Thanks to everyone who offered advice... Here is my old m1 in our new home.

[mikefromgeorgia]

This used to be a 15 year old brinks system.  Thankfully it was wired by the builder.  I also got the isy and alarm.com thermostats up and running... Yet to install the yale zwave locks or any zwave switches.   I intended for the ISY to go in the can, but UD reminded me of the whole faraday cage thing.  Does anyone know a way around that?  Maybe a zwave outlet right by the box?
 
 
 
 
 

 

[drvnbysound]

Curious... what's in the white box under the M1G panel?

 

[mikefromgeorgia]

Each room's windows were grouped with b connectors at the panel.  

 

[drvnbysound]

Each room's windows were grouped with b connectors at the panel.  

 
Gotcha.
 
Is that an XIN at the top left? If so, is there a specific reason that you chose to group them?
 
Personally, if I have the inputs available, I like having the granularity to know exactly what window is in an alarm state... just so I don't have to bother checking ones that aren't an issue. Or further running down wiring issues if a rodent (or other) happened to get to a wire...

 

[mikefromgeorgia]

It is.  The main reason I thought to leave it like that is that it covers 23 windows and I was thinking it would push me into another expander.  I want it done right though... Should I order another xin?  

 

[drvnbysound]

I'd say that's an area where there technically isn't a right or wrong. That's just up to the amount of granularity that you want with your system. The way you have it is fine too. This is where personal preference comes in

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

This was wired by the 'builder'?  I must say, I'm impressed that you were able to get the builder to wire it and the quality of the work.

 

[drvnbysound]

BSR, I took that to mean that the sensors were hardwired... by the builder (likely sub-contracted). 

 

[mikefromgeorgia]

The house is 18 years old.  By "builder" I mean that every door and window had wires run to it before the random brinks guy showed up.
 
If there isn't anything horrible about what I did with keeping the windows grouped, I will leave it.  The grouping is pretty logical, by room other than the basement which is 9 windows on one run.  That way I won't need another expander and can use the remaining for glass breaks, motions and water sensors.
 
Anyone know about the ISY inside a box issue?

 

[pete_c]

Yeah here the GC subcontracted an alarm company to LV wire up a new house build.  The alarm company left their stickers / telephone next to where they wanted the panel to be.  I did request that the alarm closet be moved to a more central location in the house prior to them wiring.  Here they wired all a la carte.   I did call the alarm company for a quote post build requesting some bells and whistles.  Then DIY'd my OmniPro 2 panel for about 30% of the quote stated.
 
I looped (grouped) a few sliding glass doors here at the panel.

 

[cyberk]

Curious... what's in the white box under the M1G panel?

 
Probably the M1XEP

 

[drvnbysound]

KLC,
 
The XEP is at top right installed on SWG's; you can see the serial and Ethernet connections in the picture. The OP responded, stating "each room's windows were grouped with b connectors at the panel".