Re: Do YOU ACTUALLY Own Your Equipment??

["Stanley Barthfarkle" <sbarth@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Good answer.  I'm not a installer but have installed with good success
> my own alarms in my own homes....  (not exactly years of experince
> but I can program vista 10se and 20 ps's ok)
>
> I'd love to just know the some (if not all) the answers to Stanley's
> second paragraph!!!  LOL
>
> Tom


Here you go Tom:

>Care to tell me the top 3 causes of PIR false alarms? (assuming the
>sensitivity is set correctly)
1)- Pointed at a window, or at a mirror causing it to look at a window,
whereupon sunshine, lightning, or headlights "fool" the PIR into seeing a
sudden change in the background Infrared energy pattern.
2)- Pointed at or being mounted too close to a forced air duct (or very
close to an air return) , ceiling fan, or near an open window, causing the
background Infrared energy pattern to change suddenly.
3)- Insects, rodents, or birds, pets, etc.- Insects crawling accross the
lens (or inside the detector), animals moving within the detector's field of
view, etc., can all cause a detector to false. Pet proof or quad PIR's can
help eliminate some of these causes, even when no "pets" are present.
(continued) 4)- Power draw from the control at or above capacity- can cause
a PIR to "drop out" long enough to trigger the relay, especially if the
control is already in an alarm or trouble condition.
5)- PIR not mounted securely, and vibration of the detector itself causes
alarm. (truck drives by, wind blows very hard, etc)
6)- Pointed at drapes or curtains that are near forced air ducts or an open
window, mylar helium-filled baloons, things hanging from the wall or ceiling
that move.

>How about the things that make the microwave portion of a dual-tech false?
Fans, open windows, water in pipes (drain) in the wall or under the floor,
water coolers, refrigerators, things outside (including a stiff breeze) if
the detector is set too "hot", causing it's microwave detection "bubble" to
become too large for the area being protected.


>Do you even know what a dual-tech is?
A combination Passive Infrared and Microwave detector, which uses both
technologies simultaneously to determine if an alarm condition is present.
Great for environment where PIR might tend to false, such as basements,
garages, storage areas, sheds, and many commercial and industrial
applications.


>What's the minimum guage fire rated wire for a proper fire detection
>circuit following NFPA specs?
Usually 18 guage. Might need to be larger guage depending upon length,
application, and current draw calculations.

>Do you know what NFPA is?
National Fire Protection Association- A consortium of Fire and Safety
industry professionals who determine how to keep people safe from fires and
other building safety concerns. A non-profit standards organization.
"Established in 1896, NFPA serves as the world's leading advocate of fire
prevention and is an authoritative source on public safety. In fact, NFPA's
300 codes and standards influence every building, process, service, design,
and installation in the United States, as well as many of those used in
other countries."

>What is NEC?
National Electrical Code- The "bible" for electricians and low-voltage
system engineers and installers. Salespeople are usually surprised to learn
how much stuff they sell that would violate NEC if installed as requested.
Is often overlooked entirely by Residential installers who don't know, or
don't care, what they are doing. Electrical Inspectors use NEC either
verbatim or as a guide for their own local wiring codes.

>How does it apply to alarm system design by a salesperson?
Gotta follow NEC, or yer gonna get sued if someone gets hurt in a fire or
other hazard caused by an installation that doesn't meet code. May also be
heavily fined for not applying for proper electrical permits, or ignoring
the local AHJ's (Authority Having Jurisdiction) direction in the design and
installation of low-voltage systems.

>What does NICET stand for?
National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies- Becoming
the status quo for a professional alarm company. Everyone in an alarm
company who sells, designs, installs, or services customer equipment should
have NICET certification commensurate with his/her job responsibilities and
experience level. "Requires testing (written, multiple choice) and
documentation including a work history, recommendations, and, for most
programs, supervisor verification of specific experience. At more advanced
levels, requires a 4-year engineering technology degree (no testing
required), documentation including a work history and endorsements."

>What is your level of NICET certification?
Mine is Level 2. Could be Level 3 easily if I would get my ass signed up for
a couple more training sessions.

>How much classroom training do you have in electronics?
Being an Aerospace Engineering major in college, (attended 2 years, no
degree, but have worked in the industry almost 20 yrs.) I have about 24
credit hours of electronics-related coursework under my belt. I've learned a
lot more by "on-the-job" training than I ever learned in school.

>What is Ohm's law?
I = V / R    Current equals Voltage divided by Resistance. The most
fundamental of electrical formulas. Can also be expressed as V = R x I  or
R = V / I to find the value of any of the 3 properties if the other 2 are
known.

>Do you know resistor color codes?
Yes, but I only really needed to know them because I serviced dozens of
different systems for several years. Another very basic thing from
Electronics 101. (The colored stripes on a resistor indicate it's capacity
and value)

>Do you know what a resistor is, and how it works?
A device which restricts the flow of electrical current by a specified
degree.

>What is vital to place at the last device on a 4-wire Fire loop?
2 things, actually- an "EOL" (End-Of-Line) resistor, and a Power Supervision
relay (unless the detector has one built in) to alert when a 4-wire device
has lost power. In a separately powered "N/O" (Normally Open) circuit
device, such as a 4-wire smoke detector, if power is lost, the device cannot
show that it will not function after a power loss, unless a Power
Supervision relay is installed. VERY important.

>Why?
'Cause if you don't use one, someone could die, and it would be your dumbass
fault.

>Which entrance to people's homes is most likely to be broken
>into, according to the FBI?
Front Door.


>What 3 hints can you give a homeowner to increase their security that don't
>involve an alarm system?
1)- Make the home more visible to passers-by- trim hedges and trees, don't
use a tall privacy fence, etc.
2)- Use exterior automatic lighting at night, and indoor lights to make the
home look "lived in" all the time.
3)- Make the home difficult to break into- "pinning" windows, securing
sliding doors, skylights, getting quality deadbolt locks and using them.

>What type of heat detector is appropriate in a home's attic?
190 to 200 degree fixed temp heat sensor, in most cases.

>How about a kitchen?
135 degree rate-of-rise heat sensor, placed adjacent to, but not close to,
heat producing appliances.

>What is a "duct detector"?
Detects Smoke in a force-air HVAC system's ductwork, by either
photo-electric or Ionization detection means, depending upon the
application. In addition to providing indication of a Fire Alarm condition
for a control panel, can provide auxiliary relay for functions such as
shutting down an "air handler" in an HVAC system.

>Can you demonstrate total DC current calculations for the
>devices you sell?
Add the total current of all devices, leaving a margin for increased load
if several devices "trigger" or are otherwise activated to a higher current
draw state simultaneously, such as in an alarm condition where keypad
backlighting, smoke detectors, motion sensors, sirens, strobes, digital
communicator might be activated simutaneously causing CPU failure of
overloaded. A life safety concern in a Fire Alarm system, and very important
in any case.


>How many cocky little prick salesmen does it take to
>royally fuck up a system's design?
Usually just one, though they have been known to conspire to fuck it up in
2's and 3's.


>How many talented installers does it take
>to fix said salesmen's bullshit?
One. Usually while hanging upside down on a ladder, swimming in insulation
in a broiling attic, or fighting spider webs in a dank basement. Cursing is
optional if the customer is not present.



There are about 10,000 other important things to know, some obscure and
seldom needed, and others vital to every install, but this is a sample of
some basic items that every new installer or salesperson should know.