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What You Need To Install A Complete 100% Burglar Alarm System.
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Table of Contents

1. Main Control Panel.
2. RJ-31X Telephone Connection.
3. End Of Line Resistors.
4. Zones And Zone Doubling.
5. Wiring.
6. Expansion Devices.
7. Keypads.
8. Sirens.
9. Motions.
10. Glass Breaks.
11. Door and Window Switches.
12. Smoke Detectors.
13. Heat Detectors.
14. Gas Detectors.

Main Control Panel.

1.         The main control is either A panel box or for 1-piece units the main keypad. That is your Main Brain of your alarm system. that is where AC Power, Low Voltage, Siren, Keypad, Telephone, Hardwired Zones come into. You could also have a Wireless Receiver for Wireless Devices. Some Systems Have Combination Of Hardwired And Wireless, Like The Ademco Vista Series, The ITI Concord Series, The Napco Gemini Series, The DSC Power Series.
2.        All Programming Stays Locked into this control unit. You can unplug this unit for years and the programming will stay. The Main system Backup Battery is also located in the Main Control.
3.         All Hardwired Expansion Cards, Modules are located in or near this Main Control Unit. The Exception is when you have Zone Expanders that could be located in another part of the house. This Reduces the amount of wires you have to run to the main control unit.

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RJ 31X Telephone Connection.

Installing a RJ-31X1  (Print for ease of installation)

With Any Alarm System An RJ-31X Telephone Interface Is Recommended. This Ensures That The Burglar Can Not Take Your Telephone Off The Hook And Prevent Your System From Dialing Out.

The Following Steps Will Show You How To Install Your RJ-31X Jack.

1-Remove Your Existing Jack OR Telephone Wires From The Connecting Block You Ran Your Burglar Alarm RJ-31X Jack Telephone Wire To.
2-Connect You Red And Green Wires From Your RJ-31X Jack To The Telephone Block That Your Phone Wires Used To Be Wired To. Thus Dedicating Dial Tone To Your Security System First.
3-Connect Your YELLOW & BLACK OR What Ever Second Pair You Used From Your RJ-31X To The Telephone Wires You Removed From Your Block Or Dial Tone.
You Are Done: Now Your Security System Will Act As A Switch, Disconnecting Your Telephone's In The House From Your Security System.
NOTE: The Same Applies Even If You Connect Your Alarm To Just 1-Telephone Jack In The House. Just Remember That Most RJ-31X Jacks Have Brown & Grey In Place Of Yellow & Black. Then Remove The Jack Wires From The Back Block And Connect Them To The Second Pair From The RJ-31X Jack.
NOTE: If You Loose Dial Tone At Any Time, All You Have To Do Is Unplug The Wire From Your Security System To The RJ-31X Jack. This Will Disconnect Your Security System From Your Telephones And Allow The RJ-31X Jack To Act As The Switch Instead Of The Security System.
This Allows You To See If The Security System Is Locked Up Preventing Your Telephones From Working OR If Your Telephone Company Is Having Problems And Not Giving You Dial Tone To Your House.

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End Of Line Resistors

1. Most all systems have End Of Line (EOL) Resistors.
2. The Normally Closed (N/C) (See Figure 3) ones are made for-Doors, Windows, Motions, Glass Breaks, Siren Box Tampers. Most times the N/C resistors can be connected at the panel because the Normally Closed circuit is always being monitored by the security system. If one side of the loop breaks you will know right away. The system will give you a fault status.
3. The other type of EOL resistor connection is the Normally Open (N/O) (See Figure 3). These are for Smoke Detectors, Heats, Gas Detectors, Water, And Temperature. These loops are always open and if one side breaks you would not know it unless the N/O EOL was at the and of the loop supervising the circuit. When one side of the loop is broken or tampered with IE: Shorted, The alarm will either sound an alarm of shorted, or a trouble will sound at the keypad if one side is broken. IE: The panel lost connection with the End Of Line Resistor.
4. NOTE: Most systems use different value resistors for different type of expansion applications. IE: The main system could use  2000 Ohm Resistors , And the Zone Expander would use a 6.2K Ohm Resistors. Zone Doubling (see next section) can use 2-different value of resistors all together. So be careful not to mix them up.
5. See Resistor Types And Values Here.

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Zones

1. Hardwired Zones are configured usually by type of device and or then by area in the house that the device resides.
   Windows are usually tied into one zone per room.
2. Wireless Zones Are Configured Every Device Equals A Zone. As Each Device Is Its Unique Transmitter or Zone.
3. All Motions, Whole Room Glassbreaks, are always 1 device per zone. This helps you find out what device is in trouble or falsing.
4. The Myth Of Wireless Is Just That A Myth. ALL professional wireless systems today are just as reliable if not more than Hardwired, for the fact that wireless batteries last 5-8 years, Their fully supervised, and you do not have to tear up everything to have a professional security system in your home or business. Just keep in mind even though you have a wireless alarm system you still have to hardwire the following:

• Main Control AC Low Voltage Power
• Keypads
• Indoor Sirens / Outdoor Siren Tampers
• Telephone Line

• Unless You Have A One Piece System Like The ITI Simon, Ademco Lynx, Visonic PowerMax
  Then You Just Have To Run Main Control AC Power And Telephone Line.

1. Zones are broken up into areas such as the following example. This Puts The System Into An Orderly List For Troubleshooting.

Typical Hardwired Zone Setup Delay Door Zone (Front Door - Garage Inside Door) Back and Side doors Zone Living Room Windows L/R Sliding Glass Door Kitchen Windows Den Windows Dining Room Windows Bathroom Window Some Panels Not Used Basement Windows Garage Windows L/R Glassbreak Kitchen Glassbreak Den Glassbreak D/R Glassbreak Basement Glassbreak Garage Glassbreak Living Room Motion Kitchen Motion Den Motion D/R Motion Basement Motion Garage Motion Basement Smoke Detector 1st Floor Smoke Detector 2nd Floor Smoke Detector CO Gas detector Natural Gas Detector Laundry Room Water Sensor

Typical Wireless Zone Setup Front Door Garage Inside Door Side Door Back Door Living Room South Window Living Room West Window L/R Sliding Glass Door Kitchen Window Some Panels Not Used Dining Room Window East D/R Window North Bathroom Window Garage Window L/R Glassbreak Kitchen Glassbreak Den Glassbreak D/R Glassbreak Basement Glassbreak Garage Glassbreak Living Room Motion Kitchen Motion Den Motion D/R Motion Basement Motion Garage Motion Basement Smoke Detector 1st Floor Smoke Detector 2nd Floor Smoke Detector CO Gas detector Natural Gas Detector Laundry Room Water Sensor

Zone Doubling.

1. Zone Doubling is when you have Zones 1-8, then Zones 2-8 are used to parallel additional zones on top for Zones 10-16.
   IE: Zone 2 Is Doubled As Zone 10, Zone 3 Is Doubled As Zone 11, Zone 4 Is Doubled As Zone 12, ETC. (See Figure 2)
2. This is done by using different value resistors for the first set of zones 1-8 than the second set of zones 10-16.
3. Figure 2 is showing 8 zones out of 16. for example only.

(Figure 2)

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Wiring.

1.         There are 3-Different kinds of wire you should use. 2-conductor Twist Stranded for Door and Window Switches, 4-conductor "Quad" for motions, glass breaks, sirens, keypads Etc. 8-Conductor "4-Pair" "Cat-3" for keypads and you can splice in the door switch that is near it, to save running that door to the main system. You can also Use 4-Pair from the attic to the main control lets say is in the basement for zones. this way you do not have to run 6-or8 wires just 2-"4-pair".
2. There are 2-kinds of circuits that are used in alarm systems. 1-Is the Normally Closed Burg Circuit. This loop of wire runs out from one terminal of the zone, Through the switches then back through the End Of Line Resistor to the other side of the Zone. When the circuit is broken the alarm sounds.
3.         2-Is the Normally open circuit. This is used for Fire, Heat, Smoke Water Etc. The 2-Wires from the zone goes out to through any and all detectors and stays open. No Short. At the end across the wires goes an End Of Line Resistor. Whenever this loop is shorted the alarm sounds.
4. 

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Expansion Devices.

1.         There are many expansion devices out there. the most common are; Zone Expansion, Telephone Dial In Access Modules, Relay Modules. All these are connected in parallel with the 4-Conductors of all the keypads. this is Power and Data. Keypads as well as expansion devices DO NOT Necessarily have to be all ran back to the Control panel. You Can Daisy Chain them from one to another. Just Like Smoke Detectors.

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Keypads.

1. There are really 4 different type of keypads you can use.
2. LCD Alpha English Hardwired. This keypad is wired to your main control. It provides you with a word readout so it tells you what zone is open by the     zone name of the area. These keypads are also used widely for programming systems.
3. Fixed display wired keypads. This keypad is also hardwired to your main control and tells you status an faults by zone number only.
4. LED keypads. This keypad is wired to your main control and gives you status and faults by LED lights. Beware of these keypads because if for example      you get an 8 zone LED keypad, any zones above 8 will not display status. These are the lowest cheapest end keypads and are not recommended.
5. Wireless Keypads. These keypads vary from manufacture to manufacture. There are some that talk to you, some with LCD Displays, Some with Fixed Display, And some with led display. There is 1-common factor here though. most wireless keypads will not work in "Chime" mode. some will if you provide 12 volt power to them continuously.

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Sirens.

1.       Sirens can be located in many places in your home or business. When Adding an external siren make sure it is well out of reach of anyone being able to get to it from the ground and or ladder. If it can be accessed then make sure that you have an outdoor siren with a "Siren Tamper" built into it. This will set off your alarm system if any one tries to remove the front cover or remove the siren from the surface it is mounted to.
2.       The most common places that sirens are mounted are as follows. We select this list from 25 years experience in home / office safety.
3.       Outside-Attic Vents, Under Eaves of roofs , Very High Side Wall Of Building, Wall Vents.
4.       Inside-Center of the first floor above a closet etc. 2nd floor by bedrooms, basement, 1-2-Or all 3 works for me.

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Motions.

1.          Most motions are for protection when you are NOT Home. They are useless when you are home. You want protection while you are Staying in the home as well as when you are away.
2.         Mount your motions where you can see the biggest part of the entire first floor. Preferably aiming towards the back of the house. You can also mount a motion in the basement as well as the 2nd floor hallway. Some people also mount motions in the Master Bedroom for extra security. Cover those Sliding glass doors as well.

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Glass Breaks.

1.         Whole room Glass Break Detectors are used  throughout the entire basement as well as the entire first floor. This is your main protection along side your Door and Window Switches. Some people instead of whole room glass breaks will use window / pull apart plug combination glass protection. A fine example is Sentrol 5150WH glass break that double sticks on Every window pane with a plug or "Butter Fly 367 Switch".
2. See The Glass Breaks With Butterfly Switches Here.

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Door and Window Switches.

1.   Door Switches are mostly recessed mounted on the hinge side of the door between the top or bottom hinge and the floor or ceiling of the door jam. These are called pushbutton switches. Other ways of switching a door is top latch side drilled into the header through the door jam, Or High up on the Latch side. These are called Roller Ball Switches. Another way is to use surface mounted switches like the GRI 100T Series. You mount these switches any were on the Latch side of the door. If you have Double doors then you would want 2-switches. I.E.: If it a Delay Front Door the Opening door would be put onto delay with 1-switch While the other Fixed door would be set for Perimeter Instant. This way when the door is Kicked in the delay zone would be overridden by the Perimeter zone setting off the Alarm Immediately.
2.         Window Switches are mostly mounted anywhere on the Latch side. This reduces the opportunity of the burglar slipping a Bypass onto the switch wires. Double Hung windows are mounted as follows. 1-switch on the Top of the Top Window. 1-switch on the top side of the bottom window. The GRI 100T Series is also a good switch to use. Crank out or Casement windows are wired through the bottom latch side to the side FLAT side surface. The magnet then goes onto the window. Again the GRI100T series is excellent for this application.
3. See Wiring Windows Example Here.

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Smoke Detectors.

1.         Smoke Detectors should be 1-Per Every 30 Feet of ceiling space. The smokes must be mounted at least 14 Inches from the wall as smoke skips the corner when crawling up the wall to the ceiling. Normally 1-Smoke per Floor is sufficient for most houses. If you own a mansion then you can afford to do it properly and cover your home properly. This will make sure you get that 20% Insurance Discount when you have Central Alarm Monitoring.

Typical 4 Wire Smoke With End Of Line Resistor Above.

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Heat Detectors.

1.         There are 4- Kinds of Heat Detectors. 1-135 Degree and 1-194 Degree "Fixed" Means The Temperature must reach 135 Degrees to trip it. 1-135 and 1-194 Degree "Rate Of Rise" Means that the detector will see the temperature raising too rapidly and will trip under these conditions. Heat Detectors should be mounted in Boiler Rooms 194 Degree Heats, Attics 194 Degree, Kitchens 135 Degree, Garages 135 Degree. ETC.

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Gas Detectors.

1. Natural Gas Detectors
   1. Natural gas is a general term. Natural gas is principally methane gas mixed with varying quantities of ethane, propane, butane, and other gases. Natural gas is one of the most popular forms of fuel today because of its' performance and the ability not to pollute the environment. Families use natural gas for their gas range stoves, furnaces, hot water heater, gas grills, or gas fireplaces.
   2. Natural gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Your local gas company adds an egg like smell to your natural gas to help with the detection of a gas leak. All persons don't display the same sensitivity to the egg like smell, so the smell can go unnoticed (very dangerous). Your sense of smell decreases when you are sleeping (your most vulnerable state) or if you have a cold.
   3. Natural gas is convenient but it can be very dangerous. If a natural gas leak occurs in your home or office a violent explosion could occur, which could result in serious injuries to you and family. If your home or office doesn't explode from a gas leak, poisoning could take place through inhalation.
   4. A natural gas detector you can give you peace of mind and ensure a safe home for you and your family.
2. Things to consider when selecting a natural gas detector
   Natural gas detector units vary greatly in price, features, and ease of installation. Some of them must be professionally installed and may be connected to your home security system. Other brands resemble smoke detectors and are easy for you to install. Regardless of which detector you choose, certain facts are important:
3. Alarm activation
4. It is important that the natural gas detector will not be set off by other elements in your home, such as cigarette smoke or humidity level. Many detectors will respond to other dangerous chemicals in addition to natural gas, such as propane (LP).
5. Lower Explosive Limit
6. The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) is the lowest amount of gas that will cause an explosion. Gas detectors vary in the level of gas that will set off an alarm (for example, 15% of the LEL, 20% of the LEL, etc.). Detectors that sense lower levels of gas will warn you more quickly of the presence of natural gas than detectors that sense higher levels.
7. Location of detector
8. Detector Should be mounted near the ceiling or as close as you can get them. Natural gas rises to the ceiling.
9. The distance between your gas detector and the potential sources of a gas leak is important. Gas detectors are similar to smoke detectors, in that they need to be installed in a location where their audible warning is likely to be heard and where the material of concern--natural gas--is likely to accumulate, such as a basement. The installation instructions for your gas detector will assist you in identifying appropriate locations in which to install your detector. If you have multiple sources of natural gas in your home, you might need two gas detectors or one detector with dual sensors. This is especially true if the gas sources are spaced far apart.
10. Type of alarm
11. Some gas detectors use both a light and a sound to alert you to a gas leak. Some use only a sound. Regardless of which type of alarm you prefer, you should make sure that you will be alerted from any area of your home. An alarm that you can't see or hear will not help you.
12. Carbon Monoxide: At minimum 1 should be placed outside the sleeping areas.
    1. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible gas that dwells in our homes. You can't taste, smell, feel, see or hear carbon monoxide.
       Carbon monoxide kills hundreds of families in America every year according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). An additional 10,000 seek medical attention due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Don't let your family become a number this gruesome statistic.
       Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas produced the incomplete combustion of fuel - natural gas, oil, coal, wood, kerosene, etc.
    2. Examples of carbon monoxide producing devices include:
       1. Fuel fired furnaces (non-electric)
       2. Gas water heaters
       3. Fireplaces and wood stoves
       4. Gas stoves
       5. Gas dryers
       6. Charcoal grills
       7. Lawnmowers, trimmers and other yard equipment
       8. Automobiles
       9. It is safe to say that all families have at least one of these pieces of equipment in there homes or work place. If one of these pieces of equipment to malfunction, injury or death can occur to you or a family member.
       10. The only way of knowing if dangerous levels of carbon monoxide exist in your home is to purchase a carbon monoxide detector. If you live in a large home you may want to purchase more than one (one one each level of the home is suggested).
       11. A detector will alert your family if carbon monoxide reaches dangerous level in your home. A detector is a proven device that has saved many lives.
       12. A carbon monoxide detector you can give you peace of mind and ensure a safe home for you and your family.
13. Use the following guidelines to select a correct location.
    1. Mount at least 5 feet up from the floor. May be ceiling mounted.
    2. Mount at least 5 foot from doors or windows.
    3. Mount at least 5 foot from any cooking appliance.
    4. Mount at least 5 foot from any open flame appliances such as furnaces stoves or fireplaces.
    5. Locate in a suitable environment as follows.
    6. Temperature between 40 and 100 Degrees F.
    7. Humidity between 10 and 90 condensing.
    8. Locate away from air conditioners, Heating registers, and any other ventilation source that might interfere with co. gas entering the detector.
    9. Do not mount where furniture or drapes may obstruct the alarm.
    10. Mount alarms on a firm permanent surface.

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