JasonOfOz

Hi Everyone, Just wondering if anyone has come across a Fortress Access Control system before? I'm trying to find them online but they seem to have disappeared. Looking at the controllers, they were based in Newport but website is down and there are no further details even with extensive searching. Does anyone know what happened to them and whether they have been taken over by another company? Thanks

I know this is a bit of a longshot but does anyone have any industry contacts for installers in Amsterdam? One of our global clients is opening an office over there and would like us to help them deliver an access control / CCTV system. Again, we would prefer to work with someone local so any recommendations / introductions would be great. Thanks again. ps. In return, I'll make sure we throw in a space-cake or two

Hi Everyone, We have a project coming up in Newcastle and would like to work with a Partner who is based up there to help us deliver an access control project. Once delivered, our Partner will be responsbile for delivering annual preventative maintenance and ad-hoc service requests. Ideally your firm is SSAIB or NSI (Silver or Gold) approved but not necessary. Knowledge of one of the "enterprise level" systems would be highly regarded e.g. C.Cure / Gallagher / Inner Range / Lenel / S2 / Pacom (again - not a deal-breaker). If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thanks.

No i meant that if you didn't claim on the insurance did you just pay it out? Or manage to fix the damage? Thanks for the tip re Aviva. So has your experience with SISS stopped you from using them again?

hehe.. ladder is in perfectly ideal position for servicing

Heavy ladder..or heavy engineer! Out of interest, what did you do?

Hi Everyone, It's that time of the year again and we need to renew our insurance policies. Traditionally we have used firms like SISS / Suttons / Camberford Law and all have been great. Of course we have never made a claim on any of our policies. Has anyone made a claim on their insurance and if so, how was that process? It's something I've never thought of before but it made me think that even if a premium costs £1k more than the next one, it may be worth the extra expense, if it means there's a higher chance of completing the claim - particularly if it's a big one. If you have any experiences to share, it would be great to get your thoughts. ps. also feel free to share any broker recommendations not already mentioned

Thanks ElecTech, it is something we considered but apparently some doors (i.e. panic doors) require the use a mechanical process to unlock. The ones that drop power to locks via microswitch are technically electrical so may not meet the necessary BS EN standards. Happy to stand corrected.

hehe.... looks like i'm Le-doing it ourselves

Hi Everyone, We are looking for a security systems company in Paris to look after a few clients we have out there. We have one small access / intruder project out there in the coming months and we would prefer to pass the work onto them so they can more effectively service our client locally. Many thanks. J

Hi Everyone, We have a door that is an emergency escape / panic door that is open to the elements. We also need to ensure this door is linked to access control. Similar doors in the building have had the Abloy EL560 locks fitted and their panic bar fitted but this one isn't externally rated. I would have thought there are plenty of externally rated panic bars around for use on public sport stadiums etc but i haven't found any that can also work with access control. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share Thanks.

We made the decision to certificate all of our spur installs only so that it covers us and proves to the client we have done our bit properly so there's no come-back down the track. However, what we found the biggest issue to be is locating the breaker on the dist. board. Then sometimes not being sure what else that breaker is hooked up to. All this then takes time because if we are in the Comms Room, we don't want to take down critical servers while we are installing a spur - so need to consider works being done out of hours. I have heard of guys working live but I don't want to waste my life in jail so don't want the risk.

Hi Marx, Not sure if you had any replies but we are looking for someone with intruder experience for a client of ours who have just acquired a company in Dundee. If anyone is interested in an introduction, please let me know. They will also require access control and IP CCTV. Thanks, Jason

Hi again, We have quite a few projects over the next month in Central London. If there are any sub-contractors that are free to help and would like the certainty to be booked out for a whole month (with flexibility built in if you require it), please PM me. We are looking for at least 2 teams that would be free to help for the next 4-8 weeks. Many thanks

Thanks everyone. Great advice, particularly about the AC. And you are right that the Samsung Bullets come AC/DC so that's good news. I'll be sure never to use CCA in future and just stick to good old fashioned copper. So can anyone answer my question about the correct use of the pairs for power? This is what is in place currently: - 1 pair for +ve DC - 2 pair for -ve DC I have since been told that this may be better: - 2 pair for +ve DC - 1 pair for -ve DC I would have thought that you would split all cables evenly: - 1.5 pair for +ve DC - 1.5 pair for -ve DC Can anyone explain why one option might be better than the others? (I'm getting a lot of "this is how we do it, but don't know why it works" - so wouldn't mind a little more explanation. Thanks

Just plugged in the numbers into a voltage drop calculator. The difference in resistance values between CCA and Copper are significant, but it also shows very similiar levels of voltage drop, so you're probably right about using CAT-5 over this distance for power. Putting this down to 1st time rookie specification mistake. We'll try AC tomorrow.

Hi Everyone, Would be great to get your thoughts on this one..... We are currently using CAT-5 (CCA) to supply some analogue cameras with baluns. The original PSU specified for the project is the Vista 12VDC 4x1A The longest cable run is 60m but we are having issues on much shorter runs. Cameras being used are Samsung Bullets w/ IR LEDs that draw 790mA max. current. During testing today, we were only getting 9V at the camera end / 12.2V leaving the power supply. At the moment the cabling has been configured: - 1 pair for video - 1 pair for +ve DC - 2 pair for -ve DC Our Engineer on site doesn't think splitting one of the -ve pairs to use for positive and negative will make any difference at the camera end. Can anyone explain why? I'm not a sparky so don't really understand the physics of it, but naturally would have thought more cores would supply more power. ps. we are changing the PSU's anyway but still want to optimise the power to the cameras.

Hi Everyone, We have been working very hard in December and that has led to us being successful with a number of projects that all seem to require us installing throughout the February & March. They are all really nice Clients and because we want to do our best to meet their needs, we are looking for a few exceptional Engineers to help out. The specialty areas of expertise required (and the brands we will be working with) include: Access Control: Paxton, PAC, Grosvenor – Janus / Sateon, Inner Range, PACOM CCTV: Pelco, Samsung Intruder Alarm: Honeywell, Texecom, Scantronic Door Entry / Intercom: Videx, Siedle, BPT We are looking for help from skilled data-cablers (1st fix) to mounting equipment and terminating devices (2nd fix). If you can commission systems, that's even better but don't let it worry you if you don't know how. (we could even show you...) Ideally you have at least got a CSCS card, hand-tools, safety boots – we’ll provide the rest (of course if you have more then you go to the top of the Class!) Hopefully you are available, but if not and you know of someone great, then please do them a favour and let them know we are looking, I’m sure they’ll be very grateful

It saved me having to run cable under a solid floor (because by the time the Receptionist asked for the PTE on her desk, the hardwood floor was already laid). Actually was simply going to suggest she Remote Desktop onto the software to release but when checking with Paxton, the 1st line support engineer had heard about this app but never used it. He tried it and was thoroughly impressed himself. In fact. I ended up just emailing the link to the client and they installed it themselves saving our Engineers a visit and our Client's a call-out fee. Nice when we can find solutions like that for Clients - it makes them Client's of a lifetime How's that for an endorsement

This is an amazing little app. Thanks to whoever put it together!!