Thank you everyone - I'll just have to resort to trial and error. As I said, the zone was working before I disconnected it - I can connect each coloured wire to the same colour (this is, after all simply a repair or extension to a cable) All I wanted was to know if two coloured wires were supposed to be joined at this point. I don't know what a walk test is, or what cct means, I do know which colours go to tamper and which to alarm and which to power, so I'll have to try all combinations (except live) and see what happens.

All I wanted was to know if two coloured wires were supposed to be joined at this point.

Not normally, sounds like someone taking a shortcut to me.

Thank you everyone - I'll just have to resort to trial and error. As I said, the zone was working before I disconnected it - I can connect each coloured wire to the same colour (this is, after all simply a repair or extension to a cable) All I wanted was to know if two coloured wires were supposed to be joined at this point. I don't know what a walk test is, or what cct means, I do know which colours go to tamper and which to alarm and which to power, so I'll have to try all combinations (except live) and see what happens.

OK, but trial and error shouldn't be needed.

If it "worked" you had power - that's 2 separate wires, and you appear to know what they are. Join them wrong and you blow a fuse! If it "worked" the alarm circuit used 2 wires also and you know what they are too.

That assumes that by "worked" you mean you could bang the window and set the alarm off when set. If you just meant you could set the alarm that's potentially a different problem entirely.

The tamper SHOULD use 2 wires and you know what they are at the device. A tamper will trigger the alarm if the circuit is broken. So if the tamper wires are joined in the junction box the alarm will still work, but the wires and/or device could be disabled by an intruder without you knowing.

You should be able to work it out from that. Chances are it's the tamper circuit that's sharing a terminal.

As Topalarms said it was probably someone taking a shortcut on the wiring.

Given, if I read you correctly, you're saying this is a rented property with new tenants arriving soon surely a professional maintenance contract would be required anyway?

Edited December 4, 200718 yr by amateurandy