Water sensors - 2 or 4 wire...

[shenandoah75]

continuing from this thread:

http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=4736

GRI make both 4 wire (GRI 2600) and 2 wire (GRI 2800). I can grab the latter for $3.50 each from safemart... The others seem to be around double that most places (or higher)...

Is one approach better than the other - if we can use voltage from the zone itself off the elk and the device is cheaper, is there a reason I wouldn't want to?

BSR, back when you vistited the GRI display, did they go into differences?


thx
-brad

p.s. i plan on putting one per zone... (maybe 10 or so total)

 

[Digger]

continuing from this thread:

http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=4736

GRI make both 4 wire (GRI 2600) and 2 wire (GRI 2800). I can grab the latter for $3.50 each from safemart... The others seem to be around double that most places (or higher)...

Is one approach better than the other - if we can use voltage from the zone itself off the elk and the device is cheaper, is there a reason I wouldn't want to?

BSR, back when you vistited the GRI display, did they go into differences?


thx
-brad

p.s. i plan on putting one per zone... (maybe 10 or so total)

I use the 2 wires with the M1 and they work great. The new ones I bought from AO are 4 wires but I havent tied them in yet.

 

[opie]

I use the 2800 on the M1 also and they have worked fine. I don't use EOLRs when I use these to make sure there is enough power. They may work with an EOLR but I haven't tried it.

 

[Digger]

I use the 2800 on the M1 also and they have worked fine. I don't use EOLRs when I use these to make sure there is enough power. They may work with an EOLR but I haven't tried it.

I use EOLR's with mine. No problems. I have had a few times where the sensors have detected a leak and saved me from a lot of damage. I am adding more when time permits.

I think a home is more likely to suffer water damage than a fire but people are not as aware of the potentials of water damage.

 

[shenandoah75]

Have either of you checked the amperage draw (menu 8) on the elk when te sensors are in alarm mode?

GRI's website states 400-500mA max during alarm if i'm reading "switching current" or "alarm current" correctly. Don't understand why a water sensor would pull 10 times the standby current when smokes/PIRs do not. .5 would like put me over the elks capacity.

thx
-brad

 

[Digger]

Have either of you checked the amperage draw (menu 8) on the elk when te sensors are in alarm mode?

GRI's website states 400-500mA max during alarm if i'm reading "switching current" or "alarm current" correctly. Don't understand why a water sensor would pull 10 times the standby current when smokes/PIRs do not. .5 would like put me over the elks capacity.

thx
-brad

A 2 wire device would pull the max curent available on the zone since it is basically shorting the zone. I forget the current available on the zone but it is probablu more like 100 ma or so. The 4 wire gets teh power form the aux bus. so that is a different story.

Spanky can you advise the max zone current?

 

[opie]

Have either of you checked the amperage draw (menu 8) on the elk when te sensors are in alarm mode?

GRI's website states 400-500mA max during alarm if i'm reading "switching current" or "alarm current" correctly. Don't understand why a water sensor would pull 10 times the standby current when smokes/PIRs do not. .5 would like put me over the elks capacity.

thx
-brad

No, I haven't checked the current when in alarm but I have tested it with water and let the panel go into alarm with no reports of over current. However, I'm not using that much juice so that may be why.

 

[FrankMc]

Hi Guys

The 500mA Brad mentions i would suggest is the maximum switching current the water sensor relay can switch...The zone input on the elk i would imagine would only draw a few milli amps....

HTH
Frank