Wires for Brinks Alarm in Detached Garage?

[DB2]

I've recently completed a detached garage (it's about 15 ft from my house).

In my house I currently have a wired "Brinks" branded alarm system (now "Broadview/ADT", which is about 7 years old. I'd like to add in the garage a:

1) sensor on the man door
2) possible sensor on the garage door (not sure of the options)
3) 2nd keypad
4) siren (in addition to the one in the house).

This weekend I am planning to run, in underground conduit, all the data/cable/telecom wires from the house to the garage.

My question is: what cabling should I also run from the alarm control panel in the house to the garage for the alarm guy to install the above sensors/devices in the garage?

I'd like to avoid any "extra" charges, plus I'd like to minimize the amount of wiring the alarm guy does (since he likely will do it as quick and dirty as possible).

 

[jhelrey]

I went with wireless... Updated the entire system at once.

If you have to run wire, I would run a few strands of Cat 5.

 

[dougmac]

I've recently completed a detached garage (it's about 15 ft from my house).

In my house I currently have a wired "Brinks" branded alarm system (now "Broadview/ADT", which is about 7 years old. I'd like to add in the garage a:

1) sensor on the man door
2) possible sensor on the garage door (not sure of the options)
3) 2nd keypad
4) siren (in addition to the one in the house).

This weekend I am planning to run, in underground conduit, all the data/cable/telecom wires from the house to the garage.

My question is: what cabling should I also run from the alarm control panel in the house to the garage for the alarm guy to install the above sensors/devices in the garage?

I'd like to avoid any "extra" charges, plus I'd like to minimize the amount of wiring the alarm guy does (since he likely will do it as quick and dirty as possible).

I did exactly the same thing with a Brinks system(or whatever they were calling themselves that week) The installation cost included the wiring so I don't think it will save you to run the wire yourself.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'd just put in the empty conduit and let the security company take care of the wiring, unless you know exactly what types of cables they need to connect the various devices back to the panel.

 

[2LTim]

It doesn't take much of a wire for the security system, 24 guage will work fine for everything but the siren. You will need two conductors for each door/window switch, and four conductors for a keypad. For the siren you have options; 1) To drive a siren you will need at least a 14 guage wire (It should be twisted pair and prefferably sheilded, and be sure you will not be overloading the siren driver in your panel). Option 2) You can install a siren driver in an alarm sub-panel in the garage and trigger it with another pair of 24 guage wires. This option will require a second siren driver, power supply and back-up battery. A lot of extra money too!
Think very carefully about putting a trigger switch on an overhead door. If you forget that the system is armed and open the door, you typically don't have a lot of delay to get it dis-armed. One solution for this problem is to add a keyfob remote to arm and dis-arm your system. Some of the newer systems allow your to "Call" your system from a cell phone (or any other phone for that matter) to check system status, arm and dis-arm as well as other functions.
Another issue to think about; Is it possible to "Partition" your existing system. Partitioning allows you to opperate each portion of the system independently of each other (house vs garage).
Something to think about!
Tim

 

[haugy]

Is it possible to "Partition" your existing system. Partitioning allows you to opperate each portion of the system independently of each other (house vs garage).
Something to think about!
Tim

Bingo. This is something to consider. For example, we leave for the lake one day. The boat is in the detached garage. Wife locks up the house, and want's to turn on the alarm. Well I have to finish up in the garage and get the boat out before she can.

The big kicker, is when coming back I want to be able to back right on into my shop. A nice plus if it's storming. Instead I have to go into the house, and turn off the alarm, walk all the way back to my shop, and then open it up. While it seems minor, my shop isn't right next door to my house.

I am actually going to be running a seperate system just for the garage. A man door sensor, window, fire, and motion. One that I can turn off with a remote control. The siren will be wired into another siren/indicator in the house so I will know if something is up.

I don't want someone breaking into the shop, and me think they are breaking into the house. I need to know where they are specifically.

 

[2LTim]

I have a friend that has the most elaborate system in his home you have ever seen. It is partitioned for shop/house. In three different locations (kitchen, master bedroom, shop) he has two control panels, one for the shop, and one for the house. He can arm or disarm, and check the status of either side from anywhere. He also has a wireless remote in his truck that covers both partitions, phone access, cellular back-up, glass breaks, motions and even moisture and temp sensors wired in. It is just plain awesome!

 

[cowboyjosh]

I have a friend that has the most elaborate system in his home you have ever seen. It is partitioned for shop/house. In three different locations (kitchen, master bedroom, shop) he has two control panels, one for the shop, and one for the house. He can arm or disarm, and check the status of either side from anywhere. He also has a wireless remote in his truck that covers both partitions, phone access, cellular back-up, glass breaks, motions and even moisture and temp sensors wired in. It is just plain awesome!

Hes my kind of dude, I have almost the same set up.

What I would do with the question in hand is call a local alarm installer and have them take over the Brinks, Broadview, ADT, system; and have them take a look at what you want to do in your garage.

I am not trashing the big name alarm companies, but they are in the business of selling systems and expensive options, and while they offer equipment deals, your locked into multi year (sometimes as many as 10) year monitoring contract, if you move or break the contract, your had by their collections and legal department. With a local outfit you may pay for the equipment and install, but then the equipments yours and your monitoring contract is then year to year.

 

[2LTim]

Hes my kind of dude, I have almost the same set up.

What I would do with the question in hand is call a local alarm installer and have them take over the Brinks, Broadview, ADT, system; and have them take a look at what you want to do in your garage.

I am not trashing the big name alarm companies, but they are in the business of selling systems and expensive options, and while they offer equipment deals, your locked into multi year (sometimes as many as 10) year monitoring contract, if you move or break the contract, your had by their collections and legal department. With a local outfit you may pay for the equipment and install, but then the equipments yours and your monitoring contract is then year to year.

The Cowboy is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT on this point! My buddy I mentioned in the previous post has "Local" monitoring of his systems. Another important consideration is response time to "Events." If you have a "Big Company" monitoring your system, sure they may have 200 employees on hand, but who comes first if 300, 400, or 500 alarms hit at the same time out of the 50,000 or more systems they have to monitor?

 

[slip knot]

partitioning is the way to go. I've got a partitioned sytem on my place. 2nd control panel in the shop is a very worthwhile option.

ADT wouldn't reuse any of my existing wiring. They had proprietary wiring for all of their devices. Garage doors were wired with proximity switches and have not been any trouble in 3yrs.

 

[Teken]

Lots of great tips so far . . . Would like to affirm though that you must ensure that the *bones* of the building is physically secure . . .

All the electronics in the world means nothing in the big picture as it is reactive in nature. Physical barriers are pro-active and is the only thing slowing, stopping, impeding the threat . . .

Fortify door frames, hinges, door strikes, along with solid dead bolts and locks . . . I can't begin to tell you how many homes and garages that have doors actually have and use POS door knobs with no locks on them and rely on solely the dead bolt to hold the door closed . . .

If given the option the door should swing out . . . Why?? Because it has been proven that it requires anywhere from 200 - 500% more effort to pull open a door, then it does to push / kick down one . . .

Basic physics . . .

As always proper lighting which is not physically accessible from 10 feet and above must be used . . . Lighting is your friend and besides a exterior motion sensor to alert the home owner from with in the building something / someone is outside it is one of the best pro-active elements in any alarm security system . . .

 

[waggie]

no special wires needed. all the sensors take two conductor wire, keypad is 6 conductor (i'd run two or three cat5's just in case)