Newbie and New system

[SnowBandit]

Well I am in the process of wiring my parents house for security/automation. I am looking for a good glass break sensors and motion sensors for the system. I am pretty sure I am going to go with the M1Gold. Right now I am wiring all the doors with Cat5(have a ton of it that I bought) and not wiring the windows as they are Marvin and you can not drill them at all or it will void the warranty. They live right across the street from the ocean so keeping the warranty is key. So I like to have good setup of glass break and motion detection. Now the area is not high crime so its just for piece of mind more than anything, with some automation too. What do you guys recommend for sensors and where would you place them up high? Thanks for the help


SB

 

[rfdesq]

I have used Sentrol glass breaks for many years and have had good luck. The glass breaks need to be placed within 25' of the glass. As far as motion sensors I use Optex and Bosch. I use combination PIR/Microwave detectors.

 

[HomeVista]

Hi,

You can use some module of X10 such as GB10A for glass break sensor and EagleEye Motion sensor.

 

[Spanky]

Welcome Snowbandit,
If you are doing security, stick with the professional equipment available from the security and automation distributors.

There are miniature surface mount wired switches for non drill windows or you can use wireless RF.

Be careful if you are using solid, CAT 5 wire. A nick in the wire from stripping can cause the wire to break. Stranded wire is better. Most installers use two conductor, jacketed, 22 ga., stranded wire for door/window switches.

 

[acdcelectric]

I have been using the "Bravo" combination glass break and PRT sensors mounted on the ceiling. They are available from Automated outlet.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Be careful if you are using solid, CAT 5 wire. A nick in the wire from stripping can cause the wire to break. Stranded wire is better. Most installers use two conductor, jacketed, 22 ga., stranded wire for door/window switches.

This is very good advice provided by Spanky. My home was prewired for security and they used solid wire. I had all kinds of problems with shorts and opens.

In my friend's house we used two conductor and four conductor 22 gauge stranded Belden wire. The jacket colors were different which helped sort the wiring in the closet. We did not have one single problem with any wire run (and their were plenty ).

 

[brotsten]

This is very good advice provided by Spanky. My home was prewired for security and they used solid wire. I had all kinds of problems with shorts and opens.

In my friend's house we used two conductor and four conductor 22 gauge stranded Belden wire. The jacket colors were different which helped sort the wiring in the closet. We did not have one single problem with any wire run (and their were plenty ).

I'll bet a lot of that has to do with your being careful while pulling your wires.

Brian

 

[AutomatedOutlet]

You can use some module of X10 such as GB10A for glass break sensor

I agree with Spanky - I would keep away from this. In addition, these were discontinued a few years ago and would be pretty hard to find....

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

This is very good advice provided by Spanky. My home was prewired for security and they used solid wire. I had all kinds of problems with shorts and opens.

In my friend's house we used two conductor and four conductor 22 gauge stranded Belden wire. The jacket colors were different which helped sort the wiring in the closet. We did not have one single problem with any wire run (and their were plenty ).

I'll bet a lot of that has to do with your being careful while pulling your wires.

Brian

Oh yes, don't get me wrong, that did have a lot to do with it. I was just emphasizing that stranded is more "forgiving" will not "break" on a simple knick while taking insulation off, and is more flexible.

 

[Steve]

I have used both, mostly solid as thats what most of the houses are prewired with. But I ran some new lines with starnded to compare and will probably use stranded on any new wiring I do. The solid does have tendency to kink or nick easier, but its not all that bad either if careful.

 

[rfdesq]

After 32 years of running solid wire without a problem, maybe it's time to run stranded in my old age .

 

[SnowBandit]

Most of the house is wired already, with solid cable... So I don't think I will pull it all out. But I am going to test every single run before they close up the walls. I have about 5000 feet of cat5e in the house now(networking, phones, security)... All lines will be tested any that don't pass will be replaced.

Thanks for the info on glass breaks.