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Galaxy 8 - a few questions


Guest SoulessEye

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Guest SoulessEye

Hi, I have a couple of questions about my Galaxy 8 panel I'd like to ask but first I guess I'd better give a bit of background.

I have a Galaxy 8 panel and Mk7 keypad that I currently have working on a test bed with 3 pirs (Optex DX40E dual tech) and two door contact switches. All remaining zones are linked with 1k resistors.

I still need the following:

A compatible bell box

From reading this forum it seems that the Texecom Odyssey 1, 2 or 3 would be a good choice (engineers hold off I think is going to be essential whilst I'm messing about with it) , is it ok to work with the Galaxy 8? Could anyone suggest a wiring scheme?

A battery for the Galaxy 8 Panel

Again could anyone recommend one?

A 24 connection or higher junction box

I can only seem to get 6 or 8 connections, can anyone suggest anywhere I can get one of these?

I'm in the South between the Kingston, Wimbledon area, can anyone suggest an alarm equipment supplier I could get the bits from (I'm quite happy to get them online - it's just that I haven't found any yet). Also I'd be quite keen to have someone look over the installation or commission the system, is anyone in this area prepared to do that and if so can you give me an idea of the cost?

Appologies for the number of questions - but thanks in advance for any help.

cheers

Dave

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Hi dave,

Why such a big capacity joint box?

Do you have a manual for the Galaxy as they are not a DIY panel.

Best thing to do is offer the gear to a local company, they may or may not choose to install it for you but at least you will get correct guidance on such an important issue as security.

Was it an EBAY purchase?

Paul

PG Security Systems

Somerset

SSAIB Certificate of Merit Installers.

www.pgsecurity.co.uk

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Hmm, you've got this butt about face to be honest. You should have come here before buying any bits, from eBay. ;)

Bell box, any will work. Odyssey are a good choice, although if you're getting a company in to do the commisioning you'd be better getting hold of them before doing anything else as most like to fit there own.

Battery, depends what devices you've got on it.

24 connection junction box, oh dear! I can't see any reason why you would need 24+ connections on a system, in one place, apart from in the panel itself.

By the sounds of it, you'd be best advised to get someone in to look at fitting the system for you. I personally wouldn't be too keen o taking this one over after you'd installed it, especially with it being a Galaxy, they're not for DIY.

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Guest SoulessEye

Hi Paul, thanks for replying. The house came pre-wired with 6 core alarm wire and I need to extend these four wires as the panel is too big for the area that the wires currently end. I assume 4 wires x 6 cores = 24 terminals or have I got that totally wrong?

I have considered the professional install route but all the companies I spoke to wanted an extortionate amount of money to install it and that's after I'd bought the panel and the pirs (I bought them specifically as I wanted Optex DX40). Maybe I just got unlucky with the companies I contacted but it was enough to put me off, if anyone here would like to suggest a price I'd be interested to hear.

I'm pretty handy at most stuff and pretty good at wiring and the panel isn't that hard to understand. The most difficult bit was the EOL stuff. Like I say I have the panel working on a test bed and all that's left is the bell box, junction box and backup battery for the panel.

Many thanks

Dave

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Guest SoulessEye

Hi Lurch, replies are contained within your quote and at the bottom of the post.

Hmm, you've got this butt about face to be honest. You should have come here before buying any bits, from eBay. ;)

Ahh, the benefit of hindsight - why was I born soo human  ;) .  Well I really can't do anything about that now.

Bell box, any will work. Odyssey are a good choice, although if you're getting a company in to do the commisioning you'd be better getting hold of them before doing anything else as most like to fit there own.

Ok, thanks for that - can you suggest anyone in my area that could commission it?

Battery, depends what devices you've got on it.

Just what you see bud.

24 connection junction box, oh dear! I can't see any reason why you would need 24+ connections on a system, in one place, apart from in the panel itself.

Ok, looks like I've made a bad assumption here so I posted for advice, but hey isn't that what the DIY forum is about?

By the sounds of it, you'd be best advised to get someone in to look at fitting the system for you. I personally wouldn't be too keen o taking this one over after you'd installed it, especially with it being a Galaxy, they're not for DIY.

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The panel is up and running on a test bed. If I have the panel working correctly on the test bed all I need to do is to put the pirs and door contacts in their final operational places can't see why I need to spend £400 to get someone to do that for me.

If you could give me some advice about the battery and junction box I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

Dave

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Hold on a minute lads.

Prewired house 4 CABLES.

3 PIRS

2 CONTACTS

1 KEYPAD

1 SPEAKER

1 BELL

I make it that there should be 8 CABLES.

So how much is PREWIRED?

The opinions I express are mine and are usually correct!

(Except when I'm wrong)(which I'm not)

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I was just thinking that, 4 cables aren't enough for this job, and the keypad will need re-wiring or even wiring. Sounds to me like the simple sounding job of just install and commission, (note: sarcasm), would be more like 70-80% of a full install.

The prices you have quoted sound about right for what the job involves, i.e. fit panel, add more cables (same amount as are there), fit devices bells and speaker, commision & test, drink cuppa etc...

I think you're just expecting it to be cheaper because you bought a panel off eBay, there's more to it than buying cheap eqpt, we don't come for free!

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What type of cable is installed is it BT(solid) or alarm cable(stranded)?

By the sounds of things there is no cable fitted for the keypad yet is this correct?

Is there one cable for each device?

Is there a bell cable?

Is there a fused spur for powering it?

I would suggest you need a 7ahr battery and the texecom boxes would do what you need.

As far as joining the cables go, i would suggest that you solder them and then heatshrink over the top, enclose all the joints in a Box.

Did the companies that quoted, actually look at the job?

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Hold on a minute lads.

Prewired house 4 CABLES.

3 PIRS

2 CONTACTS

1 KEYPAD

1 SPEAKER

1 BELL

I make it that there should be 8 CABLES.

So how much is PREWIRED?

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i would think its being wired ;

first 6 core feeding 2 pirs (2 conductors per sensor = 4 + 2 for power)

second 6 core feeding 1 pir

third 6 core feeding 2 * doors

fourth 6 core feeding bell

usually these kind of prewired jobs assume you are using a on board keypad and internal to controls speaker so they won,t wire for them

either way its a bodge. If you start putting joints in you are asking for more problems.

MAKE SURE YOU SOLDER THEM DON'T PUT IN CHOC BLOC

this is far than simple if you want to use galaxy.

my advice - pit the galaxy back on ebay , sell it for a profit to what you bought it for(there always a someone who wants one), then use that money to buy a small domestic panel with keypad on board (i prefer SCANTRONIC '9448+' - 7 zones, economical panel that comes with full programming instructions and even shows you how to fit/connect sensors!!). you can fit that in original position without joints.

the galaxy is a nice and reliable panel but best fitted/programmed by experts. Also if it goes faulty where are you going to get spares from?

as it is the 4 cables indicates it has been wired incorrectly and you are going to have to put joints in sensors.

As you said this an advice forum and the above is mine

paul

THE BLACK KNIGHT

"Any comments / opinions posted are my opinion only and do not represent those of my employer or Company."

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I think the guy meant that there were four wires too short to terminate at the panel end, so I'm assuming (hoping) that there are more than four wires at the panel end. There should be if it's been done correctly (which you won't know as it's all under your floorboards and behind plasterboard) If it has'nt been done correctly, there could be all kinds of problems; cables joined by just twisting them together, several wires for detectors joining to one 6 core somewhere, staples through cables, damage to the cable's insulation. Are the cables even marked up at the panel end? Are the detector wires sited correctly so that your detectors will be covering the right area? Is the mains feed to the panel run with the alarm cables? Does the panel even have a mains feed? Just some food for thought...

Trade Member

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I think the guy meant that there were four wires too short to terminate at the panel end, so I'm assuming (hoping) that there are more than four wires at the panel end.

48937[/snapback]

Nope, I read it as 4 wires only at the panel end. All of which needed moving as the panel wouldn't fit. If there are only 4 wires in then I very much doubt anyone has done anything other than wire 3 PIR's downstairs and slung one in the loft for an SAB. No thought needed, sparky prewire job.

Basically, a rewire and start again job.

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Nope, I read it as 4 wires only at the panel end. All of which needed moving as the panel wouldn't fit. If there are only 4 wires in then I very much doubt anyone has done anything other than wire 3 PIR's downstairs and slung one in the loft for an SAB. No thought needed, sparky prewire job.

Basically, a rewire and start again job.

48941[/snapback]

Reading it again, it looks like you're right. Must be my Notherner-ness :whistle: The way I am, I read it "These 4 wires are too short wheras these other 4 wires are long enough"

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Guest SoulessEye

Hi everyone.

Firstly thanks to all for replying.

Secondly there's a bit of confusion from my previous post so let me clarify.

I have the relevant information to program this panel and at the moment I have the panel working correctly on a test bed

Ok, the property is a small 3 bedroom house. The house was prewired with 6 core alarm wire as follows: one wire for the rkp, one wire for the front door, one for the living room, and one for the kitchen. I really don't want to start going into details about my home on a public forum so please take it from me that given the layout/location of the property this is pretty good coverage.

I propose to put a mk7 keypad on one wire (hall), a magnetic door contact on the front door, a dualtech PIR in the living room and a dualtech PIR in the kitchen, these will be the four wires that need extending as the wires terminate in an area that is not big enough to house the panel.

I will be putting a third PIR upstairs which will have a direct run to the panel and I'll also be running a cable to the bellbox(s).

I've been thinking about an additional door contact on the back door but it would mean a lot of messing around with cabling and it's probably not worth it as there is no access to the garden and the area is covered by the dualtech anyway.

Each sensor will have its own cable and its own zone and this is how I have it setup at the moment, as I stated earlier I have the panel working on a test bed

It's true that the cable that goes to the RKP is not a Belden wire but researching through this forum there's one install that didn't use Belden wire for the RKP and he's had no problems. The RKP is only a short distance and I've checked that it doesn't run near power cables).

I hope that's cleared up any confusion, so back to my original questions:

Junction Box

If the wires should be soldered and heatshrunk and placed in a box rather than placed in a junction block and heatshrink then that's good, I'm a competent solderer (is that even a word :) ).

Can someone suggest where to get this 'box' from?

Bell box

Looks like the Texecom Odyssey is in pole position here - can someone please help with the connections to the Galaxy?

Battery

Alarmgard suggested a 7ahr battery (thanks) - are these a one size fits all or do I need a specific one?

Did I mention - I have the panel working on a test bed :yes:

Thanks again everyone.

Dave

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You keep mentioning the fact you have the system working on a test bed as if you know exactly what you're doing.

I'll leave you to it then.

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Hi everyone.

Firstly thanks to all for replying.

Secondly there's a bit of confusion from my previous post so let me clarify.

I have the relevant information to program this panel and at the moment I have the panel working correctly on a test bed

Ok, the property is a small 3 bedroom house.  The house was prewired with 6 core alarm wire as follows: one wire for the rkp, one wire for the front door, one for the living room, and one for the kitchen.  I really don't want to start going into details about my home on a public forum so please take it from me that given the layout/location of the property this is pretty good coverage.

I propose to put a mk7 keypad on one wire (hall), a magnetic door contact on the front door, a dualtech PIR in the living room and a dualtech PIR in the kitchen, these will be the four wires that need extending as the wires terminate in an area that is not big enough to house the panel.

I will be putting a third PIR upstairs which will have a direct run to the panel and I'll also be running a cable to the bellbox(s).

I've been thinking about an additional door contact on the back door but it would mean a lot of messing around with cabling and it's probably not worth it as there is no access to the garden and the area is covered by the dualtech anyway.

Each sensor will have its own cable and its own zone and this is how I have it setup at the moment, as I stated earlier I have the panel working on a test bed

It's true that the cable that goes to the RKP is not a Belden wire but researching through this forum there's one install that didn't use Belden wire for the RKP and he's had no problems.  The RKP is only a short distance and I've checked that it doesn't run near power cables).

I hope that's cleared up any confusion, so back to my original questions:

Junction Box

If the wires should be soldered and heatshrunk and placed in a box rather than placed in a junction block and heatshrink then that's good, I'm a competent solderer (is that even a word :) ).

Can someone suggest where to get this 'box' from?

Bell box

Looks like the Texecom Odyssey is in pole position here - can someone please help with the connections to the Galaxy?

Battery

Alarmgard suggested a 7ahr battery (thanks) - are these a one size fits all or do I need a specific one?

Did I mention - I have the panel working on a test bed  :yes:

Thanks again everyone.

Dave

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fair enough

all the stuff you need (apart from quality alarm equipment) you can get from your local B/Q electrical section.

Most proffesional alarm suppliers won,t sell to joe public but you may be able to get on line but as i don,t buy on line i,m afraid i don,t know who to recommend.

i would recommend that you look in your local paper in the alarm section - you may find an local independant alarm engineer who will help you out on a consultation /at cost basis but you must realise we can,t be to in depth on a public forum. We have all given our opinions, please don,t think we are not listening to you but we are all professionals and we like to see a job done as we would do it.

good luck with your install

paul

THE BLACK KNIGHT

"Any comments / opinions posted are my opinion only and do not represent those of my employer or Company."

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We have all given our opinions, please don,t think we are not listening to you but we are all professionals and we like to see a job done as we would do it.

good luck with your install

I think that says it all nicely Paul.

We don't seem to get this accross too well in the joe public section, whereby those of us doing this for a living have to do it to meet certain mandatory industry standards, or we get a non compliance with our inspectorate.

Most people asking for advice here (right or wrong) don't give a monkey's about such standards & only want to have a bash at it themselves. That's up to them and to quote another forum member " do it cheap, do it twice".

It's gonna be fun when EN 50131 kicks in & we start telling clients only wanting 2 PIR's, that it won't do banghead More wasted surveys me thinks :whistle:

Chris Teague (Sales & Operations Manager) Sightguard Intruder Division

Covering the Isle of Wight: - Design, Installation, Maintenance & Takeover of Intruder Alarms, Fire Alarms & Equipment, CCTV, Access Control, Nursecall. Keyholding Service, Guarding & Cash in Transit. SSAIB & NICEIC Registered Tel 01983 884000 / 884440

Any comments / opinions posted could be the voices in my head speaking, but they are my opinion only and do not represent those of my employer or Company

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I think that says it all nicely Paul.

We don't seem to get this accross too well in the joe public section, whereby those of us doing this for a living have to do it to meet certain mandatory industry standards, or we get a non compliance with our inspectorate.

Most people asking for advice here (right or wrong) don't give a monkey's about such standards & only want to have a bash at it themselves. That's up to them and to quote another forum member " do it cheap, do it twice".

It's gonna be fun when EN 50131 kicks in & we start telling clients only wanting 2 PIR's, that it won't do  banghead  More wasted surveys me thinks  :whistle:

48996[/snapback]

Agreed. Generally clients know best, why because they were told in "acme DIY" that this is all they need, or they were told on the internet that 20 detectors on one zone is okay and that there is capacity for twenty more on this new ADE G3 panel.

With the advent of the internet, more and more information is readily available to the end users, and whereby they simply want a cheap fast fix, they don

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Guest SoulessEye

Hi everyone, once again thanks for your input.

I understand your concerns here, I'm in I.T and the amount of work that's being off-shored is frightening, some of the code that comes back is very good quality but some is abysmal especially when it is to be used in validated systems.

I had the Galaxy 8 panel lying around anyway (donated from a relly) and thought it would be a waste to not use it - particularly since it has such a good reputation.

Thanks for the advice given, I'll persevere and hopefully the Odyssey manual will explain how to connect it to the panel.

cheers

Dave

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Thanks for the advice given, I'll persevere and hopefully the Odyssey manual will explain how to connect it to the panel.

If it does not, someone here will be happy to go through the connections & programming with you ;)

Regards Chris

Chris Teague (Sales & Operations Manager) Sightguard Intruder Division

Covering the Isle of Wight: - Design, Installation, Maintenance & Takeover of Intruder Alarms, Fire Alarms & Equipment, CCTV, Access Control, Nursecall. Keyholding Service, Guarding & Cash in Transit. SSAIB & NICEIC Registered Tel 01983 884000 / 884440

Any comments / opinions posted could be the voices in my head speaking, but they are my opinion only and do not represent those of my employer or Company

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i,ve checked the manual - there are 5 connections a b c d s which are all itemised in the manual. with your hopefully gained knowledge from working on the test bed you should have no problem finding the right combination.

ps i found the manual by doing a search for texecom oddysey sounders in google and it wasnt in any protected places so i arnt given any info that can,t be found by joe public

paul

THE BLACK KNIGHT

"Any comments / opinions posted are my opinion only and do not represent those of my employer or Company."

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Guest SoulessEye

Hi Paul, thanks for that. I managed to d/l the pdf manuals for the Odyssey range, as you say they're available online as are the Galaxy manuals.

Panel

Set

Intruder

Bell

Strobe

Bell

A (12v)

B (Bell)

C (Tamp)

D (0v)

S (Strb)

Probably try:

Bell Panel

A (12v) +ve

B (Bell) Bell

C (Tamp) No Idea :)

D (0v) -ve

S (Strb) Strobe

Hopefully I wont blow it up :)

cheers

Dave

i,ve checked the manual - there are 5 connections a b c d s which are all itemised in the manual. with your hopefully gained knowledge from working on the test bed you should have no problem finding the right combination.

ps i found the manual by doing a search for texecom oddysey sounders in google and it wasnt in any protected places so i arnt given any info that can,t be found by joe public

paul

49041[/snapback]

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if you read the manual in more depth it tells you about the tamp and what /where to connect. depending on how you have been testing the galaxy it should be self obvious where it goes

paul

THE BLACK KNIGHT

"Any comments / opinions posted are my opinion only and do not represent those of my employer or Company."

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