| This article outlines the basic steps in installing a wireless alarm system.
Introduction
The alarm equipment has arrived and the time has come to actually install the system. You can actually install the equipment in almost any order but the following installation sequence will ensure a neat and reliable installation.
- Read through all the manufacturer's manuals, but don't be put off by some of the jargon.
- Install the Control Panel
- Install the Detectors, preferably one at a time and check for correct operation after each detector is installed.
- Install the Signalling Devices
- Program the system
Installing The Control Panel
Before fixing the control panel in its final position you must check that all the proposed detector transmitters can be received by the control panel. This procedure assumes that you do not have a signal strength meter - if you do then you shouldn't need to read this.
- Place the panel in its preferred position and power it up on the internal battery.
- Insert the battery into a detector and 'learn' the detector to the panel.
- Put the panel into walk test mode and position the detector at all the proposed positions for the detectors.
- If necessary reposition the detectors or control panel or both until all the detector positions are received by the control panel. Make a note of the detector positions. When positioning the control panel, bear in mind the following.
- Availability of mains electricity. All control panels require a mains electricity supply which should be supplied to the panel via a fused spur (not switched) fitted with a 3 Amp fuse.
- Cabling access. If the panel is to be connected to a hard-wired external sounder then the cable route to the sounder should be taken into consideration.
- Ease of access. Ensure that the panel is sited such that you can easily access the keypad on the panel.
- When the panel's final position has been determined, remove any break-outs from the panel and offfer the panel to the wall, mark the positions of the fixing holes and the cable entry points,
- Drill any required holes through the wall at the rear of the panel and drill and plug the holes for the fixing screws.
- Arrange for an electrician to connect the mains supply cable from the fused spur to the control panel. DO NOT apply mains power to the panel while the panel cover is open - REMOVE THE FUSE from the fused spur.
Installing Detectors
Installing detectors is simply a matter of learning the detector to a particular zone on the panel, checking that its signal is received at the control panel and then physically fixing the detector in place.
Make a note of which zone the detectors are connected to as you install them. This will make programming the system a lot easier.
The detection system should now be functional with all the detectors correctly triggering and the global tamper clear.
Installing Signalling Devices
If you are installing a wireless sounder then installation is simply a matter of learning the sounder to the control panel and checking that the sounder receives the signal from the control panel.
Installing a hard-wired Internal Sounder (piezo)
A simple (two wire) internal piezo sounder can be installed along with the external sounder. The sounder should be connected to the permanent +ve supply and the bell trigger in parallel with the external sounder - see SAB connections below. Note: be careful not to exceed the maximum bell output current.
Installing an Internal Sounder (Loudspeaker)
Most control panels have a built in loudspeaker for signalling entry.exit tones (low volume) and alarm tones (high volume). Additional loudspeakers may be fitted but there is usually a minimum and maximum load allowed.The following is a typical extract from a control panel installation manual. Refer to the specific installation manual for their loadings.
"The total load including the built-in speaker must not be less than 4ohm (e.g. 2 x
8ohm speakers in parallel, 4 x 16ohm speakers in parallel, 2 x 2ohm speakers in series,
4 x 1ohm speakers in series, etc.)"
The loudpeaker(s) is/are connected to the L/S terminals.
Installing a Hard-wired External Sounder
- Decide on the positioning of the external sounder bearing the following in mind.
- The sounder should be fitted as high up as possible, and be readily visible. A decoy sounder can be added on another face of the building to increase awareness of an alarm.
- The cable to the sounder must enter from the rear of the sounder - no cable should be visible.
- Try to hide the internal routing of the cable by bringing it through the loft or through a cupboard/wardrobe.
- Drill a hole through the wall to coincide with the cable entry of the sounder. Note: if drilling through into a plastered room, the hole is best drilled inside to outside.
- Feed the cable (6 core) from the control panel, through any pre-drilled internal holes and through the external wall. A straightened wire coat hanger can assist in getting the cable past the cavity in external walls. Leave around 0.5 metres hanging outside.
- Offer the back-plate against the wall such that the cable entry hole is in line with the cable and the sounder is level. Adjust the position so that the mounting holes are aligned with brickwork and not the mortar. Mark the position of the mounting holes.
- Drill and plug the holes.
- Pull the cable through the rear of the sounder and fix the sounder to the wall. If the sounder is fitted to an uneven wall then packing pieces should be inserted to avoid twisting the backplate.
- Sounder installations vary but in general the cores should be connected to the relevant terminals. Do not connect the sounder's internal battery at this point. Fix the cable to the backplate or tie a knot it to prevent the cable being pulled from the sounder.
- Fix the cable along its route working back to the control panel. Connect the cores to the relevant terminals on the control panel. Note: control panels and sounders usually have cross references for sounder/panel connections. Where this is not given, the wiring connections will have to be worked out from the generic wiring scheme given below.
Wiring an External Sounder
The majority of control panel and external sounder installation manuals have charts for connecting various panel/sounder pairings. Where the sounder and panel are not listed the wiring can be determined by matching the functions of the terminals in the panel and sounder.
A typical control panel will have at least 5 connections for connecting the SAB sounder. Sometimes a sixth terminal is present - Strobe +ve, but this is actually the same feed as the permanent +v supply.
- Permanent Positive Supply (+12V) - also termed +ve hold off
- Switched Negative to Activate Sounder
- Negative Tamper Return
- Permanent Negative Supply (0V) - also termed -ve hold off, this is the tamper feed
- Switched Negative to Activate Strobe
- Strobe positive supply (not always present)
A typical wiring scheme for the Txecom Veritas series of panels is shown below as a guide.
The control panel is usually factory fitted with a link across the tamper feed and return which allows you to determine two of the terminals (the link should be removed on installation). The other terminals can then be identified from the installation instructions for panel and sounder.
When the correct connections have been made the final connection is usually to activate the sounder by connecting the sounder's internal battery. The installation manual for the sounder details the procedure. Finally fit the sounder cover, ensuring that the tamper switch(es) close.
If no other signalling devices are to be installed then the system can be programmed - see below.
Installing A Speech Dialler
This section describes the installation of a typical speech dialler - refer to the speech dialler installation manual for specific instructions.
As mentioned previously, a speech dialler can be fitted to any hard-wired control panel. On a bells only panel the dialler has to be triggered by the bell trigger and as such there is no option of delaying the bell before the dialler dials. On a panel with communicator outputs the dialler is triggered by different outputs dependent on the type of alarm - e.g. Intruder, Personal Attack, Fire.
- Decide on the positioning of the dialler unit bearing in mind the following.
- If the unit is a stand-alone unit it should be fitted as near to the telephone master socket as is practical.
- If the unit has a listen-in/talk back feature, then the unit should be fitted where this feature would be useful.
- Fix the unit securely in position.
- Connect the cabling to the required terminals in the dialler.
- Fix the cable working back to the control panel.
- Connect the cable to the required terminals in the control panel,
- Connect the telephone cable into the dialler.
- Connect the cable to the telephone master socket either by using the standard plug or by hard wiring into the socket (refer to the installation manual).
- Programme the dialler according to the installation manual.
Programming the System
When all the detectors and signalling devices have been installed and everything is working correctly the system can be programmed accordingly. Refer to the control panel installation manual.
Conclusion
Congratulations, now you've installed the system make a note of the program settings. The last thing to do is to change the user code(s) and the engineer code. Note: the user code should be changed regularly such that the same buttons are not constantly used.
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