F speakers (one in each bedroom, etc.) around to make the inspector happy.
- Out of curiosity, what do most people use the keypads' programmable inputs and outputs for?
Thanks in advance for any input!
I'm doing a major remodel on our house (meaning I'm down to studs) and I'm putting in all sort of new HA toys, including an Elk M1 system.
A couple of questions have arisen:
- With lots and lots of zones, I was very happy to learn that the expansion boards can be placed away from the control box, with only one data bus (and any aux power) needed as a home run. Regarding the expansion boards, are they able to go into unconditioned space (specifically, the attic)? I know the main control is not supposed to (max 120 degrees) but I couldn't find any docs on the M1XIN's ability to be installed in an attic. This would help me, both in amount of wiring and placement of cans, but it not, I'll find some utility space on that side of the house to stick some small cans.
- I really like the idea of running separately zoned 4 wire smokes in order to pinpoint which one went off. Code here allows smokes to be part of a low-voltage alarm system as long as the alarm panel is on a separate circuit, has battery back-up, and if one smoke is tripped, they all trip. This last bit is the rub. If I go with smokes with a sounder in each one, and zone each separately, is there a way via a rule to trigger all smoke sounders if one zone faults? If not, I'm guessing I could probably put enough of the small SP12F speakers (one in each bedroom, etc.) around to make the inspector happy.
- Out of curiosity, what do most people use the keypads' programmable inputs and outputs for?
Thanks in advance for any input!