I am ripping out an old GE alarm system and putting in my Elk M1 Gold system. The old system had tons, and I mean tons of wired contacts, from windows, to motions to fire, co2, etc. All the wires terminate into a closet and I have painstakenly traced them back to their source. I am trying to hook these wires up into my M1 however it is a total mess because some wires are longer, shorter, thicker, thiner, etc. Is there a way I can put all these wires into some sort of terminal block, then wire the block into the M1 to clean up the install?
Ways to Cleanup My Wiring
- Thread starter dsabot
- Start date
Photon
Active Member
I am in the process of installing a security sytem in our new home, and it will be based on the Elk M1G. I am terminating each of my sensor-wire runs onto 66-blocks. As I make changes to my system panel layout or add expansion cards, I will not have to disturb the sensor wiring.
66-blocks are designed for solid, not stranded wire, and 18-26 AWG. (Siemon S66M1-50 spec)
Example: https://www.tselectronic.com/premise_wire/6...8430274b1c0c81c
Since you are replacing a GE installation, you might want to check the sensors and switches to see if the original installer used EOL resistors. If you use EOLs on your Elk, it expects to see 2200 ohms.
66-blocks are designed for solid, not stranded wire, and 18-26 AWG. (Siemon S66M1-50 spec)
Example: https://www.tselectronic.com/premise_wire/6...8430274b1c0c81c
Since you are replacing a GE installation, you might want to check the sensors and switches to see if the original installer used EOL resistors. If you use EOLs on your Elk, it expects to see 2200 ohms.
Sandpiper
Active Member
I am not a fan of placing extra terminations in the circuit to "clean it up". This adds an extra complexity and triples the chance of a bad connection. In my opinion, the best way to clean it up is to plan your wire routing and then tie-wrap them. What I do a lot is to place a loose tie wrap in the panel at strategic locations and run the wires through them. When complete with the wiring, draw them up tight. Always leave a little extra length on each lead for future changes. This can be accomplished by good routing or by pushing the extra back into the wall.
In summary, tie wrap it.
I agree with not wanting to add extra terminations, but the previous install is sloppy at best. I have everything from cat5 to phone wire, to alarm wire running to this box and the wires are either just long enough to reach the box, super long, taped together with scotch tape, etc. My hope was to use some b connectors and extend all the wires to make them uniform, but the "junk" back in the wall, and either run my new wires into my panel, or use a 66 block, etc.
Steve
Senior Member
In general I agree with Sandpiper, especially with high speed connection such as ethernet, etc. However, when you have a mess such as you describe, an intermediate termination can really help clean things up and it only adds 1 extra point and all in one spot, so it is fine imho. Especially when you have wires that are too short and you have to start putting splices, etc. If you don't want to put an extra block, I would at least use thin Panduit (wire track) to hide the mess. If you decide on the block, you can use 66 or 110 blocks, terminal strip, european strips or industrial DIN rail blocks. Keep in mind that all the zone negatives are common, so if you use a termial block of some sort, you can tie all the negs together and run less wire.
66 Blocks have been around forever. The telephone company has been using for a super long time and I have seen some of the craziest looking telco guys working around them and treating them SO poorly. It's really hard to screw up a connection on a 66 block unless you really try. Of course nothing is perfect but I think the cleanliness you will get with your setup will far outweigh connections coming lose. I don't think those connections will come lose on their own and if you do have a problem it might be easier to debug the situation on the block and with a meter. If it is truly a mess I would punch down and jumper off to your system. Just my 2 cents. If you don't go that way I want change 
Neil
Neil
I'm not sure I follow this but in my experience Cat5 panels are cumbersome and more prone to failure. I would go with the 66 block...
That's 4 cents now
Neil
upstatemike
Senior Member
Cat5 panels make it harder to break out individual pairs for different tasks. 66Blocks are a lot easier to work with.
programmergeek
Active Member
I don't have a answer but just to warn you if you have a fire wire (red) it is suppose to not be cut it ruins the fire resistance of the wire by code it has to be non spliced in most cases. Also if you put in keypads espically the ip type that use cat 5 these can not be spliced in a 66 block. Computer network cables do not work spliced unless you use the correct splicer and then it cuts the range down alot. Just 2 things to watch out for the regular 2 wire and 4 wire you should be fine.
Photon
Active Member
I used Siemon S66M1-50 66-blocks, which are rated Cat5e, at my last house for my phone system. I eventually repurposed a couple of these lines for PC use, and they communicated consistently on my LAN at 100 MBS. I wouldn't intentionally terminate network wiring on 66-blocks if I could use 110 blocks or 110-style patch panels, but neither would I say it can't be done.
upstatemike
Senior Member
You can get 66M blocks that are rated for CAT5.
Fire wire can be spliced within a metal box.
