Re: Phone Jack Locations?

["Robert L Bass" <robertlbass@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I guess it's a matter of it SHOULD be... or it MUST be... outside the
> panel.

It should be protected against tampering or inadvertant disconnection.
Outside the panel anything can happen.  Inside the panel problems are less
likely to happen.  Nothing is 100%.  I've seen one case where a homeowner
thought the RJ31X was a convenient place to plug in an extension phone for
use while working in the basement.  He forgot to restore the panel
connection, thereby disabling the monitoring.  We did daily test on all
residential accounts and open/close monitoring on all commercial accounts so
the problem was discovered when they failed to send a test that night.  The
keypad beeping woke them up.  If the system wasn't set up for daily test
reports we might not have known the client was not being monitored.

> Phone jacks are one of the reasons I'm glad not to be using the Simon
> systems anymore.
>
> And in this Christmas case, there is phone line monitoring (DSC 1555), but
> not much use to it when it just sets off the siren and no one hears it.
> Although I added a cell backup today for them too.

Cellular backup is a plus though some cell units are configured to only take
over once the panel tries and fails to get through.  I prefer the
arrangement where the cellular takes over as soon as there's a loss of
voltage on the POTS line and the panel immediately sends a trouble report to
the central station.  If your system has the options, I suggest you consider
configuring it that way.  If your CS charges too much for daily tests, at
least go with weekly tests.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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