Intruder alarm for older house

franksm

Hi folks

thinking about a wireless or hybrid intruder alarm system for my parents' house. It's a 1950's 3-bed detatched, and has no wiring at all for an alarm, that's why I'm thinking wireless.

I have heard that the latest 868MHz systems are pretty good/reliable; plus they seem to be more user-friendly (remote-control fobs like a car alarm; pendant panic-alarm buttons; etc). Additionally, some seem to be USB-enabled which means that they ought to be easier to configure & debug, rather than having to rely on a single-line LCD display on a keypad.

What do people think of wireless systems ? The specs seem to suggest that the batteries in the sensors last about 12 months, which I guess is fine. Sensors aren't cheap though (40STG for a door/window magnetic sensor, compared to 3 quid for a normal one for a wired system :rolleyes: )

Considering the Homelink 75 from Cooper/Menvier (good brand in wired alarms) or the Visonic Powermax (I don't know the brand but it seems to get great reviews), or a Europlex system (Irish company but I doubt they sell to the general public)

http://www.diy-alarms.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_22_68 (Homelink 75)
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezstore123/CUProductReviewList.asp?productID=1164 (Visonic Powermax)
http://www.europlex.ie/products_3GS.htm (Europlex)

Any ideas welcome !

Frank

PS. I'm pretty good with security stuff, so anyone that says "call a professional in" gets nil points I have a 4-cam CCTV system running from a PC and internet-enabled; have installed a Menvier TS690 wired alarm in my own house, pretty straightforward. What I'm not ofay with is running new cable: just would have no clue about how to do it neatly - s'why I'm thinking "wireless"

jamesbond

franksm wrote:

Hi folks

thinking about a wireless or hybrid intruder alarm system for my parents' house. It's a 1950's 3-bed detatched, and has no wiring at all for an alarm, that's why I'm thinking wireless.

I have heard that the latest 868MHz systems are pretty good/reliable; plus they seem to be more user-friendly (remote-control fobs like a car alarm; pendant panic-alarm buttons; etc). Additionally, some seem to be USB-enabled which means that they ought to be easier to configure & debug, rather than having to rely on a single-line LCD display on a keypad.

What do people think of wireless systems ? The specs seem to suggest that the batteries in the sensors last about 12 months, which I guess is fine. Sensors aren't cheap though (40STG for a door/window magnetic sensor, compared to 3 quid for a normal one for a wired system :rolleyes: )

Considering the Homelink 75 from Cooper/Menvier (good brand in wired alarms) or the Visonic Powermax (I don't know the brand but it seems to get great reviews), or a Europlex system (Irish company but I doubt they sell to the general public)

http://www.diy-alarms.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_22_68 (Homelink 75)
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezstore123/CUProductReviewList.asp?productID=1164 (Visonic Powermax)
http://www.europlex.ie/products_3GS.htm (Europlex)

Any ideas welcome !

Frank

PS. I'm pretty good with security stuff, so anyone that says "call a professional in" gets nil points I have a 4-cam CCTV system running from a PC and internet-enabled; have installed a Menvier TS690 wired alarm in my own house, pretty straightforward. What I'm not ofay with is running new cable: just would have no clue about how to do it neatly - s'why I'm thinking "wireless"

do europlex still exsist,powermax i wouldnt install this if you gave it to me for nothing,its a load of crap,
homelink is expensive for a diy job

Reyman

I just installed a HKC wired alarm and I'm very pleased with it . I investigated using a wireless alarm but I wasn't convinced the technology was quite right yet. I also didn't like the idea of lots of battery operated sensors needing new batteries all the time (my house has about 15 sensors of various types).

As for wiring the alarm - that's dead easy assuming you don't mind suface wiring. It's a better all round job I reckon

franksm

Yeah, I think I'm going to go wired - Menvier M800 with two keypads, PA buttons, perimeter protection only (Viper-GLX shock-sensors, standard magnetic sensors), no PIRs, and a GSM dialler if I can find one.

Think I'll just pay for a pro to run the wires as I don't think I'd be able to do it myself neatly. I'll connect everything up once the wires are in.

As for Euronex, yeah they're still going - seem to be quite popular in the UK as wireless goes.