Recommended settings for Garage door sensor

[Sendero]

I have the sensors installed and working great with my ELK. Even have the keypad button light up when one is open Only problem is that I'm not sure what type of definition to use on them. When doing testing I had them set as 'Burglar Entry Exit 2' but I'm not sure if that will work for me. Sometimes when returning home it'll take me a bit to actually come inside. I'd like to have the sensor not trip the alarm when in Away mode but to trip the alarm when in stay mode.

btw, I do have a sensor on the actual door from the garage into the house and have that one set for Entry/Exit 1.

How do others have their garage door sensors configured?

 

[rfdesq]

I'd like to have the sensor not trip the alarm when in Away mode but to trip the alarm when in stay mode.

You can bypass that zone in ELKRP:

Whenever the system or area X is armed away
Then bypass zone X

 

[wuench]

Why don't you just bump up the Entry/Exit 2 timer to give you enough time?

 

[Steve]

Personally mine is just a non alarm zone. I don't know of too many cases of someone trying to break into a garage door when there is plenty of glass and regular doors around.

I don't want to worry about the alarm when opening the door. Sometimes it takes the wife a few minutes to get kids out, or she goes to the mailbox, or whatever. The only solution then would be a keyfob to disarm from outside and for me, that is not an option as that gives someone the 'keys' to your house if lost or stolen.

 

[Sendero]

Why don't you just bump up the Entry/Exit 2 timer to give you enough time?

Sounds good to me but I couldn't find a reference to how to do that in the ELK Programming manual. I couldn't even determine what it was :lol: I know, I'm a newb

 

[WayneW]

The 2 entry/exit delays are set up under the "area".

 

[dbinaz]

I use the non-alarm as well. doesn't make sense to use anything else. What's enough time? 1m, 2m, 10m? u never know.

 

[Photon]

I am looking into systems other than Elk, but I have had the same concerns about the garage. I want the garage to be alarmed, but I don't think we want to rush into the foyer to disarm the system everytime we come home. Therefore, I think the answer is a remote fob. Like Steve, it seems a bit like leaving the place unsecured if you leave the fob in the car or lose it.

My current plan is to arm the entire system from the fob, but the disarm button will simply bypass the garage zone; the door into the house and everything else will stay armed. I'm still reading the DSC manuals, and it looks like DSC doesn't allow the user to bypass a zone after the system is armed. I'll have a relay shunt the alarm sensor contacts for the overhead doors if I can't find a more elegant way.

 

[politics123]

I'm setting up my garage and faced the same problem. (my garage also has a side entry door).

I'm trying to figure out if I can use different ALARM functionality if I setup the garage under a separate areaB. So, rest of house (including garage-to-mudroom door) is areaA, when ALARM call security company.

Garage door and side-entrance-to-garage door both set to areaB. When AreaB goes into ALARM state, don't call security company, but perform SECONDARY ALARM action (send email, turns on indicator lights, annunciates)

Goal: This would be the default behavior in Nite, Away, and Stay mode. In Vacation mode, areaB behavior would perform ALARM action and call securit company.

I think that gets around the "I want the garage armed all the time except when I don't" rules that we all have for garages. That way, if violated, it notifies you, but it isn't a huge deal.

 

[Sendero]

Yeah, I need to be able to arm my garage. I have both a storage area and teh entrance to a small wine cellar in the garage and I'd like to protect them both.

The idea of setting it up as AreaB and not having that call the monitoring company unless on Vacation mode is pretty tempting. Is that possible?