New Wireless System - Confused on what we need

RentDayBlues

Hi - we have a Visonic motion sensor wireless alarm in place at the moment. We made the mistake of listening to the salesperson and not actually thinking about what we needed when we moved in back in 2011

Anyway, long story short - the system is now acting up and its getting impossible to find a company to service it and we realise it's not fit for purpose

We think the HKC Quantam Wireless is the best option and I've taken a look online for quotes - struggling to get a company to actually come out to take a look.

Basically I want to actually know what I'm talking about so can I get some advice.

- Current system is completely motion sensors, so no contact sensors on any downstairs doors or windows, but 2 upstairs on the windows backing onto flat roof.
- It's a GSM monitored alarm that we pay a fair amount to the current company for , they include a service but as of yesterday they can't fix the current issue

So I am thinking
- Contact shock sensors on 2 main entry doors
- Contact sensors on 2 main opening windows downstairs
- Contact sensors on 2 main windows upstairs
- Motion sensor for landing (faces fixed window onto flat roof)
- Motion sensor for another downstairs door and fixed window

We have a large amount of glass front and back - mostly unopening, currently covered by motion sensors but I'm assuming we don't need this is we have contact sensors on the opening ones?

My main question is around the GSM Dialer - prices seem to vary hugely without much information as to why - but excuse my ignorance but we do need this for monitoring?

kub

RentDayBlues wrote: »

Hi - we have a Visonic motion sensor wireless alarm in place at the moment. We made the mistake of listening to the salesperson and not actually thinking about what we needed when we moved in back in 2011

Anyway, long story short - the system is now acting up and its getting impossible to find a company to service it and we realise it's not fit for purpose

We think the HKC Quantam Wireless is the best option and I've taken a look online for quotes - struggling to get a company to actually come out to take a look.

Basically I want to actually know what I'm talking about so can I get some advice.

- Current system is completely motion sensors, so no contact sensors on any downstairs doors or windows, but 2 upstairs on the windows backing onto flat roof.
- It's a GSM monitored alarm that we pay a fair amount to the current company for , they include a service but as of yesterday they can't fix the current issue

So I am thinking
- Contact shock sensors on 2 main entry doors
- Contact sensors on 2 main opening windows downstairs
- Contact sensors on 2 main windows upstairs
- Motion sensor for landing (faces fixed window onto flat roof)
- Motion sensor for another downstairs door and fixed window

We have a large amount of glass front and back - mostly unopening, currently covered by motion sensors but I'm assuming we don't need this is we have contact sensors on the opening ones?

My main question is around the GSM Dialer - prices seem to vary hugely without much information as to why - but excuse my ignorance but we do need this for monitoring?

Visionic......sorry but you are not at all alone there.
Sales people are only interested in selling and they sell, but sometimes what they sell is not quite what the buyer was expecting.


The Quantum is an excellent choice and from a reputable manufacturer and you will have no issues going forward in getting a company to service it.


I just want to ensure that your terminology is correct so I will list out as below what we refer to each detector and what it does:


Passive Infrared Beam / Beam / Lazer / Sensor / White thingy in the corner with a fashing light :


This is a Passive Infrared Beam which detects motion within its field of coverage.


Contact / Reed Switch / thingy on the window or door.


A Contact Reed Switch is a unit which solely detects the opening only of a window or door.


Inertia Shock Sensor / Shock Sensor / Vibration Sensor / that box thingy next to the contact.


An Inertia Shock Sensor is a unit usually fitted to vulnerable windows and doors and it detects vibrations and pulses applied to the structure on which it is fitted.


A Reed Inertia Shock Sensor is a 2 in 1 unit, meaning that it has an Inertia Shock Sensor and a Contact Reed Switch within the one unit.


I would treat your upstairs windows that are next to the flat roof as downstairs ones as they are as vulnerable and specify the Reed Inertia Shock Sensors to those.


Glass can be smashed so I would specify Inertia Shock Sensors to those.


If you can get your permieter windows covered, it will mean that the alarm will activate before an intruder gains access to your home and it also means that you can switch the alarm on, while at home and be able to move around within the house.


In order to get your system monitored, it has to have some conduit to the outside world.
With the advancements of broadband, traditional anologue type phone lines are being phased out by telecom companies.
It is farcical and a false economy connecting alarm systems to domestic routers for monitoring as these routers fail in the event of power cuts etc, but because the Intruder system has battery back up, then it can continue to function in this eventuality.
If there is a GSM unit connected to the system and powered from same, then it will continue to function as well, so your system will not in anyway be compromised.

lomb

Gsm can be easily blocked. Router can be connected to a PC backup psu to power it through a power cut. . Vanderbilt 4320 seems to be a great option with Ip polling and good wireless sensors. Gsm as a backup is a good idea.

RentDayBlues

Thank you all for the advice - Have a much better idea of what we need now and will get it sorted next week

kub

lomb wrote: »

Gsm can be easily blocked. Router can be connected to a PC backup psu to power it through a power cut. . Vanderbilt 4320 seems to be a great option with Ip polling and good wireless sensors. Gsm as a backup is a good idea.

What if the hub in the neighbourhood is also without power, will that PSU keep that on line as well ?

Yes GSM's can indeed be blocked and if the appropriate risk assessment has been carried out and if that threat is valid then there is the option of the reliable radio communicators.

Let's not please go down the road of a system having an ability to ping and a system having an ability to actually report an activation.

I know what is the most important there.

2011

lomb wrote: »

Vanderbilt 4320 seems to be a great option with Ip polling and good wireless sensors.

I am open to correction, but my understanding was that Vanderbilt do not make any wireless sensors. However third party wireless sensors can be connected to it via a quick bridge or similar.

kub

2011 wrote: »

I am open to correction, but my understanding was that Vanderbilt do not make any wireless sensors. However third party wireless sensors can be connected to it via a quick bridge or similar.

That ic correct they do not indeed, obviously HKC tick all the boxes there because the 3rd party range with Vanderbilt is limited.