Wireless Alarm With External Lighting Control

[Vidpix]

Hi all,  I hope this generates some discussion and hopefully for me an informed conslusion which will send me down the right path to purchase.

 

I am looking at installing my first wireless alarm system (I have installed a few wired systems in the past but that was a long time ago) so technology has improved somewhat however I have some specific requirements which I am hoping some expert guidance will help me choose an appropriate system.

 

The property is a new build  with 3 levels, there is a garage within the build however there is no access from inside the house (only garage door access), gates to each side of the property and the rear of the property has a 30 ft (10m) length x 36ft (12m) wide garden which leads to a riverbank and a wooded area.  access can easily be gained to the rear garden and obviously to the rar of the property.  As with all new estates, there is no street lighting so it is pretty dark at night not only at the rear but also at the front.

 

due to the construction of the property with thermo specific properties, I envisage difficulties in gettiing wireless signals throughout the house so I have been looking at mesh (self healing systems) however my requirements are as follows;

 

Zones Required

 

INSIDE

 

Front Door (Entry / Exit)

Back Door (Entry / Exit)

Garage (See specific requirement below)

Hall (Intermediate) PIR

Lounge PIR

Dining Room / Family Room PIR x 2

Kitchen PIR

Utility Room (Intermediate) PIR

Patio door (Shock Sensor)

Kitchen Window x2 (Shock Sensor)

Living Room window (Shock Sensor)

1st floor Landing PIR

2nd Floor Landing PIR

Security Cupboard (Restrictive Access based on user (Prox Key Access ??)

Glass Break Sensor

External Bell Box - Front

External Bell Box - Rear

Wired Keypad - Hall

Wired Keypad - Utility Room

Wireless Keypad - 1st floor

Wireless Keypad - 2nd Floor

 

OUTSIDE

 

External Beam covering perimiter fenceline

Voice warning on trigger with 2 stage response ( 1 warning at point 1, final warning at point 2)

Trigger of external lighting when external beam activated

Trigger to DVR to increase recording quality / frame rate on activation of external beam

 

All the PIR / sensors both internal and external need to be pet sensitive and the external sensor needs to be antimask / heat and fog sensitive

 

The panel will be located in a hidden cupboard with fuse spur connection - I can wire the keypads from here without much issue and if necessary I could incorporate x10 controller in here if this is the solution.

 

When away, all zones shoud be active however if garage door is opened ability to isolate the garage only(maybe prox reader ??)once garage is closed this should then arm again - the main house alarm should only disable the if entry/exit is triggered

 

Ideally I want to set the system at night only to include perimiter protection (shock sensors, entry/rxit, and external perimiter protection) and if the external sensors are triggered auto switch on the lights and play warning message)

 

as much as possible the system needs to be wireless with 2 way comms, and research suggests that pyronix and texecom are the only contenders however I have issues with both

 

I have looked at visonic and Scantronic but it seems that these systems are not mesh

 

PYRONIX

 

reviews are mixed

Panel contains the keypad so not really a good looker

No wireless keypads

No X10

 

TEXECOM

 

No wireless external bell box

no wireless keypads (although can use smartphone app)

only 1 type of pet tolerant wireless PIR

No sure of the x10 module works with the 48-w panel

 

Should I treat the external protection / lights as a seperate project and keep the alarm system isolated or is it possible to incorporate all of my requirements into one complete system

 

Discuss......................

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[admin]

mark

Id say you have 2 equipment choices on your spec

HKC kit will do most of what you want but will be limited on the home automation side. id recommend the siemens product to do all you need and a future firmware update will give 2 way home automation comms, better than x10

[Vidpix]

Hi,

 

I have been constantly researching since posting as the responses were not fothcoming My head hurts now but have now looked at the Visonic Power Master 30 - which seems to have a better wireless range than the Powermax Pro (although the Pro does have X10)

 

Visonic seem to do a nice external detector which would negate active beams and cover the area I need, the touch screen panels seem to be quite nice and of course the bell box is wireless.  - If the panel has a relay out  then this could be linked to the lighting therefore achieving my goal of lights on when beam triggered

 

One thing I am unsure of is the Power Master uses a different wireless technology to that of the Max Pro and I wonder if it is only the encryption which is different ?? (AES on the Power Master)

 

As the battery life is quoted as 3 times that of the Power max then is the wireless 2 way or does it make one check to see how far it is from the panel and set the wireless strength accordingly ?  - 

 

I have not discounted the Seimens or HKC but details and manuals are not as easy to find as others, 

 

Any other advice or comments on the Visonic would be helpful, and of course if someone has the manual for the Powermaster 30 then this would be welcome too

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[admin]

The master visonic equipment is 2 way but bear in mind all battery life claims are 'best case' like mpg in cars.

the visonic equipment is not as flexible as say the siemens. Plus the siemens etc has smartphone support, currently has x10 but this will change for a much better ha protocol in the future.

as this seems like a diy project id probably advise the visonic. Its nowhere near as powerful as the hkc siemens etc but the hkc is restricted to professional installers only.