I have been chatting with my neighbor for a while and we both agree that he should have a wired security system in his home, plus a little more, like low frequency sounders in the bedrooms and visual signals. However, we have yet to determine what notification appliances, panel, sensors, and detectors to use. Please also note the following:
This system is going to be a bit more fire alarm-oriented, as we live in a fairly safe neighborhood.
We have already agreed that one key point of the system is a SPST relay to allow the use of 24VDC or 120VAC devices on the system.
We live in America.
My neighbor has two young children, and his parents visit often.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or feedback for what i should do regarding the system.
Well if you can find a cheap 4007ES with warranty/good DOA policy it might be your best bet. It has most of the desirable features of the higher end panels such as very advanced programming capabilities and user friendly/very detailed user interface. The vast majority of IDnet devices and also IDnac(if the right model) will work giving you a huge selection of devices for Fire and Security.
I’m not sure I would advise using a 4007ES as they’re quite difficult to work with if you don’t know what you’re doing, plus the fact that I think such a panel would be a little overkill for a residential home. Your best bet is indeed probably a security panel with additional fire alarm-oriented features like the aforementioned 128FBPT (though you’d probably need something like a NAC extender to power the 24VDC alarms with since all modern security panels only put out 12VDC).
Yeah if you need access codes i am not sure if that would work, it’s more for commercial tampers/door holders/special events. I don’t think there would be a way to restrict access by code.
Yep, which if you ask me is why proprietaryness on the level that companies like Simplex & Siemens are doing is completely unnecessary. I digress though.
I understand what you mean. From my opinion, one company is old enough to pretty much not worry about only now being proprietary, or at least solutions have been found, and the other company never made anything good anyway. From a more broad perspective, while it is unnecessary to be that proprietary, all companies still have universal (or at least mostly universal) sync protocols, modules exist to integrate, and those devices with custom backboxes either have the backboxes still being made, or could be retrofitted onto a regular backbox.
I haven’t had much firsthand experience with them, but from what I have heard, Bosch B-series panels like the B3512 and B4512 are very nice and modular. Security, fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, it can do it all. It even comes with an ethernet port for remote programming/email alerts.
They do seem nice, but features like email, remote programming, and both smoke and fire seems like a bit much. Aditionally, they seem a little overpriced. additionally, keep in mind that ebay is an option. Both my neighbor and I agree that the alarms will probably be off of ebay anyway, so we may as well get more.
I want to generally avoid panels like that as they are both a bit too extensive in parts where i don’t need it, and lacking in more necessary places, and also way too bright with the screen.
Ah yes, the same panel that NewAgeServerAlarm currently has protecting his parent’s house if I’m not mistaken; an excellent choice indeed going by the demonstrations of his. You’ll still need a NAC extender if you intend to run 24VDC signals though.
I think if you use a relay however there’s no way to monitor the NAC circuit for a broken wire or any other faults, which is of course important (since if something goes wrong the signals could fail to sound).
Yes, but you’re missing the point: as I said with a relay there’s no way to have any sort of EOL to make sure the NAC circuit remains connected & functional at all times: if the power to it fails or a wire breaks the panel will remain normal as it’s only looking for the resistor on the relay’s power side, not its input side. This I believe is the reason why AC systems usually have to have their signals replaced if the panel’s replaced as there’s no way for a DC panel to supervise AC signals.
I could easily devise a supervisory system. i doubt that any devices i put on the system would run off of 5 volts, so i could always have that running when the alarms are not actively sounding. I could also take measures to ensure the wires remain safe and intact, such as using conduit. Additionally, I may end up using a sync module (either a system sensor MDL or wheelock DSM) to run it, and i believe they run their own supervisory protocols.