Upgrading old DCS to Elk system - some questions

[theedudenator]

The new Elk panel will be in the basement, the old DCS is in the upstairs bedroom.
 
I was able to pull down and mark all the wiring to the basement.  The wiring is not long enough will need to extend it.
The DCS keypads were all 4 wire, so this should be an easy Elk swap.
 
I was thinking of putting the ELK databus hub remotly to where the existing 4 wire runs are located.
I would then have a single wire back to the new Elk panel.
Do they make a box to hold the database connector?  I am not seeing one.
 
Since I am installing this in the basement, I am not sure the best spot to put the wireless module it?
Is there a typical spot?
 
It seems the existing fire alarm is 2 wire?  Or maybe what I am seeing is the siren are two wire and there is a smoke sensor somewhere else?
 

 

[RAL]

You could mount the data bus hub in a metal pull box similar to this one.
 
The wireless module usually works best when it is located in a high spot, such as a 1st floor or second floor closet.  I mounted mine inside a closet above the door where it is pretty much invisible.  Avoid mounting it in the attic, where it can get too hot or cold.  It also should be mounted some distance away from the M1 panel, say at least a few feet, to avoid interfering with the panel.
 
You should be able to tell whether a wire is for the smoke detectors or a siren by checking which terminals it is wired to.  A siren would get connected to the Bell terminals.  I believe a 2-wire smoke would be wired to +AUX and PGM2 on the DSC panels.
 
If you do have 2-wire smoke detectors, you will need to check whether they are a model that is compatible with the M1.  If not, you will need to replace them with a model that is compatible.  See the list on Page 6 of the M1 manual.  Also note that the M1 uses different end-of-line resistors than the DSC (for both smokes and contacts).

 

[theedudenator]

So I just get a standard electrical junction box.
I will probably get a plastic one.
 
There were no end of line resistors on my sensors (at the panel)
The resistor could be on the end of the sensor?
I can use my ohm meter to determine resistance?  And then compensate at the ELK panel?
 
When I ran my Elk panel at my old house, I had the resistors at the panel.

 

[RAL]

Properly installed end of line resistors belong at the contact or sensor.   You can use an ohm meter to check for them by disconnecting the wires from the panel and measuring the resistance.  A regular contact on a DSC panel would have a 5600 ohm resistor.  A smoke would have a 2200 ohm resistor.
 
Often, EOLRs aren't installed in a residential system (except for the smokes).  But if they are, there really isn't a way you can compensate for the wrong value when converting to the M1.  In that case, the only solution I can see is to remove the old EOLRs (and replace them with the correct value, if you still want to have EOLRs).  The M1 uses 2200 ohms for contacts and 820 ohms for 2-wire smokes.

 

[theedudenator]

I just checked a few random door contacts.
They are showing 5500 on my meter.
 
So I cannot use my existing sensors? 
That is really going to complicate things.
I have lots of windows with magnet contacts flush in the frames.

 

[theedudenator]

I pulled the door contact from the door jam.
There is a resistor there.
So I just need to change this for the 2200 for the elk.
Not a huge deal.
 
Our windows are pinned shut and do not open.
Not sure it is worth adding "window" open contacts.
I will have plenty of motion detectors in the house, and I have some wireless glass break I plan on adding.

 

[theedudenator]

I pulled a smoke alarm down.
Maybe this is a 4 wire.
 
I have 4 smoke alarms and 3 sets of double wire.
Maybe 2 are daisy chained for sense and 1 set of wire is daisy chained to all four for power?
 
This is the model that I have.
 
https://www.systemsensor.com/en-us/Documents/2100AT_Manual_I56-1145.pdf

 

[RAL]

I pulled a smoke alarm down.
Maybe this is a 4 wire.
 
I have 4 smoke alarms and 3 sets of double wire.
Maybe 2 are daisy chained for sense and 1 set of wire is daisy chained to all four for power?
 
This is the model that I have.
 
https://www.systemsensor.com/en-us/Documents/2100AT_Manual_I56-1145.pdf

 
 
The 2100AT is a 2-wire smoke detector.   With 2-wire smokes, the power is provided over the same two wires that are used to signal an alarm condition.   When you have more than one smoke detector, they are daisy chained, so you would see two two wire cables at all but the last smoke - one cable coming in from the panel or previous smoke in the chain, and one going out to the next one in the chain.
 
Check to see what the third cable is connected to.  Perhaps the A+ and A- terminals, if you have an remote annunciator (sounder).
 
It's also possible that the installer didn't wire them in a proper daisy chain and the third cable goes to another one of your smoke detectors.

 

[RAL]

Our windows are pinned shut and do not open.
Not sure it is worth adding "window" open contacts.
I will have plenty of motion detectors in the house, and I have some wireless glass break I plan on adding.

 
 
Yeah, if the windows are pinned shut, it may not be worth the trouble to rewire the contacts.  Glassbreaks would be a good addition to provide alternate coverage.

 

[Del91574]

You could mount the data bus hub in a metal pull box similar to this one.

Data bus hub (retrofit, since this is going from DSC conventional to Elk) is supposed to be installed in close proximity to the panel itself (same enclosure). PG 13 of the install manual, 4th line. Also put in BOLD text in documentation.

 

[RAL]

Data bus hub (retrofit, since this is going from DSC conventional to Elk) is supposed to be installed in close proximity to the panel itself (same enclosure). PG 13 of the install manual, 4th line. Also put in BOLD text in documentation.

 
You're right DEL. I'd overlooked that the retrofit hub needs to be close to the M1.  Thanks for the correction.