House Alarms

cubix

I am sure this has been covered but as you know the search facility is on hold at the moment and boards is too slow to go through all the threads. Like a lot of people the pvc windows on the house are external glazed meaning the boys can just pull out the glass. ITs a newish house which is pre wired but I want to put in a couple of pir's because of the glass reason. Can anyone recommend any brands/models of alarms to look out for or particular functions. I know you can get ones where you can programe them to ring a particular number, is there anything else I should look out for?. Because its a new house and all utilitys are accessable on the side of the house if the boys decide to cut the phone cable does it automatically kick off the alarm.

Cheers

Lex Luthor

cubix wrote:

I am sure this has been covered but as you know the search facility is on hold at the moment and boards is too slow to go through all the threads. Like a lot of people the pvc windows on the house are external glazed meaning the boys can just pull out the glass. ITs a newish house which is pre wired but I want to put in a couple of pir's because of the glass reason. Can anyone recommend any brands/models of alarms to look out for or particular functions. I know you can get ones where you can programe them to ring a particular number, is there anything else I should look out for?. Because its a new house and all utilitys are accessable on the side of the house if the boys decide to cut the phone cable does it automatically kick off the alarm.

Cheers

Cubix, I've used an Aritech CS350 in the last 2 houses and have had no issues with them. Its a 6 zone unit and has a phone dialer, but only for land lines.

The phone dialer is an output, so if the phone line is cut, it doesn't affect the operation of the alarm. If the alarm goes off, it just means the call won't get through. I don't think scum bags think that way anyway when they're breakin in...phone lines last on their mind.

Most alarms will do more or less the same functions, some are just better than others.
I've spoken to a guy in work who installed a HKC alarm recently and he chose it over the Aritech because it was easier to program. TBH, I've not found the Aritech difficult to program, just time consuming but its fairly straight forward.

Any other advice, I know there are other guys in here that we can put you in the right direction.

davelerave

i don't do much with alarms apart from prewiring them for customers.afaik the line is monitored so the monitoring company will callout if the line is cut alternatively there are gsm diallers cost approx 400 euro .eircom bring their cable straight through the etu(outside box) into the ntu(the main eircom point in the hall) and put a blank cover on the etu outside.you could make it harder for the burglar by re-enforcing this cover i suppose. but its prob not allowed

beller b

WRT line monitoring you can pay the monitoring station an extra fee to monitor your line, but all it does is this.The alarm sends trough a test call every day at a certain time. it that test call is missing they notify your alarm company.(not much good if a scumbag is halfway in your window)
To get around them taking the glass out is fairly simple.The only place they are going to try this is a back or side window downstairs. On these windows place a contact beside the panes of glass with the magnet glued onto the glass itself. The alarm will then see the glass being removed the same as it would the window opening.

Lex Luthor

beller b wrote:

On these windows place a contact beside the panes of glass with the magnet glued onto the glass itself. The alarm will then see the glass being removed the same as it would the window opening.

Thats a great idea bellerb....well worth looking into. I put a shock on the frame on these windows as an added precaution, but that idea is one I've not heard of before....TOP TIP

Borzoi

Lex Luthor wrote:

I've spoken to a guy in work who installed a HKC alarm recently and he chose it over the Aritech because it was easier to program. TBH, I've not found the Aritech difficult to program, just time consuming but its fairly straight forward..

I went HKC as well, mainly because it was easier for me to get the parts. Quite easy set up all right. HKC use a base 8 zone panel, which can be upgrade with an add on board for either four more zones or a dialler if required.

The dialler I have can either call a monitoring centre, or as I have it set up, text my mobile. Actually the SMS gives details of zone opne, and then when alarm is reset, says who reset it (Individual alarm codes see!)

All the PIR sensors seem to be roughly the same and most boards can take em.

beller b

All the sensors are the same as well (with the exception of Astec).8 Zones are more or less the standard now. The CS350 had 6 but the new CS250 also has 8,expandable to 24 (wired or wirelessly)

cubix

Thanks for the advice lads,where is the best place to start looking for prices for these two makes.Beller B I will probably go the pir route regarding the glass as one of the lads in the estate had his front window done which is made up of 5/6 panes. I was amazed at how cheeky they are getting.Mainly the alarm is to give confort at night when everybody is asleep,not nice to be woken by someone univited in your house.

Cubix

Lex Luthor

cubix wrote:

Thanks for the advice lads,where is the best place to start looking for prices for these two makes.Beller B I will probably go the pir route regarding the glass as one of the lads in the estate had his front window done which is made up of 5/6 panes. I was amazed at how cheeky they are getting.Mainly the alarm is to give confort at night when everybody is asleep,not nice to be woken by someone univited in your house.

Cubix

Cubix, just one thing if you go down the route of specifically PIR detection with no perimeter detection.
How do you plan to walk around the house with the alarm on without breaking the beams? You'll have to put a keypad in your bedroom and switch off every time you want to move about.
When I part guard my house at night, all the perimeter sensors are active and the PIR's are off which enables me to move about freely.
Keep that in mind....PIR's are good if the perimter sensors fail, but I would prefer to have perimeter rather than PIR.

delly

In relation to the windows being taken out, is there any way to check if your windows are the type that come out easily, or is it more less standard for all modern houses to have the non secure type?

I'm in a postion where i have an astec alarm already hooked up from when i moved in. I have added extra locks to the rear PVC windows and also have 2 PIR's in the hall and landing. The main back window itself has 6 pains so adding contacts to each one would be pretty messy i think. I presume the only option after that would be to change the window type.

dools

We got a HKC installed as well about 6 weeks ago which texts us when the alarm goes off. We got a PIR in the kitchen which covers the kitchen and dining room. PM me if you want the installer's details.....

cubix

Lex by perimeter I presume you mean the senors on the windows?. Yeah as you say a bit of a pain with pir's. Do pirs give any time delay like contact senors ie:when you break the contact sensor opening your front door it gives you X amount of time to disarm the alarm. Is there any type of slimline pir which you could put above your window looking down only so to set it off you would have to reach into the window frame as if you were opening it.
Dools would appreciat a pm with a contact no and a price if yours is a standard prewired 3bed. Probably another can of worms but what do you guys think of the higher end wireless jobbies, are they not as good/too much hassle with battery life.

Cubix

Lex Luthor

cubix wrote:

Lex by perimeter I presume you mean the senors on the windows?. Yeah as you say a bit of a pain with pir's. Do pirs give any time delay like contact senors ie:when you break the contact sensor opening your front door it gives you X amount of time to disarm the alarm.Cubix

Cubix, its not the sensor that does this but the settings on the alarm that define the time delay.

On the Aritech CS350, the front door sensors zone on the alarm are set for Entry/Exit attribute and then you set the time delay separate.

You could do the same with the PIR's.

beller b

cubix wrote:

Lex by perimeter I presume you mean the senors on the windows?. Yeah as you say a bit of a pain with pir's. Do pirs give any time delay like contact senors ie:when you break the contact sensor opening your front door it gives you X amount of time to disarm the alarm. Is there any type of slimline pir which you could put above your window looking down only so to set it off you would have to reach into the window frame as if you were opening it.
Dools would appreciat a pm with a contact no and a price if yours is a standard prewired 3bed. Probably another can of worms but what do you guys think of the higher end wireless jobbies, are they not as good/too much hassle with battery life.

Cubix

Yes There are curtin PiR available that can look across a window. I have been using a lot of the wireless stuff lately, I find Aritech very reliable & they also have a "Quick Bridge" reciever that can be used with any system.

delly

beller b wrote:

Yes There are curtin PiR available that can look across a window. I have been using a lot of the wireless stuff lately, I find Aritech very reliable & they also have a "Quick Bridge" reciever that can be used with any system.

So would it be possible to add this 'quick bridge' device onto my astec alarm and then put a wirefree PIR in the kitchen?

beller b

Yes..A bit expensive for 1 PiR though.

cubix

Cheers

beller b

If you want any help with it give me a shout.

Beta2

Lex Luthor wrote:

Cubix, I've used an Aritech CS350 in the last 2 houses and have had no issues with them. Its a 6 zone unit and has a phone dialer, but only for land lines.

The phone dialer is an output, so if the phone line is cut, it doesn't affect the operation of the alarm. If the alarm goes off, it just means the call won't get through. I don't think scum bags think that way anyway when they're breakin in...phone lines last on their mind.

Lex Luthor,

Just a quick question are you saying that the cs350 has a buit in dialer? I have one of these models, and i'd hate to think i've had a dialer there all this time and not used it!!

sorry to hijack thread

B2

beller b

CS350 doesn't have a built in dialler.There is the td8812 that was designed for that range.The newer CS250 does have a dialler.

cubix

Instead of using a quick bridge and wireless pir Beller B I presume because the house is pre-wired I can just take a feed of the cable already at the window that is used for contacts to feed the curtain pir as well or can you have two type of sensors on one cable?. IF not do you think its a better idea to disconnect the cable feeding the window contacts and use it to feed the curtain pir. Also just wondering when you use a quick bridge and a wireless pir, where does the pir get its juice from (battiers)

Thanks

beller b

Cubix did you decide on what system you are going for.If you are fitting an Astec system you would have no problem adding a PiR onto the window cable, as all Astec devices only need one pair.Astec don,t do a curtin pir as such but if there is a six core or more at the window you could use a global one.(It can be done on 4 cores but its a little complicated.)
With the wireless the PiR s are powered by battery,but the life of them are brilliant. Once the PiR s are identified the led is switched off. I have installed systems 4 years ago & still havn't had to replace any batteries.

modbhcci

Can I jump in and ask ye about fitting a Scantronic 660 autodialler to an AritechCS450 and program the dialler with mobile phone numbers?

Is it something the DIYer could handle? The original installer is due to call soon and change the engineer code giving me control of the unit for the first time. I have the user manual, confidence, patience etc....

beller b

A very complicated way of doing it!

modbhcci

Someone at work fitted the 660 to their system (not a CS 450 I would say) and it was easy to install. Any suggestions for mine to achieve same result?

The Security ma

beller b wrote:

WRT line monitoring you can pay the monitoring station an extra fee to monitor your line, but all it does is this.The alarm sends trough a test call every day at a certain time. it that test call is missing they notify your alarm company.(not much good if a scumbag is halfway in your window)
To get around them taking the glass out is fairly simple.The only place they are going to try this is a back or side window downstairs. On these windows place a contact beside the panes of glass with the magnet glued onto the glass itself. The alarm will then see the glass being removed the same as it would the window opening.

Yeah, but if the glass gets CUT (does happen) no activation...

beller b

The glass being cut activates the inertia sensor!

stevie158

Is it possible/recommended to buy an Aritech alarm and self install? Would the "average diy'er" be up to the task?
What stockists are the best in the Dublin area?
Thanks

beller b

Depends on how well up you are..The aritech CS250 is fairly straight forward if you use basic wiring as opposed to dual resistors..
Plenty of good suppliers in Dublin..
Gardiner Security.. Ballymount
Reliable Security..Cian Park Druncondra
Phelan Security ...Richmond Road