After having my front door replaced with a new upvc. I got hold of a new door reed switch, im finding it a stuggle to work out how to fit it to the new door. Because the new door on the inside is not flush with upvc frame work, the two contacts will not meet. Aswell the new door is beveled on the edges making it even harder to fit . Im sure many other people have had the same problem as me, is there some sort of special reed switch for this problem. Please help

If the frame is further out from the door when the door is closed you will have to stand off the magnet that is fitted to the door; usually another terminal magnet housing will do.

Does the door open inwards or outwards. I know some will think this is a daft question. but there are actually alot of external doors that open outwards.

Who fitted the system?

The system was fitted by british gas for the last home owner. It is made by DSC. the door sticks out not the frame and the door opens inwards

the model of the alarm is a DSC power 832

DSC power 832

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[shudders] Good systems, horrible programming.

It sounds like you have a flush door contact (round in shape, to be flush fitted inside the door and frame)

What you need is a surface contact (oblong in shape, to be surface fitted on to the door and frame)

yes it is a pain to programme as i got the enginers code off the internet but its very complicated. but the reed switch i have is a long thin shape which fits onto the frame and edge of door (inside) but my problem is, they dont meet flush when door is shut as the door and frame dont meet flush ( door sticks out from frame)

They will work without being completely aligned. Usually you can mount the magnet on the edge of the door so the front of the magnet faces upwards and then fit the reed above that on the frame. I've seen them working at all sorts of peculiar angles.

If you can, connect up a meter to the reed and position them by hand to see what works and what doesn't. Just be aware that it wants to work with the contacts a bit further apart from where you're going to finally position them other wise it will be activating every time somone knocks on the door or the wind blows!

Can't you mount the magnet on the edge/lip/side of the door somehow and just shift back the reed switch a bit to accommodate it for when the door is closed?