ELK-M1XRFTWM Coverage Guidance

[kwschumm]

Moving over from HAI, I'm planning my first Elk install for a new construction 2-story 3500sf home and a 1500 sf shop about 100 feet away.
 
The Elk documents don't seem to offer info on the coverage area of the ELK-M1XRFTWM transceiver.
 
Would one for the house and one for the shop be adequate?
 
Should there be one on each floor of the house? Or one on either side?
 
Standard 2x6 wood construction throughout.

 

[RAL]

It's really tough to predict what kind of range you'll get.  Some people have reported fairly short ranges on the order of 50-75 feet, while others have had much better success, with much greater distances.
 
Placement of the M1XRFTW matters.  Generally, placing it in a central location on the first or second floor is better than at one end of the house.  I like putting the receiver in a closet above the closet door as a way to keep it out of sight and out of the way. 
 
I would try one receiver to start with and add a second to cover the house if you can't get full coverage with just one.  You might even be able to reach the shop with the receiver in the house.  It's all going to depend on local conditions.
 
Is there a reason you're going with the M1XRFTW rather than the GE or Honeywell wireless?  I chose the M1XRFTW because I liked the idea of the two-way operation and the use of spread spectrum technology.   But I've been disappointed by the lack of many sensors that are available for the other systems and the higher cost of the Elk sensors.

 

[kwschumm]

Thanks RAL. Yes, RF coverage is generally a black art but I was surprised that they didn't even publish a clear line of sight range.
 
Originally no wireless was planned at all but a sliding glass door and the prohibition of drilling its frame changed my mind. For now that's the only wireless sensor but it could grow based on creeping requirements now that the capability will be there. Even if the wireless stuff works they don't want the hassle of changing batteries but they agreed that door was ok. The entire goal of the house is to be as low maintenance as possible. All other security, safety and water sensors will be hard wired. Strictly speaking total coverage may not be necessary but you know how that goes. They may decide to hook all operable windows to the system.
 
With the HAI I didn't have good luck with their in-house or GE wireless so I mostly abandoned them. They are all much better now but once burned habits die hard. I do like the two way verification so that seems a much more reliable solution, plus the extra margin of un-hackability by using spread spectrum.