Re: You always think you've seen it all

[Jim Davis <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Thursday, July 19, 2018 at 8:49:25 AM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote:
> On 7/18/2018 12:32 PM, Jim Davis wrote:
> > One of my customers moved to a house that already had an alarm system i=
nstalled. Vista 20 panel with a zone expander, two keypads and get this...=
=E2=80=A6
> >=20
> > 10 motion detectors and 9 audio glass break detectors. Two out of three=
 doors have hard wired contacts. The third door has no contact (depends on =
motion detector for detection). No windows have contacts.
> > The motions detectors and the glass break detectors are located in the =
corner of each room BUT =E2=80=A6.. they are mounted side by side on the fl=
at surface of the wall in the corner. In other words, the motion detector o=
nly covers half the room and the glass break detectors don't face the windo=
ws.
> >=20
> > But, get this =E2=80=A6.. there was an addition put on the house. So th=
e l0th motion detector is mounted in the dirt floor three foot high crawl s=
pace under the addition that is separated from the original basement by the=
 old foundation wall that has two basement windows as access. I guess becau=
se the crawl space has an outside entrance. however, the two basement windo=
ws are covered by a motion detector and a glass break detector located in t=
he finished basement.
> >=20
> > There are three self contained 30 watt sirens in each of 3 attic vents =
powered with an auxiliary power supply through a relay and the power supply=
 also powers all the glass breaks and motion detectors. No aux power is dra=
wn from the panel. I'm guessing they did it that way because they had a pro=
blem sharing the power with the panel because they didn't know that you had=
 to have a common ground between the supplies and they couldn't get it to w=
ork right.
> >=20
> > There's also a smoke detector in the boiler room.
> >=20
> > So =E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6. fix that =E2=80=A6.. why doncha!
> >=20
> > I'm guessing that this is a perfect example of a DIY project.
> >=20
> > Ya just don't know =E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6. what ya don't =
know.
> >=20
>=20
>=20
> Jim,
>=20
> And you.................
> Powered up, pressed * and # entered programming
> changed the installer code, Master Code for customer
> account number, and phone number, told the customer
> to call if he has a problem right??
>=20
> I hope not!!!
>=20
> Yes, it was definitely a DIY project for sure.
>=20
> SCARY!!
>=20
> Les

Actually and fortunately I had pulled the equipment from his old house (jus=
t installed about a year ago. ( he moved because his wife just passed away)

So I was able to utilize his old sensing devices. I eliminated seven of the=
 motion detectors. Only left those what were essential to detecting someone=
 coming in from areas where windows were close to the ground. He had wirele=
ss in his old house so I was able to use some of the transmitters and other=
 sensors on openings that were most vulnerable. I left the audio glass brea=
ks connected in each room and tested them. I showed him that they would res=
pond to a tester but told him that with blinds, curtains, drapes etc there'=
s a possibility they wouldn't. (noted in contract) He's a long time custome=
r and his whole family, brothers, sister and kids have been my customers fo=
r many years.

Oh, there was a splice up in the attic too. Seems that rather than bringing=
 4-wires down to the panel (basement) from each sensor they brought a singl=
e 4-wire for aux power up to the attic for all of the sensors. There were l=
abels on the wires but about four of them were labeled WRONG!. Multiple tri=
ps to the attic (80+ degrees outside) to trace which wires to disconnect fr=
om the unused PIR's. I could have just disconnected the power right at the =
sensor but =E2=80=A6. being as compulsive as I am, I just couldn't leave al=
l those wires "hot" if they weren't being used. And those wires plus all th=
e audio glass break wires plus the sirens and everything else was all stuff=
ed into a plastic electrical switch box. It's a good thing I wasn't standin=
g in the wrong place when I loosened the cover =E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6 "I cuda p=
ut my eye out" I couldn't put it all back in so it's just sort of hanging o=
ut. But the box is out of the way so =E2=80=A6..

OH the humanity !!!!!!