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r.b

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I have brought this up previously about alarms its just about the sensors and contacts I cant get my head around im not a an alarm person but I have been asked by a relative to do one.I know all equipment is wired separately as mentioned before its just the connecting up in the alarm box I need to know about.I know zoning has been mentioned i.e downstairs zone etc.People say everything should be individually zoned bell box,keypad its just about the sensors and contacts I need to know about can you zone the sensors and contacts together? or just keep everything separate zoned?Its just downstairs to do a bell box,keypad,2 sensors ,3 door contacts and 2 window contacts plus a 3rd main window with two small windows requiring two window contacts.That will be 9 alarm cables coming to the alarm box or 8 if I pair up the 2 main window contacts is this allowed is this an exception?Id like your input thanks

 
You can actually do what you like, HOWEVER, what you should do is:

Each device (be that contact, pir, dueltech, what ever) should be on its own zone. That way when there is a problem or if a device needs to be omitted you can isolate just that one device.

If you have 2 opening windows side by side, ideally they should each be on their own zone. But you could use a 6 core cable and have each window on its own zone but only using one cable.

Personally I don't like anything on windows because you have to get a cable there, and you should contact each opening part, where as a Pir (for example) can cover  a whole room and is quicker to install.

I wonder are you maybe thinking of fire alarms with one zone for this area and one zone for that area.

An intruder alarm panel must be big enough (Have enough zones) for the installation. But 12 zone panels are quite common. (Doesn't mean you have to use them all though)

The other thing to mention is "part set" (Depends on make of panel as to what its called) the idea is that you programme it so for arguments sake, at bed time, only the downstairs zones are on.

Sounders and keypads do not go on their own zones. (There are some exceptions)

 
U don't have to put each device on a separate zone u can series them onto one zone ,but if u have enough zones to put them on individually it makes it easy to trace fault if u start having false alarms or if u omit zone u only isolate that device.

 
Personally I don't like anything on windows because you have to get a cable there, and you should contact each opening part, where as a Pir (for example) can cover  a whole room and is quicker to install.

Agreed....

For the average domestic property window contacts are too much hassle & a bl00dy mess to get wires to...

especially with all these modern UPVC frames...

Customer doesn't like contacts stuck on the surface...

and its a bit of a sod trying to recess a contact into a metal frame compared with an olde traditional wooden frame window.

A well positioned PIR will do whats needed covering the windows & doors in the average room.

Guinness

 
If needed tamper connections at alarm panels normally green and white wires are these all joined together in one terminal or is it normally two seperate terminals in the alarm panel?I dont know in the alarm panel basically?I want to ask aswell if you are using tamper wires at contacts are these just twisted together in one terminal?

So what is the cable tacker tool to use on upvc windows I was looking at screwfix stanley 2 in 1 cable tacker £19.16 code 27181 will this do the job?

 
I don't really think you should be installing something to do with security when you clearly don't have a clue. Can you not read the instructions? Better still work with somebody better qualified and learn?

 
r.b. I can understand that you want to help out a relative by installing an alarm, but I am finding that the more you ask the more I have to agree with sharpend. I know we all have to learn some where, but the "thing" with a burglar alarm that you install for some one else is when it "goes wrong" they are going to call you, and you will not have a clue what to do or if what you have done is right.

Years ago it was a laborious task to install a micro-switch on anything that opened, and wire them all in series, that was how it was done back then. (Trust me on this) But now with modern electronics and tiny detectors that can cover a whole room, you do need to know more, a lot more, especially since its not your house you will be protecting.

There is no shame in saying "sorry, that job is too big for me / not the sort of thing I do" I suggest you call an alarm company. They can only say thanks for your honesty.

What would you rather do, try and install it and get it wrong and wish you hadn't in the first place. or get sued if they get broken into and nothing happens or hold your hands up and say "not for me"

 
I just wanted to know the answer to my question that's all about the tamper wires really to get more of an idea I would not attempt something I couldn't do.Its. the thing of an alarm bloke isn't going to train me to do the ins and outs of an alarm he would just do it himself and get full money thanks for the info by the way

 
Alarms panels can be designed to be wired in many different ways so without  knowing the exact make & model no one can answer your question 100%. A 'standard' configuration if you have 9 cables coming back may mean 18 series connections for the tampers. Then again each zone may have its own tamper pair, it could be using ID biscuits with the tamper connected at the biscuit or it could be FSL or a few other :C

 
or if its galaxy Honeywell then it would eol or end of line resistors which uses only one signa pair
Sorry, but that is no longer true. The latest range of galaxy panels can also have no resistors and just be a strait loop.

But yes, I have to agree no matter what the panel is, there are a whole range of possibilities

.

 
Slipshod & dash so these tampers Im just saying say just in my example you said 18 series connections what if the alarm panel has two connections cant i just put all the greens together in one connection and all the whites together in the other connection to make it series?.Im just trying to find out as much as I can about tamper wires

 
So tamper wires have to be wired in series thenIf needed on alarm panels?

 
Think about the difference between series and parallel

Do you want to have to have every tamper connection open circuit BEFORE it indicates a fault? Or just one of them to be open to indicate the fault?

On a conventional system, probably some exceptions but

POWER. IN PARALLEL

SWITCHES IN SERIES

sounders sometimes different

Jusy saying.......

 
If your panel has a 'global'  tamper, that means only one pair of connections for the whole panel, so you will have 18 cables you have to connect in series with the end 2 cables connected to the panel. That means a huge connector strip  :eek:

If you connect them all in parallel any one wont know if any other is open or closed.

 
Can I please ask then, when wiring the tamper loop in series, say you use green and yellow as the 2 required cores, at the panel, do you simply connect the green of one item to the yellow of the next and so on until you are obviously left with one green and one yellow to connect into the panel!

Sorry if this is basic stuff to most, but I get asked to fit alarms all the time and say no, so I am doing some research into this area to increase my business scope, as I am very quiet at the minute!

Thanks!

 
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