Modern Burglar Alarms
Discussion
bad company said:
megaphone said:
OP is your current system wired? If so why go wireless?
Yes it’s wired. I just want to get the very best I can which I thought was wireless?What's wrong with your current system? Have you had any more false alarms?
megaphone said:
I'd just replace the PIRs and main box etc with a more modern wired system, saves messing around with batteries etc. Wireless is a compromise, fine if you have no wiring in place, cheap and easy to install, that's why the alarm co's like it.
What's wrong with your current system? Have you had any more false alarms?
No more false alarms but the guys who service it keep saying that it’s ancient and needs replacing. Obviously there’s an element of ‘they would say that’ but the system is old. The wiring was in when I bought the house 23 years ago. Since then I’ve replaced the keypad about 15 years ago and the sensors, that’s about it. What's wrong with your current system? Have you had any more false alarms?
I like the idea of being able to monitor it all via an app as I do with my Hive heating and lights. I’m writing this from New Zealand and can control Hive from here.
We went with a domestic wireless system from Secom. Wireless knock sensors on doors and windows and cat friendly PIR's for internal walkways and the garage.
The system is monitored for both activation's and lost monitoring via a inbuilt multi-network SIM so not risk of line cutting. The main panel had a battery back up in case of power cut.
Setting/unsetting is via wireless fobs which means we should have any issues with mashed in panel key contacts in a few years.
Batteries seem to last well between services and no false activation's, when we had a lost monitoring issue the engineer was out that evening to investigate.
It wasn't the cheapest system (c.£350 initial cost and £29 p/m DD) however I had dealt with Secom on large commercial projects and felt the service was worth the extra.
Fairly sure the house insurance dropped a bit after having it installed.
ETA - they did a app for the system as well for a few £ extra a month.
The system is monitored for both activation's and lost monitoring via a inbuilt multi-network SIM so not risk of line cutting. The main panel had a battery back up in case of power cut.
Setting/unsetting is via wireless fobs which means we should have any issues with mashed in panel key contacts in a few years.
Batteries seem to last well between services and no false activation's, when we had a lost monitoring issue the engineer was out that evening to investigate.
It wasn't the cheapest system (c.£350 initial cost and £29 p/m DD) however I had dealt with Secom on large commercial projects and felt the service was worth the extra.
Fairly sure the house insurance dropped a bit after having it installed.
ETA - they did a app for the system as well for a few £ extra a month.
Edited by Krupp88 on Friday 24th January 09:37
I'm in a similar position, with an older wired system I'd like to replace. I'd been looking at a Pyronix Enforcer system to add the alerting capability, app and keyfobs instead of using the keypad at the door every time. I'm assuming it's possible to reuse the existing wired sensors and wiring and add any new wireless sensors where required? How does it work for the bell and housing? Just remove the wiring for this or can you get a wired version for Pyronix?
megaphone said:
There must be modern wired systems that have full online monitoring and control?
Mine certainly does. What happens when systems are serviced? Can't see anything on mine that is serviceable, aren't they all setup and leave alone.
The only reason I can imagine to fit a new system is if the old one has broken or you want a different feature set.
Went with the Visonic Powermaster 10 with SIM support for remote dialling alerts and you can SMS it commands.
Remote key fobs (which aren't waterproof...) to arm and reset - £40 a pop.
It was easy to install and easy to setup and everything is wireless - just have to maintain the batteries every 5-10 years.
Panel has its own battery, but is hardwired.
Can set two zones up - full and @home mode.
Have a alarm bell box (wireless) front and back. Which means if they rip it off the wall they will keep sounding until they smash it or stick it in a bucket of water, but there is two of them. Same if they remove the panel, the alarms are independent.
Remote key fobs (which aren't waterproof...) to arm and reset - £40 a pop.
It was easy to install and easy to setup and everything is wireless - just have to maintain the batteries every 5-10 years.
Panel has its own battery, but is hardwired.
Can set two zones up - full and @home mode.
Have a alarm bell box (wireless) front and back. Which means if they rip it off the wall they will keep sounding until they smash it or stick it in a bucket of water, but there is two of them. Same if they remove the panel, the alarms are independent.
Yes, wired panels can have cloud functionality now. my personal favourite is the pyronix euro46, but texecom premier and scantronic are good also, But for domestic ease of use and pretty chrome or satin flush mount attractive keypads are available and inexpensive on pyronix, and you can add a zem32we to allow wired/wireless hybrid operation and their xdl12tt-we work very well without false alarms for exterior perimiter detection.
I installed a texecom premier 24 recently, with wired PIR's and the smartcom system that allows you to control it and get alerts via the app. The bits themselves weren't that cheap, but i did save money by doing it myself, and having more control over the setup.
The trick I used was to not connect the bellbox till last. That way you can test the system for a few weeks and check for false alerts, before connecting the bellbox and waking up half your street due to it going off all the time.
The trick I used was to not connect the bellbox till last. That way you can test the system for a few weeks and check for false alerts, before connecting the bellbox and waking up half your street due to it going off all the time.
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