QSXS

I consider myself lucky, I managed to get a Fully EITB / Entra Apprintership, C&G, ONC,HNC in a big electronics company all funded. Very few business do this today or even have the setup to support it. The factory I started in done all its manufacturing, Cables, Looms, PCB's, Metal Punching, bending, powder painting, Assembly, Test, Field Service and repair. As an apprentice, you worked in every department and tried everything for at least one month. Took 4 Year to complete. You will struggle to find a company to stay with for 4 year today. Then come in the Bean counters and the Six Sigma Lean team and there outsourcing. Who convince management that outsourcing would save ££££. Then China become accessible and killed most of the UK SME's But the UK is now in big trouble, because companies are having big issues with China and China's economy is declining, factories will be going bust and UK business will be hung to dry. So what is the UK doing, simple - Give every kid a Arduino and Raspberry Pie and all is will be good !!! I had a student a couple of years ago(16), and there electronics was all done in Workbench, No Making PCB's, No Soldering, No hands on! (Because Elf & Safety and Budget) We should make kids build there mobile phone if they want one, that would motivate them...(Maybe not as there first project !!) ;-)

Have you trying a really BIG Push Button to exit sign, alternative, what about a PIR on Exit. This bring me on to a (I think) funny and true story. A thief attempted to access a factory late at night, he slipped in while someone was exiting. (Bad I know..) But there was a second set of security doors, Believing he was trapped in the stairwell and in frustration, he starts kicking the doors and punching the windows in the doors. On Drugs, the guy manages to punch out a foot square wire reinforced fire window, and cut an artery in the process. A night worker passes by and see the broken window, looks through and sees the guy in a pool of blood in the stairs and calls 999. The guy did live to be charged. He tried to claim he come in looking for the Toilet and become trapped. Needless to say, he was known to police. But only because he did was to high to realised he needed to "Push the button to Exit" or Break the GBU !!

25 Years ago C&G 224 in Electronic Service was what every apprentice when on, the coarse was always fully subscribed. It seems 224 has long gone. I am not sure what the equivalent is today, It seems most colleges have dropped electronics for Programming and Web design. So we will have a country of Software Nerds, but no Electronics Engineers to develop the hardware. al-yeti, "It's simple case of getting your wiring right and resistors in the correct place " - 40 Posts on, Hopefully, the next one will be "It Works!"

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.

You can not beat hands on, but it is important to know the fundamentals first, or you will blow stuff up. As Charlie6 said, you can hear the reeds click, but I am finding this more difficult as I am getting older! Last picture!, In keeping with charlie6 SOT, I have shown the RKP Z1 as a DP/EOL. You might also want is consider some courses like C&G 1853-02, C&G 2882, Its an Ideal time as the new term is just starting. I do not know your age, but 16-18 you should get 100% funding and 19-24 is 50%, Not sure on the costs, think it depends on location / facility. I am sure others on here can provide more information. Got to go, customer just bust a PIR putting up Coving. Hope this helps

I have have one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6PCS-LED-Waterproof-5-5mm-10M-USB-Endoscope-Borescope-Tube-Inspection-Camera-/271956286475?hash=item3f51db9c0b The 90Deg, mirror is not much good, but the camera is not half bad for 8 quid. Its helped no end with dropping cables behind plaster board, looking in stud walls,looking under floor boards and fitting Flush Door contacts. Often, a 20mm hole in the floor or wall is sufficient to do keyhole cable routing. It would be nice to be able to steer the end, but you can kind of do this by rotating the cable. But for 8 quid, you can not expect too much. (Assuming you carry a laptop to use it on.) I am never without it. BTW: I always try and hide the cables to RKP, Front Door and Speaker on Domestic Installations. But it does take time. What do others do?

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.

I do not mean to be rude and I am trying to be helpful, Everyone has to learn. But your earlier comments confuse me? I would expect a Trainee Installation Engineer to have a some basic knowledge of electrical connections, switches and resistors in Parallel and Series. Also the ability to read the installation manuals. The Impact Plus Installation Manual is clear and will also answer your question on Contact Gap when used on a Ferrous Surface. The manual also details the magnet positions. The Elite Installation Manual P31, Details the wiring of EOL Circuits with 1 and 2 Alarm contacts. If this is your First Solo Project, what was you being shown when you was with somebody? Do you have any background in Electrics or Electronics? It sounds like you need a really 1-2-1 with your trainer. While its good to learn how to program via the Keypad. Get a Serial Cable and Wintex. There are just too many setting to configure by the RKP. For you own education, I urge you to RTFM. (I mean this in a nice way). Some poor engineer has spent there days writing it all for our benefit, for it not to be read.! (Believe me, Engineers hate doing it!) Having said all that, I am sure I am now in for a beasting.! I will repeat, you should really put the Shocks on different zones. As another member mentioned, you have 2 extra zones in the RKP. Remember you can run the zone(s) in the RKP back to the panel in the connecting cable, depending on the number of cores. So, if you run 8 Core to the RKP, 4 are for the RKP(Power and Data) and 4 for RKP Z1 and Z2. Assuming you are not using a pair for Speaker. (Some RKP also support Speaker) If you must wire the Reed and Shock on the same zone, I have attached the diagram. Hope this helps

Dangle the bate and one is sure to bite.. "School of Thought" is that define in a Manual, Spec or Standard somewhere? The thing about "Schools of Thought" is different schools have different ideas. I do not disagree with the circuit being supervised and will detect a short on the circuit, but there is one supervised loop in the cable, so would suffice for this guys application, Adding 2 more resistors to the problem, is really going to confuse him!.

It should look like the attach drawing. Assuming you use a separate Zone for the shock. (Recommended) I have also included the PIR Wiring. Do not forget to attach ALL Covers before testing. I am sure someone will create a debate over used using NC and not DP/EOL for the Shock Circuit, but I do not want to complicate it any more at the moment. Hope this helps

AS per Simlec and my point 4. I would also propose you wire the shock and Reed in different zones.

1. Are you a DIY Installer? 2. Do you have Wintex and a Serial Cable or are you using the RKP to Program? 3. Have you checked the Door Contact Wiring and ensured the EOL Resistor are correctly connected or used a contact with EOL Risistor built in. 4. Have you check the alignment of the contact and magnet.