QSXS

Texecom's are fantastic, but not for a Beginner / Novice. For smart phone control you will need a Smartcom, for SMS a Com2400, You can also fit a speech module. Texecom does have the advantage of a Full Wireless Keypad, but personally, I prefer to fit a wired version and see it alive. Same with the bell, much nicer to be alive. But plan for a world of pain as a beginner. Pyronix have a good reputation, much simpler and cheaper. Some kits also come with a WiFi Module Included. You can also get a wireless setting station or just use the Remote controls. I beleive you can also fit a wired full display Keypad to the enforcer if you wish. I would suggest you go with the Pyronix Enforcer. p.s. Have you considered getting a professional installation quote, because it may just not be worth the hassle doing it yourself. It's more likely to be done right and you have a channel of recourse if it fails to perform. Hope this helps. Ian

This question brought back some memories. I started playing with alarms when I was about 5 years old, started with disassembling a Yellow AND Black Bike Siren that made Police, Ambulance and fire sounds(Anyone remember these?). Being a bit of a hoarder, I still have bits of it. If you are new to electronics, then 555 timers are a great starting point. 556 is a dual version. Also LMC555 and TS555 are CMOS low power versions, so you can use batteries and they will last ages, if you get the circuit right. Your other friend in discrete logic is the HEX Schmitt Trigger CD40106B. You can make timers, clocks, latches, sirens and lots more with these. However, In today's world, you really need to be looking at uC like Atmel & PICs. You can buy an Arduino Micro Pro with a ATmega32U4 for under £5 and has enough processing power to sink a small battleship. At the DIY level, you would need very few parts to build a good alarm system, you can add a £3 ESP8266 to it, and you would have a Wifi enabled system.(But you will need to get good at coding and that's a good skill to have.) On a professional level, alarm systems have a little more to their design than just logic. Most alarms today, used ADC's on there I/O and measure the circuit resistance to be able to detect Tamper, Alarm and Faults. Also components like EMI Filters, ESD and Surge Suppressors. Watchdog and Current Monitoring. On top of this is a whole load of Firmware, Software and Testing. Hope this helps.

I am not saying its not but what is your justification?

To play devils advocate, what does it give you.? Under normal e&e, it's in Access. If you come through the window / hole in the door, possible a few second quicker notification, before ingression into one of the other zones. Possible false alarms from the letter box if fitted. I guess it guards the RKP and would also provide an extra point if alarm conformation is required. Although, I can think of one benefit from a system I did last month, as an Entry trigger in Part Arm that simplifies the functioning when using two Areas and local RKP arming. Without the trigger, the whole system would disarm.

I would be looking as spanning the system across multiple switches, servers and some form of fallback redundancy. So a single Switch / Server fault does not take you whole system down.

You have not shown a contact on the Front Door, I don't know what other think, but I would have the contact on the front door and lose the hall PIR. IMO, it does not offer much value.

Press Chime, The Zone LED should show you which Zone have Chime set, Press the zone number on the keypad to toggle it on/off, Press reset to exit. Let me know if it works. http://www.thesecurityinstaller.co.uk/community/files/file/49-accenta-optima-gen-4-user-manual/ Optima_Compact_User.pdf

I would agree with sixwheeledbeast, best to face inwards, also your plan does not show an radiators,heating ducts, stoves etc, that should also be considered. And, I would be very careful of the PIR in the hall, if you have a letter box in the door. You have not indicated the location of the panel, but if you are putting it in the utility room, it could be at risk of tampering from intrusion by the fitted window. But you would be protecting against a professional. .

When people stop buying Anti Virus sofware, there develop more viruses!

I wonder why that is.

I am quite new to Texecom, but I find Wintex quite good, I would hate to have to program a system by the RKP, But It am get better at it. I am assuming you are talking about a Elite 24 running V3.01. I am assuming you are connecting Z1 to Alarm and Z2 to Tamper, or are you using the AUX Fault for the Tamper? Although, I would question if you have rewired the system, why you are not using the EOL wiring??? )(Unless you have more than 3 Contacts per circuit). The diagnosis is much more intuitive with this configuration. Connect and open the Diagnosis, You can view the all the zone resistances in this window. If you are still stuck, I would be happy to look at your config, just PM me. Also Texecom Support is very good. (assuming you are an installer?)

I have always striped with side cutters. (Lindstrom 8141) But you need to control the nip much more carefully or you will weaken the strands. For those who find precision stripping wire with cutters difficult and pulling strands in CCA, Then I highly recommend ST500 / ST550. http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/miscellaneous/2550074952/ On terminal blocks, I was referring to the ones in panels, bells and detectors etc. Take Texecom, I do not know the reason why, but I am sure the designer was having a brain fart, at some point during the design. Most of the terminals are 45Deg, square box design, but the Bell Terminals are 90Deg. and have that metal fin, that is suppose to prevent the screw from damaging the wire, but once tightened, are a bar-stuard to retract and re-insert wires.(Without a paper clip). This is the same in the Pyronix Delta Bell, Put 90Deg Terminals right next to the plastic wall, come on Pyronix, 45Deg Terminals please. And while I am on product design, who put the Mains terminals on a Elite24Poly, right under the AUX/Zone terminals. (I suspect, Mr D. K. Head). There is plenty of space in the bottom left, for it to be safely out of the way. I know you supposed to pull the Isolator, but how many do? But it just IMO.

While a little extra work, you can always install Virtualbox and XP on your windoze 7/8/10. If you are having compatibility issues.

Due to the price of copper, we have CCA. I noticed quite a different between CQR and some unbranded CCA. Luck I only purchased 1 reel of the unbranded. See BS4737-3.30, there is a good write-up on CQR website. If you strip with wire cutters, be very careful, the strands are very easily damaged with little pressure. Also watch out when tightening in terminal blocks, it easy to shear off.