Elk Prewire

RobWalker

Active Member
I am in the middle of pre-wiring our new home and want to make sure I understand what to put in for an eventual Elk install.

I have the windows and doors wired, and 22/4 run for the motion detectors and there is CAT5 to the keypad locations.

But what about a siren: what gauge wire should I run and how many are recommended?

What about other speakers for the Elk? Should these be homerun (what guage wire?) or serially connected?

What about strobe lights?

Anything else I am forgetting (security-wise at least!)

Thanks!
 
Siren 18-2..
Speakers 18-2...If you homerun then you can series or parallel depending on the Ohm load you need or end up with depending on the number of speakers.

Strobe lights- probably 18-2..

Wire guage depends on the load and distance.
 
Thanks for the replies. Looks like I will be buying some more 18.3

Fortunately I don't think inspection of this is an issue. The smoke detectors are 110V and wired together to meet code with an additional alarm relay for the panel. There is no separate LV inspection.

What is required for the tamper circuit, another pair of wires or just a single conductor?
 
What is required for the tamper circuit, another pair of wires or just a single conductor?
A single conductor is all you need if you share the ground with the strobe circuit. Otherwise, a pair of 22 gauge wires will do, it's just s switch closure. Do not share the speaker/siren circuit, Output 2 on the M1, with anything. Output 2 is a supervised circuit and the negative side is not the same as the common negative side of the M1.
 
What is required for the tamper circuit, another pair of wires or just a single conductor?
A single conductor is all you need if you share the ground with the strobe circuit. Otherwise, a pair of 22 gauge wires will do, it's just s switch closure. Do not share the speaker/siren circuit, Output 2 on the M1, with anything. Output 2 is a supervised circuit and the negative side is not the same as the common negative side of the M1.

Sorry to be so dumb ... but is there a quick primer on how this works? How does a separate pair of wires prevent tampering? What exactly is a 'supervised' circuit?

There seem to be more questions at every turn here!
 
What is required for the tamper circuit, another pair of wires or just a single conductor?
A single conductor is all you need if you share the ground with the strobe circuit. Otherwise, a pair of 22 gauge wires will do, it's just s switch closure. Do not share the speaker/siren circuit, Output 2 on the M1, with anything. Output 2 is a supervised circuit and the negative side is not the same as the common negative side of the M1.

Sorry to be so dumb ... but is there a quick primer on how this works? How does a separate pair of wires prevent tampering? What exactly is a 'supervised' circuit?

There seem to be more questions at every turn here!
Use of an Elk siren wired with the standard two wires suffices for the monitoring of this circuit. Simply, if the Elk panel does not sense the impedance of the siren, then the keypad display will show a fault (in other words, the siren is supervised). There's nothing more to it. I suppose the extra pair of wires that others have suggested could be used to sense tampering of a metal enclosure around a siren. My siren is in the attic and requires a ladder to access. I don't need a metal enclosure and I don't need an extra pair of wires.

Good luck
 
Sorry to be so dumb ... but is there a quick primer on how this works? How does a separate pair of wires prevent tampering? What exactly is a 'supervised' circuit?

There seem to be more questions at every turn here!
Not being dumb at all, I'm being more presumptuous. I am a dyed in the wool ELK fan. I've installed a lot of different panels in 30+ years but I'm now firmly in the ELK camp. Therefore, I assume, sometimes wrongly, that everyone here is using ELK supplies. The ELK siren enclosure contains a built in tamper switch. I'm also from the camp that places a siren/strobe stainless steel enclosure, or two, on the exterior of all my installs. The ELK enclosure is attractive and IMO a great deterrent. Just don't forget the need for an extra power supply when choosing sirens.
 
The smoke detectors are 110V and wired together to meet code with an additional alarm relay for the panel. There is no separate LV inspection.
What is an "alarm relay"? Are you wiring your 110V smokes to the panel to trigger an alarm and if so how does that work?
 
The smoke detectors are 110V and wired together to meet code with an additional alarm relay for the panel. There is no separate LV inspection.
What is an "alarm relay"? Are you wiring your 110V smokes to the panel to trigger an alarm and if so how does that work?

Well, I'm making up my own terminology and since I've not actually done it yet, take all of this with a large grain of salt ... but my understanding is that the smokes have a built in relay that will close when the smoke triggers. So the smokes meet code without considering the Elk panel at all - they are wired together and will sound if any one of them goes off. Additionally they will indicate to the panel that one has triggered and the alarm can then do whatever it wants.

I have 7 smokes planned, but only one of them will have the relay. The Elk won't know which smoke triggered, but I can't see why that is particularly useful information and it saves a few $ this way.
 
The smoke detectors are 110V and wired together to meet code with an additional alarm relay for the panel. There is no separate LV inspection.
What is an "alarm relay"? Are you wiring your 110V smokes to the panel to trigger an alarm and if so how does that work?

Well, I'm making up my own terminology and since I've not actually done it yet, take all of this with a large grain of salt ... but my understanding is that the smokes have a built in relay that will close when the smoke triggers. So the smokes meet code without considering the Elk panel at all - they are wired together and will sound if any one of them goes off. Additionally they will indicate to the panel that one has triggered and the alarm can then do whatever it wants.

I have 7 smokes planned, but only one of them will have the relay. The Elk won't know which smoke triggered, but I can't see why that is particularly useful information and it saves a few $ this way.

RobWalker, Hi I think you are wrong. As in my past I owned a security install company and many years ago was a firefighter. If one fire alarm signal comes into the central station it gets treated as a standard fire alarm, If Two,Three, Four seprate fire signals come into a central station, and relayed that way, The local authorities will take much faster action. I have 19 smokes in my house, All with there own reporting codes. If there is an issue everybody, Knows whats going on. Most people don't think so, But I think the MOST important part of a security system is the FIRE. To save any money$$$ and lose your house and loved ones is a shame. And don't forget the pets that will also die(Dog, Cat, Fish, Hamster, Ferret, Frog, Turtle,ECT...) Be Extra Safe With This Is All I Can Say....

Mike
 
RobWalker, Hi I think you are wrong. As in my past I owned a security install company and many years ago was a firefighter. If one fire alarm signal comes into the central station it gets treated as a standard fire alarm, If Two,Three, Four seprate fire signals come into a central station, and relayed that way, The local authorities will take much faster action. I have 19 smokes in my house, All with there own reporting codes. If there is an issue everybody, Knows whats going on. Most people don't think so, But I think the MOST important part of a security system is the FIRE. To save any money$$$ and lose your house and loved ones is a shame. And don't forget the pets that will also die(Dog, Cat, Fish, Hamster, Ferret, Frog, Turtle,ECT...) Be Extra Safe With This Is All I Can Say....

Mike

Maybe, but I think it all comes down to a risk analysis for different situations. The house is way out in the country with a volunteer fire dept. and so the response time isn't going to be significant to getting people out.

As long as the alarm goes off and we get out I'll consider the system as having done its job and the rest is why we buy fire insurance and pray we don't have to use it.
 
Rob,

Correct, But would like a faster response? Most single "Telephone Alarms" are regarded as false. Multiple alarms generate more and faster response, Hopefully saving some or most of your home and loved ones. And don't forget, There are always things that the ins. will not cover and you would miss for ever if lost, To a 5 Min delay in response. I am just trying to help everybody keep safe.

Mike
 
Rob,

Another issue to consider with your current plan is supervision. Since you are in a rural area, the local Fire Department may be more relaxed but many jurisdictions I have installed in require supervision of the smokes for a monitored fire alarm. For example, if one, or all six, of the non-relay smokes are removed or inop the alarm panel will have no indication.

Fortunately I don't think inspection of this is an issue. The smoke detectors are 110V and wired together to meet code with an additional alarm relay for the panel. There is no separate LV inspection.

This would be a different inspection than the electrical inspection. This would be for a Fire Alarm permit which may not be an issue for you. Just something you may want to check with the Local Authority Having Jurisdiction.
 
Back
Top