Re: Question about Brinks

["Stanley Barthfarkle" <sbarth@xxxxxxxxx>]

Buy a control and keypads for $100 or so. Replace the panel and keypads.
Call Brinks and give them 5 days to pick up their stuff.  Wire and program
it yourself- It isn't that difficult. If monitoring is wanted, shop around
on the web- there are many places that will do it for less than $10 per
month.



"jj3000" <jeremy_ho@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3ed9e158.0504150855.79717bd7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> When I bought my house the previous owner had brinks disconnected the
> monitoring service. But of course in such a way that it won't work as
> a standalone, and require a sales person to activate and try to sell
> me a monitoring contract with it.
>
> I don't know the model of the alarm (I can check if needed) but some
> questions:
>
> 1) I have a "detached garage" (but wall attached to house) garage is a
> seperate door away from the house, but it is also wired up to the
> alarm.   When I arm the alarm, the exit sequence is, exit front door,
> close lock front door, open garage door, close garage door and lock
> (from inside garage).  Will it work properly?  I am not sure while the
> alarm is arming it will detect door shutting and opening, or does it
> only trigger after the time ran out, and a door remain open?
>
> 2) Is it possible to have the arm time to be, say 3 minutes and disarm
> time to be 1 minute?  I would like lots of time to exit the house but
> when I come back/or break in I would like it to sound sooner.
> Although.. it would probably take me as long to enter the house as I
> exit so it might be a moot point.
>
> 3) finally service about the contract.. the sales guy told me after
> the 2 or 3 year monitoring service contract, if I discontinue the
> monitoring service, the alarm will work as a standalone. Would he be
> lying about this?  I am afraid after the contract is over and I don't
> renew the monitoring, the alarm will revert to the state of error
> ("call 1-800...")  like it is now.
>
> 4) Is this the only way I can make my alarm functional and work as a
> standalone, is to get the monitoring service for a couple of years?  I
> am thinking a working alarm (either standalone or monitoring) is an
> asset to have and since it is already installed there is no reason for
> me to rip it all out install another system.
> Especially say, if I sell my house, I will have a brinks system that
> is working as a standalone, but it is also capable of the monitoring
> service if the buyer choose to.  Isn't it more attractive than what I
> have now, with is a non-working alarm that requires signing up for a
> monitoring contract?
>
> I do like the monitoring service for a peace of mind and might even
> have the service indefinitely; but I would like to know if others have
> similar experience.  It seems this is the only way to take "ownership"
> of the alarm (as in getting it to work)
>
> thanks in advance.