Re: Napco system questions

[chasbo@xxxxxxxxx]

On Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:56:51 -0700 (PDT), Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>
wrote:

>On Jun 4, 10:04?pm, cha...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> Long time customer moved into house containing Napco ?8-zone Panel,
>> two GEM-RP1CAe2 Keypads, and all windows and doors contacted, several
>> CO's, System Sensor SD's, motion detectors, and six or eight zone
>> modules positioned adjacent to the panel mounted in the basement.
>>
>> Due to a lack of time to inspect the entire system on all floors, I do
>> not have enough information to prepare a proposal to replace the
>> operating ?system with one which she is familiar, or to tell her to
>> keep the existing system; hence the need for a few answers from you
>> Napco installers.
>>
>> The Zone modules I assume are Napco's 8-zone units. ?I have a copy of
>> the zone list, which lists 96 zones, a few of which are spares.
>>
>> Since the panel (forgot to get model number, but was installed within
>> the last two years) is 8- zones, how are the zone modules configured?
>> Does each contact, CO detector, Motion detector, get home-runned to
>> the zone module adjacent to the panel, or do some installers mount the
>> zone module close to the windows or doors, for example, and run one
>> cable to the panel?
>>
>> Or can the output of an 8-zone module be fed to another 8- zone
>> module, before it finally gets connected to the main panel?
>>
>> Do all the zone modules connect to a specific set of terminals in the
>> panel, or are the outputs of the zone modules connected to one of the
>> eight zones?
>>
>> Though she has been instructed by the company that installed the
>> system, she still says the system is too complicated, and does not
>> think the Keypad is user friendly. ?Her previous home contained a
>> Caddx/GE NX8E panel and 8-zone LED Keypad.
>>
>> She would like to switch to an NX8E system again, but I told her that
>> she would need two LCD Keypads, but in terms of operation, all else
>> would be pretty much familiar to her.
>>
>> If the devices on all levels of the house are home runned to the
>> basement zone modules, then my work of converting to GE would be
>> relatively easy. ?If there are some zone modules mounted on other
>> levels of the house, with only the outputs homerunned to the basement,
>> I will tell her to keep the system.
>>
>> Also, is there a way that I can determine if the system is connected
>> to any home-automation devices? ?I do not want to replace the zone
>> modules and panel, only to find later that one or more home-automation
>> devices don't function.
>>
>> Thanks. ?Charlie
>
>Hi Chalie,
>
>Much of what you are asking are things that would have been done as
>decided upon by the installer but I'll give it a try.
>
>The panel that you are talking about is probably the Napco Gemini
>9600. That is .... if you are accurate in saying that there are close
>to 96 zones used. The  basic 9600 is an 8 zone panel which can be
>expanded with EZM 8's ... 8 zone expansion modules. The GEM-RP1CAe2
>keypads also can be used as zone expanders. Four additional zones per
>keypad. Exactly how they are wired is kind of hard to say but the
>EZM's must be wired into the four wire keypad bus. Kepads and EZM's
>can be wired in series or in parallel to the keypad bus and thus can
>acutally be mounted anyplace in the building as long as the four wire
>keypad bus is there. From that EZM-8, eight zones of the system can be
>terminated there. Each EZM is given an address by the use and
>placement of jumpers located under the cover of the EZM modules. All
>the zone expansion devices must be addressed in sequence so by
>interpreting the placement of the jumpers in each EZM module will
>allow you to determine which module corresponds to which 8 zones in
>the system. The zone expanders in the keypads are addressed at each of
>the individual keypads. You can get installation instructions from
>Napco's web site along with user manuals.
>
>How the zones are wired would have been up to the installer. Most
>desireable is a separate home run for each device, but hardly anyone
>does that. Usually powered devices are wired per zone. Most of the
>time installers will group windows in a particular room to one zone.
>Maybe doors might be on seperate runs also. But it's up to the
>installers, how it's done.
>
>From your description it seems that all the modules are near the main
>panel.
>
>Whether there are home automation devices on the system or not ... if
>there is no additional relays or modules attached to the panel, my
>guess would be no.
>
>I don't understand the reason for changing the panel. If her old panel
>was an 8 zone ...... any manufacturers panel .... and she's trying to
>compare that to an installation that requires almost 96 zones ....
>it's not going to make any difference WHAT kind of new panel you
>replace the Napco panel with ........... she's STILL going to have a
>problem understanding it. You can't compare an 8 zone panel to a 96
>zone .... ANY .... manufacturers panel and think it's going to be just
>as easy to operate. I can understand that if you are not familiar
>enough with the Napco panel to explain it to her,.... but to just
>change it out .... at HER expense .... to a panel simply so that you
>CAN explain it to her .... just doesn't seem to be the right thing to
>do .... to me. Either learn the Napco panel or see if you can pay
>someone who knows the system to explain it to her, while you pick up
>the monitoring. I'm sure someone would take a $100.00 to spend an hour
>or so explaining the system to her ...... properly.
>
>That is .... if you have the dealer codes to get into programing ....
>etc.
>
>I've been installing Napco for about 30 years and I never have a
>problem teaching anyone ..... including elderly people ( that is ....
>older than me. ) how to use it.
>
>Also, doesn't she have a monitoring agreement with the installing
>company?  If so, she might be obligated to complete the contract with
>them before she could change companys ...... anyway.
>
>You didn't say where you are located. Maybe someone here is close
>enough to you to help you out.

Thanks for the detailed response, Jim.

Money is no object here.  She and husband and child moved to a bedroom
community north of Boston a few weeks ago.  Their Boston condo, at the
low-numbered end of Commonwealth Ave, is on the market; and real
estate at this location goes for very big bucks.


There are only two Keypads in the house, one near the entry/exit door,
and one in the master bedroom on the second floor.  To determine how
the various doors/windows, etc. are configured with the zone modules,
I will need to re-visit the house.

Regardless of the number of zones, I can program the NX8E so that when
she leaves the house, she simply pushes the EXIT key, arming the
entire system.  When she returns she enters her code.

At night she would push the STAY key, which would arm the system and
automatically bypass one or more interior zones.

These two actions are what she finds easy to do.  Does the Napco
keypad offer the same features?  Or does she need to perform
additional procedure with the Napco pad?

Do installers typically mount the EZM8 modules in a closet, or under a
window, etc., rather than home-running the 8 cables to the EZM8
mounted close to the 9600 panel?