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RE: Was X10 and Energy Saver Bulbs - Now tandem Alarm systems


  • To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
  • Subject: RE: Was X10 and Energy Saver Bulbs - Now tandem Alarm systems
  • From: "Kevin Hawkins" <lists@xxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2001 15:22:13 +0100
  • Delivered-to: rich@xxxxxxx
  • Delivered-to: mailing list ukha_d@xxxxxxx
  • Mailing-list: list ukha_d@xxxxxxx; contact ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx
  • Reply-to: ukha_d@xxxxxxx

Hi Roger,
 
   
    My first comment would be that if your original system is a homebrew one then I would seriously think of just scrapping the panel and connecting the sensors and sirens etc into a new Comfort install. This way it's all in one box and under one software supervision - it will make for easier troubleshooting and greater flexibility - also all your zone status info can come out a UCM for later HA expansion. However assuming you can't do this then......
 
    The panel linking is fairly simple although setting and unsetting needs to be thought about carefully - (it is not always intuitive to other users). One of my systems is a RedCare linked, professionally maintained (Galaxy) panel that was already installed when I bought the property. The other is Comfort that I have added. Basically on one system you configure outputs that transfer certain information to the other - this is usually the set and part set status and obviously 'alarm' condition (possibly as separate alarm and bells if you have a silent alarm delay). I also have taken the entry / exit timer and some zones (PIR's) out this way. Some alarms do not have enough outputs but you can nearly always get at the set/partset/alarm status. I also use the four partitions that Galaxy offers to cover different areas eg I rent an attached property and they have their own alarm keypad. Each partition has it's own set of status information.
 
    In my case the original maintainer was reluctant to offer me full (engineer) access to their panel and also wanted to fullly isolate their inputs and outputs from my wiring. They only wanted >their< installed PIR's etc to be able to trip their alarm citing Nacoss regs. So I used their system as the master meaning that it is the controller for the other slave (Comfort) system. When I set this system it also sets Comfort for me. I use a full set and part set output from the Galaxy to cause an appropriate setting mode in Comfort.
 
    I can set Comfort independently from the Galaxy and I use this for my night (occupied) setting for example. Apparently the recommendation is that during an 'occupied' alarm condition then the RedCare signalling is not normally enabled so this is quite satisfactory. I have used some PIR outputs from Galaxy to Comfort  to cover rooms that I want protected at night (and also for occupacy sensing), this avoids installing duplicate PIR's in some rooms.
 
    One grey area is how to trigger the siren box from Comfort. This is only a problem if your other alarm system (which is directly connected to the bells) is maintained & hence out of bounds. It needs a workaround otherwise you end up having a siren for each system. My alarm company was really only concerned that I couldn't introduce a signal from Comfort to their panel that caused an alarm condition & Redcare activation. When their panel was set they only wanted originating alarm conditions from their own installed devices to trigger alarms. My proposed workaround was to have an input to their panel that brought on the bells and sirens but didn't signal using Redcare - this is a 24HR active input and hence I can set Comfort without Galaxy and vica versa. I have to say the alarm company took some persuading on this. - at one stage (when they were being uncooperative) I had them put in two wireless keyfob/pendant type transmitters one as a 24HR panic button (Redcare linked) and one as a bells only activator. This was a kludge to allow me to later buy another RF transmitter that I could set to the same code as the bells only one and then trigger from Comfort to bring on the bells - look no wires !  When they saw this flaw in their arguement they actually prefered I use a direct (isolated) input as this way I could turn the bells off easily as well; with an RF transmitter they latch on. I used the spend on expanding their system as leverage to persuade them - plus they became a little more confident in my understanding of their system when I was showing their engineers how to do it !!
 
    Hope that is of some use - I don't know if you have full access to your traditional system - if you do then you will have a much easier ride. If your system has programmable outputs even better. Otherwise you might want to think about reversing the roles of each alarm system (master / slave).  One thing that can be confusing still in my system is which panel is originating an alarm condition - having two keypad type alarm setting points won't help the WAF, and when you have tennants as well...
 
    Kevin
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Bilboul [mailto:Bilboul@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2001 7:45 AM
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] X10 and Energy Saver Bulbs

Kevin            
>  I use two 'linked' alarm systems - one a more traditional approach and Comfort to allow me to implement the whims of my HA imagination - I'm pleased with both . 
 
How do you link two alarm systems? I wanted to expand my existing conventional system with more PIR and other detectors and I would be more comfortable introducing Comfort in addition to the existing system than doing a complete replacement to start with.
 
Regards
 
Roger



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