Window sensor question - can I daisychain a group?
- Thread starter jaydubb1
- Start date
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
Yes.
You hook the sensors up in series and use a single EOL resistor at the end of the loop.
You hook the sensors up in series and use a single EOL resistor at the end of the loop.
jaydubb1
Member
I actually hired a company to do my system for me, and they just did the final wiring.
Since I have over 30 windows in my home, it made sense to me to daisychain the rooms into "groups", and they told me that would be no problem.
Now the guy tells me it will only work if all are open, otherwise the sensor won't trip.
This really isn't sitting right with me, and I'm almost positive they simply wired it wrong.
What can I do at this point? The plaster is up, the paint is on, I'm completely moved in, and a lot of the windows are not accessible through an attic or the basement.
:angry2:
Since I have over 30 windows in my home, it made sense to me to daisychain the rooms into "groups", and they told me that would be no problem.
Now the guy tells me it will only work if all are open, otherwise the sensor won't trip.
This really isn't sitting right with me, and I'm almost positive they simply wired it wrong.
What can I do at this point? The plaster is up, the paint is on, I'm completely moved in, and a lot of the windows are not accessible through an attic or the basement.
:angry2:
tmbrown97
Senior Member
jaydubb - that doesn't make sense... if he really did wire it that way, he screwed up - that means he wired them in parallel rather than in series. Run them through a continuity tester and see if that's really how it works. If so, I'd honestly make him fix it - and I'd probably sue him if he didn't cover it.
To be perfectly honest, the fact that drywall is up isn't that big of a deal - he can open the drywall and fix it and have it re-rocked and textured/painted in 2 days or less. You'll cause way more heartburn trying to avoid cutting drywall than if you just cut it open and fix it afterwards.
To be perfectly honest, the fact that drywall is up isn't that big of a deal - he can open the drywall and fix it and have it re-rocked and textured/painted in 2 days or less. You'll cause way more heartburn trying to avoid cutting drywall than if you just cut it open and fix it afterwards.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
Hopefully he had one single junction for each group, then ran a pair of wires from that junction back to the panel. IF that is the case, he would only need access to that junction to rewire in series. The problem is 'where' is that junction?
If he did not use a single junction, then you would have to tear into more drywall most likely.
Was this person a licensed security installer?
If he did not use a single junction, then you would have to tear into more drywall most likely.
Was this person a licensed security installer?
tmbrown97
Senior Member
Ugh - that's just scary. My recommendation: Test it to see if they really did eff it up. If so, call 'em and demand they fix it, whatever that takes. With any luck it'll be a decent company that had an idiot tech they sent out, and they'll fix it - including the cost of the drywall.
now if you were dealing with this all on your own with no installer, I'd suggest a good tone/probe, and trace the wires - try to find the point where it's loudest, cut the wall open, and see what's there. Don't be scared of drywall! It's so easy to get drywall fixed/textured so you can't tell.. it's more important to get your components working correctly.
now if you were dealing with this all on your own with no installer, I'd suggest a good tone/probe, and trace the wires - try to find the point where it's loudest, cut the wall open, and see what's there. Don't be scared of drywall! It's so easy to get drywall fixed/textured so you can't tell.. it's more important to get your components working correctly.
jaydubb1
Member
Thanks for the replies everyone.
I do hope they are willing to step up and fix it, but since they didn't own up to the mistake as soon as it was realized I'm a bit hesitant to place my faith in that hope.
What's the easiest / best way to test this? I think it's pretty apparent that they were wired parallel rather than in series, but I think I need some kind of evidence to back up my claim other than the obvious "it doesn't work like it should".
I do hope they are willing to step up and fix it, but since they didn't own up to the mistake as soon as it was realized I'm a bit hesitant to place my faith in that hope.
What's the easiest / best way to test this? I think it's pretty apparent that they were wired parallel rather than in series, but I think I need some kind of evidence to back up my claim other than the obvious "it doesn't work like it should".
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
Well, if it takes all the windows to open in a group to detect trouble for that zone input into the panel, then that should be enough evidence that the zones are wired incorrectly.
Like I stated in my earlier post, you really need the person who originally wired your house up and hopefully they will know how they ganged the windows together, so you only have to tear up those drywall sections.
Honestly, I'm not sure how you would go about fixing this any other way.
Just for grins, if you look back at your panel, how many wired zones are there compared to the number of your groups? That is, did the installer run a single wire back to the panel from each group?
Like I stated in my earlier post, you really need the person who originally wired your house up and hopefully they will know how they ganged the windows together, so you only have to tear up those drywall sections.
Honestly, I'm not sure how you would go about fixing this any other way.
Just for grins, if you look back at your panel, how many wired zones are there compared to the number of your groups? That is, did the installer run a single wire back to the panel from each group?
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