Recommendations for replacement wired home alarm systems?

[JOEPRO]

My home alarm system is getting quite tired with the LEDs on the siren no longer working and the keypad getting temperamental. It is a fully wired system about 18 years old.

What is a decent brand to replace the original system whilst re using its wires? I am presuming and very much hoping the wiring is standard stuff between systems as it would be a major undertaking to rewire.

Something like this system or what have members used and recommend please
.

 

[MetalMonkey]

There are a few ways in which you can wire them, figure that out before dismantling what you have and map out where the wires go and how many cores are available. Texecom are good if you are installing yourself as a lot of the suppliers and manufacturers won't deal with anybody other than installers.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

A y of the wireless Honeywell range.

 

[Robotstar5]

Pyronix or Texecom.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Pyronix or Texecom.

Both suffer sudden battery failure, Often with out a low battery warning.

 

[angellonewolf]

ive installed few alarms honeywell and texacom ones i used been there for more than 10 years and only ever replaced the pir sencers as they seam to start getting false alarms after they got to about 8 years old

 

[Welderpaul]

Texecom, deffo.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

ive installed few alarms honeywell and texacom ones i used been there for more than 10 years and only ever replaced the pir sencers as they seam to start getting false alarms after they got to about 8 years old

About right.

 

[JOEPRO]

Thanks all, a couple of people have mentioned Texecom so I will go for one of those. The premier system that takes the fobs.

I will also get the WiFi interface for it. It will be DIY install and I hope I will be able to re use the existing wiring! I will replace all system components with Texecom including PIR sensors etc so the whole system is new before I power it up. I will buy the bits individually on ebay to keep costs down I think.

 

[JOEPRO]

I see now that my old system is a Pyronix Sterling 10. It has 5 PIR sensors and no door contacts which is how I'd like to keep it. It had no dailer or anything so a wi fi interface with the replacement alarm should be a good upgrade.

The wiring diagram for the Sterling 10 appears to be indicating 4 core wire to the control panel etc which is what the new system is calling for so looks promising.

 

[JOEPRO]

Everything is ordered now. Well except for the wi fi module I can add that later once I get it setup initially and see that all is going to plan.

I will begin decommissioning the old alarm system. I guess I'll turn off the power then access and disconnect the backup battery and hopefully the siren doesn't have its own power backup inside and go off!

 

[Robotstar5]

I will begin decommissioning the old alarm system. I guess I'll turn off the power then access and disconnect the backup battery and hopefully the siren doesn't have its own power backup inside and go off!

The outside bellbox should have it's own back-up battery so will sound when you isolate the control panel. Have a ladder set up with tools & ear defenders ready.

 

[brightspark]

Both suffer sudden battery failure, Often with out a low battery warning.

i have a texcom veritas been in donkeys years faultless and onl;y the inside battery replaced after 8 years and was still working ok when changed. there easy to wire as well i have pet friendly pir as well so the dog doesnt set them off .they only work at over 4 foot and have a couple of second delay in case the dog jumps up after a fly

 

[JOEPRO]

I didnt get the old system disconnected yet until I dig my large ladder out in a day or two.

I did notice that the last installer wired the mains directly in 1.5mil grey t+e flat cable from a socket into the alarm control panel. I will add a fused spur 3amp fuse and flex for the new alarm panel as that seems wrong to me that it was unfused connection.

This alarm I bought also comes with a white LED backlight like this:



The destructions says this about it:



On constant would be out as it will likely die sooner and just inefficient IMO.

If there are enough pairs left in the existing wiring I could maybe use a timer? But would need to be a 12v timer.

Any of you fitted one of these and what did / would you do please?

If there are not enough pairs within the existing cable to control the backlight separately then I would pair it up with the storbe.

 

[JOEPRO]

Price wise shopping around also saved a few quid. The total system from Codiac including the WiFi interface which I now have bought also is £397. I got some bits from their site and other parts from ebay private sellers and all sorted for a total of £267. (These figures exclude the 12v backup battery as I didn't want to add it to the order incase they won't ship it to me so I'll buy the battery locally instead)

 

[JOEPRO]

Update- I got the old alarm decommissioned this evening after work. Turns out the backup battery in the panel and the sounder were both dead anyway so no tamper alarms went off it died with dignity!

On checking all the cables I actually have extra cores in each case beyond what the old and new system require so that's good.

For example in my above post I was wondering how to control / wire the light up alarm panel. (Backlit panel) I see now how this is wired from factory. The twisted wires go to the panel LED and these are wired into the permanent + & - wires.



I do have an extra core there in that cable. So since this bell is 2 storeys up I will instead connect the backlight LED neg input to this spare core. Then I can decide how to wire it at the control panel easily accessed from inside the house at any time.



I may well get a 12v timer relay solution for that so the backlight only comes on at say 11pm - 7am every day. Or add it into the strobe output and see does it make the alarm much better to spot - some options there.

The old PIRs also had all 6x cores for tamper etc so all good in the wiring front which is great as some of it was plastered in during renovations and no going back to it.



I am renewing all alarm components including PIRs now. So tomorrow I should get most of that done and maybe even the first fire up of the new system.

I will have 2x extra zones on the board too so I may be extending the alarm into my garages and having them covered by it too. And since I will have the WiFi smart connectivity this means instead of relying on neighbours to phone the police I will get alerted immediately on my phone anywhere in the world.

 

[DAPPH]

Thanks all, a couple of people have mentioned Texecom so I will go for one of those. The premier system that takes the fobs.

I will also get the WiFi interface for it. It will be DIY install and I hope I will be able to re use the existing wiring! I will replace all system components with Texecom including PIR sensors etc so the whole system is new before I power it up. I will buy the bits individually on ebay to keep costs down I think.

IMO after years of playing with such things 17 yr old alarm wiring & corroded electrical contacts inn the terminals are not the best thing to pop new equipments onto as the insulations and cable outers will have decayed a bit & any exposed copper will also have age hardened .

I'd do as Ardy suggests and put in a quality WIFI set up . Same with the bell box solar charged with tamper resistant timer & wire free . As well as WIFI to your phones or monitored WIFI

 

[brightspark]

IMO after years of playing with such things 17 yr old alarm wiring & corroded electrical contacts inn the terminals are not the best thing to pop new equipments onto as the insulations and cable outers will have decayed a bit & any exposed copper will also have age hardened I'd do as Ardy suggests and put in a quality WIFI set up . Same with the bell box solar charged wire free . As well as WIFI to your phones or monitored WIFI

renewed my system about 8 years ago .all the wring for it been in 40 years. just remade all the ends off when renewing. just as good as the day it was installed . no difference from telephone systems been in donkeys years

 

[DAPPH]

renewed my system about 8 years ago .all the wring for it been in 40 years. just remade all the ends off when renewing. just as good as the day it was installed . no difference from telephone systems been in donkeys years

You obviously had cable to spare . I used to install a small loop of cable , " For the future " but many never though of it

 

[JOEPRO]

IMO after years of playing with such things 17 yr old alarm wiring & corroded electrical contacts inn the terminals are not the best thing to pop new equipments onto as the insulations and cable outers will have decayed a bit & any exposed copper will also have age hardened .

I'd do as Ardy suggests and put in a quality WIFI set up . Same with the bell box solar charged with tamper resistant timer & wire free . As well as WIFI to your phones or monitored WIFI

It's actually a silver core wire whatever it is and has no signs of corrosion of any kind.

A wired alarm system is always superior to any battery powered or other radio system in my mind