HAI Wireless Receiver Question

[Anthony A.]

I already have a 16 zone expander on my OP2 controller and I only have 2 zones left.  Since there is no more room inside the can, I was wondering if I could get the HAI/GE wireless receiver instead of another 16 zone expander.  Does the wireless receiver hook up to a spare zone and then all the other zones are controlled through it?  How exactly is it setup and are there better options than the HAI version?
 
Thanks.

 

[e2djonline]

I already have a 16 zone expander on my OP2 controller and I only have 2 zones left.  Since there is no more room inside the can, I was wondering if I could get the HAI/GE wireless receiver instead of another 16 zone expander.  Does the wireless receiver hook up to a spare zone and then all the other zones are controlled through it?  How exactly is it setup and are there better options than the HAI version?
 
Thanks.

The OP2 supports up to 8 wireless transmitters. The HAI/GE receiver is used only if you are using GE wireless sensors. This will not give you any more hardwired zones. If you need more hardwired zones you will have to go with an expansion enclosure or expansion board. If you are wanting to use wireless GE sensors you can and the HAI/GE receiver just connects the console bus on the Omni.

 

[Anthony A.]

Okay so if i only plan to use wireless sensors from now on, im good with just getting a wireless receiver? And if in the future i need some hardwired contacts, i still have the 2 free zones i can use. Do i have this correct?

 

[ano]

Actually you can use two zone expanders in the can, giving you a total of 48 wired zones. Its tight but it fits. In addition the GE wireless receiver on HAI is a great way to go. It can handle 64 wireless zones and it doesn't take only of your wired zones away. The wireless receiver is interesting because you can set it up different ways. One way allows 16 zones to have up to 4 receivers each, but the normal ways allows up to 64 wireless zones.
 
One other reason to pick the GE receiver and not the HAI one, besides there being more sensor types and cheaper ones, but with the GE receiver, you can even add a repeater should you need longer range.  My system is just like described here, 48 wired zones, 64 wireless, and a repeater. (You can never have too many zones, because unused security zones can do all sorts of things. I have a sensor on my package box by the door that thanks the UPS guy for packages.)

 

[Anthony A.]

Great advice, thanks for the comments. Looks like the GE is the one to go with. Out of curiosity, does the GE work with Optex wireless detectors? If not, is there a different wireless receiver thats compatible with HAI and Optex?

 

[ano]

I'm not an expert on Optex, but it appears their wireless sensors only work with their own stuff.  HAI only supports their two receives which connect via the four wire bus, but you can connect any other receiver using wired zones.  The compatible GE stuff will say GE/ITI and 319.5MHz.  Several companies make it because some other brands use it as well.
 
Some of the other Optex "wireless" sensors I see, like the outdoor motion detectors, aren't really "wireless" in the full sense of the word.  Wireless to Optex seems to mean a detector that runs on batteries, but you still have to buy a wireless transmitter to complete it.  Optex recommends the ITI: 60-362-10-319.5, which will work with the HAI GE receiver.

 

[Anthony A.]

just out of curiosity (and an attempt to not start another thread), i have a cat 3 cable (3 pairs twisted) that i ran for a GRI water sensor.  I am only using 2 pairs of that cable for that GRI sensor.  I mamaged to find another water sensor that i would like to wire in as redundancy and it only uses 2 wires.  can i use that cat 3 cable to carry 2 signals to the OP2 or will i risk interference/issues with both sensors?

 

[ano]

That really shouldn't be a problem.  Even running a thermostat or console with a sensor shouldn't be a problem if you keep each to their own cable pair(s). just don't mix one wire from one cable pair with another function from a different cable pair. 

 

[Anthony A.]

Ok so i did end up using that cat3 cable with the GRI2600 sensor and another water level 2-wire sensor. Has been working great for a week now

But something just came to my mind today. The new water sensor is mounted low in the sump pit to alert when water levels reach past normal and the sump pump has either failed or has a stuck float. This is the sensor I used.
http://alarmland.com/cellarsaverhighwatersensor.aspx
But since this contact may once in a while be submerged in water, will it corrode or fail? The top of the contact looks to be siliconed where the wires exit but im kinda worried now about it being completely submerged underwater. It appears to be just a regular contact and magnet.

 

[Del91574]

Looks like a standard 3/8" magnetic contact in a fancy bracket. Just looked again...wow, $25 (conservative) price for the bracket and profit on that.....and it is a standard contact with leads (typically 12")
 
I'd be more concerned about the splice of the field wiring from the contact....that's not rated for wet locations and if it's really prone to getting wet, it's going to fail over time, same with the splices unless special considerations are made.

 

[Anthony A.]

You are correct..... standard contacts. The splices are outside of the pit and wont ever get wet unless the entire basement floods. So not too concerned about that aspect. I may coat the sensor with marine epoxy all around to form a seal. That may help. Its cheap to replace I guess anyway so no harm in trying.