Need a little help with planning

[bearfan]

Guys I hope I have this right.I am going to get the elk gold.Hook up surface magnets to windows and recessed in doors.I will also have motions.Take a look at plan and tell me if I am wrong in positioning.

alarm plan



Here is my list :

3-window sensors
6-door sensors
4-motions
1-elk gold
1-extra kepad

Now should I use cat5e for wiring or just use 22gauge?Doesn't matter to me but I want to have extras in case of breaks or?.Am I forgetting anything?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I would just run 22 gauge to the doors and windows (one pair). Don't see why you would need to go cat5 to these locations.

For motions you could use cat 5, but you would only use four conductors. I just used four conductor 22 gauge wire bundle.

Maybe for keypad locations you would want extra cable in case of a future touch screen or other features.

You may also want to consider installing glass breaks and smoke detectors.

Why don't you monitor windows in Bedroom 3 and Kitchen/Dine room?

If you want to do additional home automation features you may want to look at our wiring guide (since you are buying the elk and it's much more capable than "just" an alarm system.

For instance you may want to include washer/dryer monitors, water softener salt monitor, temp sensors, etc... You don't have to implement all of these features, but may want the wiring in place while it's easy to run.

 

[carry15+1]

When you arm the system in STAY mode you are aware that your motions will not trip an alarm right? Based on that, when you're sleeping, you will be missing a lot of intrusion detection.

Don't forget wires for speakers - preferrable #16 or at least #18

How about a cable from the doorbell to your panel so you can do things when someone rings the bell?

I have a drive alarm which my wife highly approves of.

Consider rate of rise / fixed heat detectors in kitchen, attic, garage, furnace room, laundry. Locate one maybe 10' away from your fireplace flue in the attic.

Conside a CO detector or two

Even if you don't install all the sensros, get the cable in now B)

Consider a keypad in your MBR - better to jump up and read that LCD message than to run through the house to look at the one in the entry during a burglar event.

I recommend #22 4/c cable to all sensors.

Plan on shunting the contact on the door from the garage to the kitchen when the GD is closed. This allows you to go in/out of the garage while the system is armed without tripping. I leave my garage door open a lot in warm weather and I can arm my system with it open and the screen door from the garage to the kitchen is then an entry zone which will trip if opened.

Run a cable from your GDO to the Elk panel - then you can make a rule to operate the garage door from any keypad. You can also have a F-key on the keypad blink when the garage door is open.

To save on keypads, if you care to, you can use a 4-button GE/ITI keyfob to arm/disarm your system as well as operate your GDO, turn inside lights on, etc. I consider them quite secure - but then I'm in a rural area without any interference. If you have children you want the keypads so you can have the Elk notify you when they disarm the system - if that's important to you. Keyfobs should be for adults - IMHO.

If you have glass panels on the sides of your doors you might want to investigate glass break detectors.

I second the suggestion to install smokes - even though code in your area lilkely requires 110v smokes - use 'em both.

If you have a gun cabinet, etc. run cable to them. If you will have an outside shed or something else you want to monitor get some cables to an outside junction box now.

Don't forget cables to your outside siren, strobe light, etc. And, you might decide it's nice to have outside indicators to show system status - armed/disarmed/alarm memory.

Good luck,

John

 

[bearfan]

Excellent suggestions.I will have to rethink some of this.My house faces the corner so it is visible on both sides of house.Rear is not visible,thats why the sensors on those windows only(besides kids room just for me to know if they sneak out).

I am getting Lutron RA light switches for dirt so I will integrate that with elk.

I can run 4c wire to thodse other locations and implement them later.

Should I run 4c wire for strobes or siren?Where would you put these,in or out?

I have a intercom system with door chime coming does that make a difference?

For smokes they are hooking up 110 detectors.I figured i would just leave them be as I will not monitor system.Any other tips for wiring before drywall appreciated.

Plan on shunting the contact on the door from the garage to the kitchen when the GD is closed. This allows you to go in/out of the garage while the system is armed without tripping. I leave my garage door open a lot in warm weather and I can arm my system with it open and the screen door from the garage to the kitchen is then an entry zone which will trip if opened.

Can you explain this?Not sure what you mean.

 

[bearfan]

Another question.Shielded 22gauge or is that not needed?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Another question.Shielded 22gauge or is that not needed?

Not needed for contact closure monitors.

FYI, you may also want to browse THIS How-To! B)

 

[carry15+1]

Assuming the strobe and siren or horn will be within 75 feet or so #16 or #18 should be okay. If you have extra cat5 you can use it and double up the conductors.

The siren should be outside and not easily reached. If you use the strobe you will want to have it visible from the front. I use a PCS dimmer for my three front lights and they have a scene which is flashing - perhaps RA has something similar. I also have the Elk strobe which is a good attention getter and fits right on the bottom of their stainless steel speaker enclosure. One nice lag bolt out the back, or mounting high up should deter most dumb thieves.

My GD and kitchen screen door are both defined as burglary entry exit 1. When the GD is closed a shunt (short ) is placed across the screen door contacts so opening the door is not detected. This way we can go out to the garage for something without turning the alarm off. The GD is defined as force armable. If we take a nap or go downstairs during the day while the GD is open we can arm the system and the screen door is now our primary burglar zone. If the wife closes the GD (while armed), the screen door will be shunted and the GD will become our primary secured entry point. Nothing special, but it works well for us and you have a similar setup. Food for thought.

 

[bearfan]

Thanks again for the advice.I see what you are saying now about the GD.I am guessing you do this with the program?

When you say speakers it is because the elk can give commands audible,right?So how many would you use and where?

For smokes my understanding is the fire wire is expensive and only sold in bulk .Is there a place that sells smaller quantity?

I just want to clarify because the how to never said if thier were certain wired sensors I could not use.Are there?I know no resistors are needed.

 

[carry15+1]

I have 4 speakers installed, one upstairs, one down, one in the attached garage and one in the detached shop. I used the Elk 73's. Very inexpensive, sound fine and can be painted or wallpapered over.

The chime feature of the M1G can be a simple chime, voice messages, both or neither. So you can set a rule that turns off the chime automatically every evening and turns it back on in the morning.

I have a remote temp. sensor and a couple rules that keep track of outside high and low temperature. Every hour if the outside temp. is a new high it announces it. Some doors, like the lower level french door to the patio, announce every time they are opened or closed. If a vehicle enters the drive, it is verbally announced and the chime runs for 10 seconds. There are lots of things that an audible message can be used for.

Here's 1,000 feet of smoke wire for about $70 delivered. I have not bought from this seller before, just showing what appears to be a reasonable price on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

"I just want to clarify because the how to never said if thier were certain wired sensors I could not use.Are there?I know no resistors are needed."

For 2-wire smokes (not my choice) you need to only use the brands and models listed by Elk. With 4-wire smokes you can use any of them that run on 12 vdc (I like System Sensor). For a "proper" installation you should also use a supervisory relay at the end of the line AND you should use an end-of-line (EOL) resistor. Both of these items provide some supervision of your installation. True, the M1G will allow you to install without EOL resistors and you can install without the supervision relay. The whole idea of a security system is security - and while you can cut corners, it kind of defeats the purpose you had for putting the system in in the first place.

 

[bearfan]

Thanks for taking the time to explain all of this.Now end of the line resistors has me confused.Where is the end of the line?At the box?Or is it at the sensor itself?Also is end of line every zone at the end of every zone?

All sensor wiring goes back to home run right?I am rereading the how to also.

 

[carry15+1]

The end of the line is at the last sensor. I prefer a single sensor per zone, but there are times when I'll put two sensors on a zone (i.e. two panels of a single window). The purpose of the EOL resistor is to monitor the integrity of the zone wires. If you use 4c cable, and connect a non-powered sensor like a window contact, then you could continue the end of the line back to the box and put the resistors there. (I'm sure that sounds confusing). Draw a sketch of two wires going to a n/c sensor, then add 2 wires coming back to the panel, also connected to the same n/c contacts. Add the EOL resistor across the pair of wires that came back to the panel. Now, you have used all 4 wires of your 4c cable, and the EOL is at the cabinet, and the system monitors all wires.

If you're going to use EOL resistors, it's best to locate them at the furthest sensor on the zone wires, and save the 2 spare wires for spares (IMHO).

Without an EOL resistor, the panel would not be able to detect a short in the cable and you would never know that a sensor was disabled. If you decide against EOL resistors you should make it a habit to verify system operation with frequent walk tests - something Elk recommends anyway.

Yes, all wires go home. You could loop a single 4c cable all around your house and put all the detectors on a single zone, but it would be a nightmare to trouble shoot and you would have no way of telling during an alarm what device initiated the alarm.

 

[bearfan]

Okay I get exactley what you are saying about running back the 2 wires.I understand why the resistor is there also.

(bear with me I want to get this clear in my head)

Here is my question since I did not get this out of the how to.A pair of wires comes from home run to first sensor in zone.One wire hooks to one side of sensor and the other continues on to other one?And so on until last sensor in that zone is reached then you put the resistor in the circuit before it goes back to home run?I hope thats right.If I can look at a diagram I can figure it out.

What I initially thought is that every sensor pair went back to home run but that would not work.

The fire detectors have to be special huh?I can't use the electricians huh?

If thats the case I may ask him if I can buy them and he use special ones.

Once I get the picture of this it should be no problem.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

The end of the line is at the last sensor. I prefer a single sensor per zone, but there are times when I'll put two sensors on a zone (i.e. two panels of a single window). The purpose of the EOL resistor is to monitor the integrity of the zone wires. If you use 4c cable, and connect a non-powered sensor like a window contact, then you could continue the end of the line back to the box and put the resistors there. (I'm sure that sounds confusing). Draw a sketch of two wires going to a n/c sensor, then add 2 wires coming back to the panel, also connected to the same n/c contacts. Add the EOL resistor across the pair of wires that came back to the panel. Now, you have used all 4 wires of your 4c cable, and the EOL is at the cabinet, and the system monitors all wires.

If you're going to use EOL resistors, it's best to locate them at the furthest sensor on the zone wires, and save the 2 spare wires for spares (IMHO).

Without an EOL resistor, the panel would not be able to detect a short in the cable and you would never know that a sensor was disabled. If you decide against EOL resistors you should make it a habit to verify system operation with frequent walk tests - something Elk recommends anyway.

Yes, all wires go home. You could loop a single 4c cable all around your house and put all the detectors on a single zone, but it would be a nightmare to trouble shoot and you would have no way of telling during an alarm what device initiated the alarm.

I guess I'm not really following this either. Are you saying to use four wires for each zone just so you can place the EOL resistor in the security box?

This sounds pretty extreme for a home security system.

 

[bearfan]

Bravesir,could you explain a little more.I found the how to did not cover every aspect for me.Thanks

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Bravesir,could you explain a little more.I found the how to did not cover every aspect for me.Thanks

I'm not sure what you are asking. I was wanting a little more clarification on carry15+1's methodology on the four wires to a sensor (I'm a little slow sometimes).

What do you need help with!