What to run for alarm wire?

[tundradude]

I'm in the process of digging my electrical trench to my garage. I'm running a couple of conduits (rg6, cat5, phone wire) and alarm.

I have an existing ADT alarm in the house. I want to add a second panel in the garage, along with a motion sensor. (ADT will do this)

Do I just run an extra cat5 for this?

 

[Junkman]

Just run a 1" or 1 1/2" PVC tube for them, and they will pull the wire that they like. It won't cost you any less if you run the wire. The cost of the wire pales in comparison to the actual cost of the install. If it is their wire, and something goes wrong, it is their problem. If it is your wire, then they will blame you for all the future problems.

 

[larry4406]

I tried to have ADT connect my detached garage to my house ADT alarm panel. Said existing panel was maxed out no room for zone expanders, etc. Long and short, they said I would have to have a stand alone system in the garage.

Hope you have bette luck. I agree with junkman, give them the conduit path with a pull string. If you forget the string, the shop vac trick works well (vac on one end, small newpaper ball on the other, with the string tied to the ball and **** away)

 

[PAToyota]

I agree with the Junkman - run a conduit. Not only can they run what they need, but you can also pull something new if you have to upgrade down the road.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

No. I worked for Brinks Home Security for a couple of years. Door and window sensors work off of stranded 2 (22/2) conductor. Motion and glass break detectors as well as key pads run off of stranded four conductor (18/2) . Smoke and heat detectors work off of solid four conductor (16/2). Thats what we used anyway...

I would run the conduit and put pull strings in it and let your security guy pull whats best for the system.

 

[Stuart in MN]

In the garage I'd use switches on the doors and windows, along with a heat sensor (not a smoke detector, they can get confused from engine exhaust.) With a motion sensor you may get false alarms if you ever get any birds or other small critters coming inside. Are you talking about just adding a keypad out there, or a whole alarm panel? I assume you meant a keypad; ADT will have to determine if there's room in the main panel inside the house to add the garage.

 

[tundradude]

In the garage I'd use switches on the doors and windows, along with a heat sensor (not a smoke detector, they can get confused from engine exhaust.) With a motion sensor you may get false alarms if you ever get any birds or other small critters coming inside. Are you talking about just adding a keypad out there, or a whole alarm panel? I assume you meant a keypad; ADT will have to determine if there's room in the main panel inside the house to add the garage.

A keypad I guess .... I would need to fully activate/de-activate the system from the house or garage. The motion sensor would only be in the loft (which will be fully "cut off" from the garage below.