Burglar alarm advice

muckybutt

Wired alarm if diying I would go for a Texecom Veritas panel http://www.alertelectrical.com/prodvar/5318/texecom-vr8-burglar-alarm-system-kit?&utm_source=google-base&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=google-base-feed&gclid=CJWLwYqJ9LkCFRIPtAodghgA0A and pet detectors, a competent diyer should be able to install it in a day especially a bungalow. Kits can be bought as a package from many different suppliers, you can either get different spec pet detectors depending upon size of pet.

Wireless go for an Infinite kit http://www.alertelectrical.com/prodvar/5589/infinite-prime-wireless-burglar-alarm-system-gsm-wireless-comms, again get the pet detectors. These are great kits - far better than the off the shelf stuff you find in diy stores. You can go the whole hog and get auto diallers with this system just as you can do with a wired system I shall also add.

IMO going for a company to install is a complete waste of money, unless your insurers specify you have to go that route then don't bother, you'll pay over the top prices for off the shelf stuff and get into paying a yearly maintenance contract as well. ..... been there done that - used to work for one and know you will get ripped off.

elsmandino

Thanks so much for all that.

To be honest, I am never particularly keen on anything wireless and shall always go with hard-wiring wherever possible.

I think I am going to go with a DIY wired system - Texecom certainly looks like a decent brand and seems a bit more flexibile than the others out there.

The ability to add a smoke alarm to the system is also a really great idea.

I have decided that the following set up would probably fit the bill:

* Two Alarm Bells - one at the front and one at the back.
* A single PIR for the hallway
* A door sensor for every door
* As wired in smoke alarm
* An autodialler

Just a couple of questions before I buy anything:

1. I want to attribute different settings to different areas - is this possible? For example, can I have the smoke detector on all the time and only the PIR to be de-activated at night time (to allow you to wander around at night)?

2. Is it possible to set the alarms for different areas to have different delays? For example, I would would want every door on the house to automatically set off the alarm instantly but the front door to have a 30-second delay to give you time to disarm?

3. How do the diallers work, exactly? Do they only let you know when there is an incident or can they allow you to remotely disarm the system in the event that it is a false alarm?

Thanks again for your help.

muckybutt

elsmandino wrote: »

Just a couple of questions before I buy anything:

1. I want to attribute different settings to different areas - is this possible? For example, can I have the smoke detector on all the time and only the PIR to be de-activated at night time (to allow you to wander around at night)? Yes the smoke alarm can be programmed to be on permanently

2. Is it possible to set the alarms for different areas to have different delays? For example, I would would want every door on the house to automatically set off the alarm instantly but the front door to have a 30-second delay to give you time to disarm? Again yes, front door or which ever door you use to come in and out of will have an adjustable delay thus enabling you to come in and turn the alarm off without setting it off. Night time also called part setting you can alter the settings to say knock off the bedrooms you use and the bathroom but still keep the external doors on.

3. How do the diallers work, exactly? Do they only let you know when there is an incident or can they allow you to remotely disarm the system in the event that it is a false alarm? Auto diallers will only notify you of an alarm condition, when you set up the system you can normally programme several numbers into the system, upon an alarm activation it will then ring the numbers until someone answers, it will then notify them of an alarm and then stop ringing around. I don't think this system has the ability to remote reset. When the alarm has been raised the alarm will go off, after a pre determined time the alarm will silence and rearm itself, it will trigger again if there is an intruder or a sensor is picking something up or a door is opened, when you get back home the keypad will let you know what sensors were triggered.

Thanks again for your help.

Edited in quote

elsmandino

Fantastic - thanks so much for that. Looks ideal for me. Going to have some fun wiring it all up!

One other quick question if I may.

How do the Zones work exactly? If there are eight of them, does that mean that one device can be attached in relation to each zone? Or does it mean that a number of devices can be attached to each Zone but each of those devices then has to share the settings of that Zone?

muckybutt

elsmandino wrote: »

Fantastic - thanks so much for that. Looks ideal for me. Going to have some fun wiring it all up!

One other quick question if I may.

How do the Zones work exactly? If there are eight of them, does that mean that one device can be attached in relation to each zone? Or does it mean that a number of devices can be attached to each Zone but each of those devices then has to share the settings of that Zone?

Eight zones basically the system is able to shall we say look after eight areas at any given time.

So lets say :
Z1 (always entry exit zone) Front or back door.
Z2 (part set) so you could have that as the hall way pir, your bedroom dorr and the bathroom door, so when you set the system at night you will be able to walk to the bathroom without setting the alarm off.
Z3 Bedroom
Z4 Bedroom
Z5 Bedroom
Z6 Living room
Z7 Kitchen
Z8 Fire detection set to always armed

You can link the pir's or door contacts in series so you might have a detector and a door contact on one of the bedrooms, or multiple pir's like the diagram below.

Buzby

Door sensors (except for exterior) are pretty pointless. The infra red covers this, so have one on each floor to cover window ingress and you save a lot on aesthetics too! Agreed, wireless is not the way to go.

elsmandino

Fantastic - really appreciate your help on this.

Is going to be interesting seeing how much my neighbours can take whilst I mess around with my new alarm.

Thanks again.

A