Need Wiring Advice for Door Sensors

[automatedux]

I have the walls of the house open and security wire run to openings where new doors are going in.  
 
I am putting in a couple of wood french doors. They have thick headers above the door.  What is best practice for putting in the flush mount honeywell sensors?  Should I carve a wire path through the header and put a nail plate over it?
 
Any and all advice welcome! Thanks

 

[drvnbysound]

First I'll say that I don't have a long history (e.g. 20 years) of experience with residential security installations but I have wired a handful. In all the homes that I've done thus far, and typical construction is that the rough opening for the door is slightly larger (e.g. 1") than the door itself. With that additional spacing between the door casing and the header, I've always had sufficient clearance for flush mount sensors. YMMV.
 
Additionally, with French doors, I've typically only wired the primary door for a contact.

 

[pete_c]

Welcome to the Cocoontech forum automatedux.
 
Here for one new home construction an alarm company was used to wire up the home.  The front entrance is a double french door. 
 
The alarm company did wire up both doors here in the header of the doors. 
 
Both door do open but one side using sliding locks on the top and the bottom of the door. 
 
I terminated the two ends anyways and used flush mount sensors.  One door is really never opened.
 
Thinking here that the door header frame was made up of multiple pieces of hardwood and in between the wood was a space that went to the end of the door frame. 
 
As drvnbysound mentions you really only need one side configured/wired for a double french door.
 
Here too have some interior door wired up.  Really not needed I suppose. Guessing I did it because I could and it would just give me more sensors to wire up to get a bit more granular. 
 

 

[automatedux]

That's great advice, just what I was looking for, thank you guys.  The doors aren't in yet, but I was just staring at those headers wondering what I would do.  Good to know that there should be a space.  I am running 18/4 and was planning on using 2 of the wires for each door.  

 

[pete_c]

Yeah here used 22/4 and 22/2.  It is a bit thinner than 18/4 and easier to navigate with.

 

[wuench]

Agreed 18/4 is overkill, you will hate yourself come termination time on the panel end.

 

[automatedux]

I am new to it, and had no idea, in any case the wire is run, so no turning back.  
 
I have one double door with thick columns in addition to the header.  I've been looking for similar examples online and haven't found what the correct method would be.  

 

[pete_c]

There is a DIY wiring document here on Cocoontech last updated in 2010 called
 
Wiring your New House
 
Is all of the wiring already done in your new home? 
 
If not you could switch over to 22/4 and 22/2 if you wanted to.
 
As wuench mentions above you wouldn't really see any issues until you start to terminal.  Not a big deal really.  Wire is wire.  I did the similar with first panel installation. 
 
Here over the years started with 16 zones; then kept bringing up the numbers ...that said it works for me today just fine even though it is overwhelming looking somewhat ...

 

[automatedux]

Wiring is all in, its just the termination I am looking into.  Its just a couple of doors, no windows- they are up high and small or don't open.   
 
Thank you for this guide.  I will put my time in.  

 

[drvnbysound]

Can you provide a picture of the last door you mentioned with the columns?