Anyone installed a Konnected alarm system

Mad Benny · 11-06-2018 12:39pm #1

Anyone tried this? I have an old alarm that needs replacing.

https://konnected.io/

I've already told my insurance company that I don't have a functioning alarm. I understand that this solution isn't certified.

THE ALM · 11-06-2018 2:55pm

Been following this project to see how it is going with a view to getting it.

Currently have a wireless system in the house and would mean having to do some rewiring as house wasn't prewired for an alarm which is the main reason holding me back. House is a bungalow so not the worst for running wires just don't have the time at the minute. Could just set up some PIR'S without much hassle and add to it from there.

Have both the smartthings and home assistant running so that is not a problem.

Like you I don't have an alarm included in the insurance as it makes little difference to the premium but, I'm sure, a whole lot of difference if ever making a claim.

I can see me getting it in the coming weeks/months and setting it up with a tablet.

bk · 11-06-2018 8:01pm

I'd ask yourselves what exactly are you looking for and to do?

Are you looking for a really good alarm system?

What level of integration with SmartThings and HA are you looking for, what "use case" do you envisage?

Just arming/disarming the alarm from Google Home, etc. as part of a routine ("goodbye", "hello", etc.)?
Using the alarm sensors for running home automation?

Depending on what you are looking for, there is a wide range of options out there.

I think the konnected system is very interesting if you are primarily looking to reuse sensors for home automation, but not necessarily primarily as a security system, I think it has some weakness in this regard. I think "better" solutions exist if home security is your first priority. So depends on what you are looking for.

taytobreath · 11-06-2018 9:23pm

Better solutions? Home security would be more important than the automation aspect of an alarm system in my home. What kind of solutions?

bk · 11-06-2018 10:59pm

taytobreath wrote: »

Better solutions? Home security would be more important than the automation aspect of an alarm system in my home. What kind of solutions?

I wouldn't say that an ideal solution exists in the UK/Irish market yet, but some solutions do.

My ideal is a "real" alarm system, that is first and foremost designed to be an alarm system and only does the HA stuff as a secondary feature. So the alarm system communicates with a SmartThings hub via cloud services.

So lets say your smartthings hub goes down or their cloud service goes off line (as it does from time to time), you want your alarm system to continue to work at least as a standard alarm (makes lots of noise if someone breaks in) and ideally communicate with you via a backup comms channel.

The problem with konnected is that it relies completely on SmartThings and all it's downsides and insatiabilities. If SmatThings goes down, then your alarm won't work!

Now I don't have these myself yet, but from reading around some examples are:

- Cytech Comfort, a real alarm system, with all the features you expect from one, but it also can integrate with SmartThings at a software level. Only downside this system seems quiet expensive and I think they are only one or two people in Ireland who install it.

- DSC also seems to be another highly recommended solution on the Smart Things forum, however I've never heard of anyone installing it in Ireland.

Some more options here on the SmartThings forum:

https://community.smartthings.com/t/uk-compatible-alarms/58500

I recently bought a Yale Smart Alarm System, which seemingly partly works with SmartThings with a bit of hacking, but I haven't set it up yet, so can't vouch for it one way or the other. Will be fun to play with.

Thing is a lot of these alarm systems have been around for years and weren't really specifically designed to work with these new Home Automation systems, some of them sort of have been hacked to do so, but it isn't perfect.

I suspect this whole market will be radically changed over the next 2 to 3 years. Today we just heard that HKC, the biggest alarm company in Ireland has been bought out by the parent company of Yale. And Yale has a relationship with Google Nest, so definitely interesting times ahead.

Sorry I know it isn't a simple answer, but for now, there really isn't a simple answer for UK/Ireland.

taytobreath · 11-06-2018 11:55pm

Good post as usual.

In my opinion, the traditional old regular fire alarm system is the safest option for now. I know the chances with a smart home system of the WiFi been off during a burglary is low, but a burglar could adapt and simply turn your router off with out been detected.

bk · 12-06-2018 12:42am

taytobreath wrote: »

Good post as usual.

In my opinion, the traditional old regular fire alarm system is the safest option for now. I know the chances with a smart home system of the WiFi been off during a burglary is low, but a burglar could adapt and simply turn your router off with out been detected.

Yep, the absolute ideal alarm system in my mind would have the following features:

- Even if power and broadband down, would continue to work as a "standard alarm system", i.e. make a lot of noise if someone enters your home. Really this should be the basics for any alarm system.

- Have a cloud service with quick polling (5 minutes max). So if your broadband went down, you would get a notification on your phone saying system is offline. You wouldn't know if it was a burglary or not, but you would know something is up.

- The alarm system has a backup comms channel, such as GSM, so the system could still notify you if the alarm was triggered when broadband off.

Systems with all the above I think can be gotten, but they are currently very pricey.

Blanchy90 · 01-08-2018 3:40pm

Did anyone go for a Konnected alarm in the end?

I think you can get around the router being plugged out by adding a backup battery pack to it.

I am currently looking into this for my new build that is pre wired for an alarm

Rew · 09-08-2018 5:40pm

Has anyone looked at how it affects house insurance, generally they require alarms to have been professionally installed by certified installer if you want to claim the premium discount.

wexfordman2 · 09-08-2018 7:52pm

Rew wrote: »

Has anyone looked at how it affects house insurance, generally they require alarms to have been professionally installed by certified installer if you want to claim the premium discount.

Not just professionally installed, but maintained as well. Weigh up Tue cost of annual servicing and monitoring fees against the 10% discount you get on your insurance, and that will answer the question.

To my.mind, self install and don't claim you have an alarm on.your insurance is the way to go.

THE ALM · 10-08-2018 10:41am

as wexfordman2 I removed alarm from insurance at a difference of about €10, unless you have a well maintained and serviced alarm it could lead to problems if ever having to make a claim

Mad Benny · 10-08-2018 2:38pm

Some sensors need replacing on my old alarm system and the wiring is exposed in many rooms. I'm planning to get a new wireless system when a good, affordable, smart one becomes available with no annual fees.

I've told my insurance company that I don't have an alarm and will continue to do so.

senorpuck · 31-08-2018 2:08pm

I installed the Konnected alarm a couple of weeks ago and it's fantastic. I have it linked with Home Assistant so I set all sorts of automations based on zones being triggered. Installations was a piece of piss and I just took a 12V supply of my existing alarm so I didn't need to bring additional power to the board.

matrim · 31-08-2018 2:13pm

senorpuck wrote: »

I installed the Konnected alarm a couple of weeks ago and it's fantastic. I have it linked with Home Assistant so I set all sorts of automations based on zones being triggered. Installations was a piece of piss and I just took a 12V supply of my existing alarm so I didn't need to bring additional power to the board.

what alarm did you have before?

senorpuck · 31-08-2018 2:19pm

There was a HKSecurewatch alarm when I moved into the house. Not sure on the exact model but it was pretty standard

scorn · 31-08-2018 2:25pm

senorpuck wrote: »

There was a HKSecurewatch alarm when I moved into the house. Not sure on the exact model but it was pretty standard

Good stuff - any chance of a few pics? That alarm is pretty standard and some folks out there (myself included) might benefit from a few photos to show how easy it is. And where the 12V power comes from etc.

senorpuck · 31-08-2018 3:03pm

scorn wrote: »

Good stuff - any chance of a few pics? That alarm is pretty standard and some folks out there (myself included) might benefit from a few photos to show how easy it is. And where the 12V power comes from etc.

Here you go. The 12V would have been used to power the old alarm panel. I plan to replace this with a tablet for arming/disarming and control some other bits in my house.

The black and red wires are for the zone. The yellow and blue were used for the tamper sensors in window/door sensors. I'm not sure i can use these yet

i.imgur.com/HE5PLqK.jpg
i.imgur.com/PZWjcMj.jpg
i.imgur.com/KTp7GAB.jpg

I wasn't able to use url or img because i'm a new user apparently

senorpuck · 31-08-2018 3:07pm

I'm at 5 posts now

tonyfillony · 17-09-2018 3:21pm

Just wondering where did you order the kit from ? was it their website?

Elothar · 09-03-2019 2:42am

What would happen if you wired the Konnected device alongside the already installed alarm? As in run wires from the traditional alarm inputs to the inputs on the Konnected board. Would you then have the functionality of the Konnected board with the backup of the traditional alarm if the Konnected board failed for whatever reason?

Disclaimer:(I know how to wire a plug and not much else so this question is coming from curiosity)

Johnboy1951 · 09-03-2019 9:58pm

I just had a look at one of the videos showing how this is wired up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIv5VdVrkys

I am posting this only to say how surprised (and disappointed) with that video I am.

It must be the most unprofessional, and ridiculously bad example of simple wiring I have ever seen on video.

Elothar · 13-03-2019 12:13am

Nevermind, found out they've recently made a product to do just what I was thinking.

Crowirl · 05-06-2019 11:09pm

Elothar wrote: »

Nevermind, found out they've recently made a product to do just what I was thinking.

Did you ever get the Konnected interface option? I'm moving to a new build and despite probably being happy with an action tiles setup myself, I'll probably go for a traditional system with some integration (like the Konnected interface option) to keep the other half happy.

Just curious as to how well it would work in Ireland!

grudi79 · 04-09-2019 11:59pm

senorpuck any chance You can update a bit on konnected You have installed? how is it working so far, did You manage to connect other sensors?
thinking about to get one myself and love to know is it really worth it

kyote00 · 08-09-2019 12:27pm

Looks like a total fire hazard in itself.

There seems to be 220v, 12v and 5v mixed in - i'd really like to see the isolation approach

It is also using ESP8266 wifi which has recently had vunerabilities found: https://hackaday.com/2019/09/05/esp8266-and-esp32-wifi-hacked/

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I just had a look at one of the videos showing how this is wired up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIv5VdVrkys

I am posting this only to say how surprised (and disappointed) with that video I am.

It must be the most unprofessional, and ridiculously bad example of simple wiring I have ever seen on video.

Anyone installed a Konnected alarm system

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