Re: Garage Door Opener keypad recommendations

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Nov 21, 4:19=A0pm, JoeRaisin <joeraisin2...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 11/21/2010 12:31 PM, George wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:49:14 -0800, Jim thoughfully wrote:
>
> >> On Nov 20, 4:08 pm, tourman<robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> =A0wrote:
>
> >>>> What's wrong with that is that a roller ball will fail and you don't
> >>>> know it. The mag switch fails open.
>
> >>>> I'd agree with you on the inherent problems if you're using standard
> >>>> magnet recessed contacts. But now ..... with the newer Rare Earth
> >>>> magnets, there's no problem at all with the issues you cited. You
> >>>> just have to be careful the Rare Earth magnets don't pull the
> >>>> fillings out of your teeth.
>
> >>> RHC: Yeah, any roller ball contacts that failed were usually determin=
ed
> >>> by a trouble call where the client opened the door and a motion
> >>> triggered the alarm. Customers don't check their alarm systems
> >>> whatsoever, and the don't notice things until they have an open zone =
or
> >>> one that triggers an alarm.
>
> >>> Rare earth magnets have definately improved things overall. Now you d=
o
> >>> have a bit more than just opening the door a crack before the zone
> >>> opens. I still prefer the tolerance of a roller ball though, and as
> >>> long as they remain as trouble free as I have found them to date, I'l=
l
> >>> likely stick with them when the frame of the door allows it. One mino=
r
> >>> side benefit - when a client changes only the door and not the frame,
> >>> it's one less service call. Nor do they cause another problem I've se=
en
> >>> with magnetic contacts where the magnet ends up falling out of the do=
or
> >>> on occasion.
>
> >>> Bottom line, I stock all sorts, colours and lengths of either magneti=
c
> >>> and roller ball. Sometimes you get out there, and you just don't know
> >>> what you'll find....
>
> >>> When I first started installing, I worked for a company here that has
> >>> long since disappeared, and I have a bushel basket full of assorted
> >>> contacts of all different types, colours and connecting ends that I c=
an
> >>> draw on when I find a weird situation that I have to deal with.-
>
> >> Of course we can both cite different experiences. With regard to your
> >> setting off the motion detector as the indication that the door switch
> >> isn't opening, .... I've had instances where people stop hearing the
> >> entry warning beep and think that the sounder has gone bad and simply
> >> keep arming and disarming the system, not realizing that the door swit=
ch
> >> is bad.
>
> >> Magnet falling out of door? =A0 I can only say that if an installer
> >> doesn't silicone the switch and magnet in the door they deserve the
> >> service call.
>
> >> One question I have about the =A0use of roller ball switches, ........=
....
> >> since their "play" seems to be a primary factor in your use of them, w=
hy
> >> wouldn't =A0you use a push button on the jamb side of the door that ha=
s a
> >> greater throw and would MUCH less succumb to changes in the door-to-ja=
mb
> >> gap? I'm guessing that a roller ball switch has a throw of about 3/16
> >> ths of an inch, whereas a pushbutton switch would have at least a
> >> 5/16ths inch throw.
>
> >> I very rarely use a roller ball switch for anything unless I have no
> >> other choice because it has such a small throw tolerance as compared t=
o
> >> a pushbutton switch.
>
> >> Both the push button and roller ball switches now contain micro switch=
es
> >> but in years past, in the land before micro switches, there was only t=
he
> >> Ademco 116 push button switch. There was only that choice for door
> >> contacts if =A0you didn't use a serface mount switch. Although after a=
bout
> >> 10 years or so in use, they could give you a real pain in the ass, the=
y
> >> had about a 1/2 throw on them and once installed hardly ever needed an
> >> adjustment. I still have some jobs where they don't get used much and
> >> are still in service after 30 or so years. And because of the more
> >> powerfull spring, they hardly ever got hung up when used on doors.
> >> During the years while the microswitch type pushbuttons were being
> >> introduced I kept trying to get the manufacturers to lengthen the thro=
w
> >> on them and increase the spring pressure but they never did. That's wh=
en
> >> I started using the recessed mags more and more.
>
> >> On occasion I'll have to utilize what was already installed on a job a=
nd
> >> when I do, if it's a hinge jamb switch, I'll use a pushbutton over a
> >> roller ball just to gain the greater throw.
>
> > I have a GE-Sentrol magnetic contact switch on my overhead door. =A0It'=
s
> > designed for floor mounting, though it's can also be located at the top
> > of the door.
>
> >http://www.nextag.com/GE-2202AU-L-Overhead-528938221/specs-html
>
> I have recently been schooled in why the contacts should not be put at
> the top of the door.
>
> It seems some thieves have gotten into the habit of using sledges or
> some such to break the rollers off the bottom panels of the doors and
> folding said panels up out of the way thus gaining access.
>
> At least that's the way it was explained to me.-

Here, on some commercial buildings, they punch in the lower sections
of the door with the bumper of a vehicle.
That's why, in higher security requirement jobs, I always suggest a
Photo electric eye across the overhead door. In some cases on
commercial jobs and sometimes residential jobs, if the interior
environment will allow it, I'll put in a dual tech motion detector.
Sentrol (or whatever they're called now) has an excellent dualtech
with controlled range adjustment so that if the door is metal it wont
pick up the microwave bounce or will it penetrate a fiberglass or
wooden door .... elemiating false trips.