Re: Problem With ADT System - Need Advice

["tourman" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Robert L Bass wrote:
> > As you know, I've been a big fan
> > of Paradox equipment from day
> > one, and use the 1759MG with
> > the 1641 high end LCD keypad
> > as my "standard" installation. By
> > and large, my feelings still stand,
> > although lately I have become a
> > little disillusioned with their wireless
> > products.
> >
> > They enroll easily, and are very
> > reliable, but when batteries inevitably
> > go bad, there are problems...
>
> While I was installing I rarely used wireless.  Most homes where we worked (southern New England) can be wired by a skilled
> technician or DIYer with little or no visible sign that anything has been done.  Florida is another situation altogether with
> shallow roofs and cement block walls over slab foundations.  For existing structures here wireless is the mainstay.

RHC: I only use wireless whenever a wired device is impossible to
install, or external wiring can't be hidden satisfactorily. The longer
time it takes to do it hardwired up front usually saves you on later
service costs, as well as being far more reliable overall for the
customer. When I quote using wireless, I always tell the client we will
move mountains to get a wire to the spot, but if we can't, he's already
primed for the extra cost. If we can do it wirelessly, then his bill
goes down, and I've never had a customer complain about that...:))
>
> > With most installations using from 0 to 5 transmitters (mainly zero), we just made it a policy to replace all batteries whenever the
> first one went low.  The client spends more on batteries but saves a good deal on service visits.  With DIYers it's different.  I
> just sell them a new battery whenever one fails.

> > Also, you may have to power the
> > panel down and up again in order
> > to clear the "RF trouble"...
>
> That's a pain and should be addressed.

RHC: Yes, their tech support tells me this will be addressed in the
next version of the Spectra panels coming out. Pretty annoying really.
How the hell would a DIY ever know to do that when even I had to get
that information from tech support
>
> > I don't use the all-in-one Magellan
> > because of the inherent flaw with
> > the dialer integral with the keypad...
>
> The primary use of the Magellan is for apartments where virtually no wiring is permitted.  Also, some clients rent or own a
> residence only temporarily and expect to move within a short time.  For them an all-in-one is sometimes a reasonable compromise
> between the expense of professional installation, removal and reinstallation or no system at all.

RHC: Agreed, but I see a lot of them shoehorned into larger homes where
they have no business being installed. But still far better than the
unsupervised garbage wireless that companies like Alarmforce put in.
(Gawd, I don't know how they sleep at night !! What amazes me is that
their customers rave about them. Clearly someone is getting sold a real
bill of goods here, or the customers in question are totally uneducated
on proper security equipment, but that's another thread I guess...)
>
> > The only other minor problem I've
> > had is with one or two DG75's going
> > bad and causing false alarms that
> > cost me money. But that's to be
> > expected with literally 1000's in
> > service I guess.
>
> I've sold thousands of those as well and to date have had almost no problems.  Considering the vast majority were DIY installed, I'd
> say they're a very reliable detector.  Were you able to isolate what had failed on the two bad units?

RHC: Yes, in both cases, the on board relay failed. I suspect it was
fused open by a voltage surge that probably came from a lot of the
severe thunderstorms we had this summer. They caused a lot of damage. I
had to replace 8 panels this summer due to damage to the dialers caused
by high voltage surges. Some of them had door contacts welded shut as
well....a real mess ! Paradox imply that their panel is more immune to
damage from high voltage surges, but my experience shows no difference
from DSC panels.
>
> > However, they are huge world
> > wide in over 41 other countries
> > spread all over the globe. Such
> > is life!!
>
> Clients who do use them (Paradox) tend to come back for more.  I suspect that over time they'll snare a bit more of the US market.
> If DSC's service and QC go any further down the tubes Paradox may take the lead from them.

RHC: Well, my stats seem to indicate that they are more trouble free
overall than the DSC panels I have in service...about 600 Paradox
versus about 400 DSC. But they are both good panel lines and seem to
address all the applications that I need in the high end residential
marketplace. It's just that they each have different weaknesses. Now
that ADT calls the shots at DSC, I don't know what that will do over
the long term....no good I suspect !

But...hey...what do I know. I'm just a little guy, and everyone on the
newsgroup tells me I'm running my business all wrong....hehehe...<BSEG>

RHC

RHC