Alarm Controls Are The Brain Of Your Security Alarm
System, Use Yours When Choosing One.
The alarm control is the brain of your system. It is typically placed in an area that
is out of the way like a basement, attic, closet or office. The motherboard and additional components such as radio receivers,
backup power supply and zone expanders are inside this metal box, which is often locked. You will have little or no interface
with the alarm control. Your alarm technician will need to access this unit to program it and wire it to general standards,
or your custom standards.
There are many manufacturers of alarm controls. Each manufacturer will also produce several models within
a particular product line. Alarm companies purchase direct from the manufacturer or more often buy their products through
one of a few available alarm distributors in their area. These distributors and manufacturers do not sell product to the non-
professional consumer. You can buy this equipment on line if you have the ability to install it and service it yourself.
As a general rule
the controls that are most dependable and have the most programming options are more costly. I will teach you how to get the
best control you can find as this will greatly affect your ease of use and your ability to have your alarm adjusted to fit
your lifestyle.
Read the complete breakdown of these controls in our "Alarm Articles" section.
Passive Infrared Motion
Detectors
These detectors are also known as PIR detectors. The technology they utilize
is “passive infrared”. The device is mounted on a wall or in the corner of a room. It sends invisible fingers
out into the covered area in several layers. The top layer goes the furthest and averages about 60 feet straight ahead and
35 feet on the sides. The center layer of beams spreads the area about mid way and the bottom layer sweeps the room closest
to the detector.
These beams individually measure the infrared temperature of what ever they land on and look
for a clash of temperature against that point. For example if a beam lands on your couch and knows what temperature it is,
when you walk in front of the couch your temperature is different and causes a violation. You would be hard pressed to match
the temperature of everything in your home as you walk about and that makes motion detectors hard to compromise.
Pet Immune Motion detector
This is a wonderful advancement in motion detection that may work
for you if your pet free- roams your house while you are away and have your motion detectors on. Before the introduction of
this technology the pet owner had to either confine their pets from the protected area or bypass the motion detector rendering
it useless unless the pet was out of the home with them.
The technology is the same as the regular passive infrared
detectors. On the pet immune version there are two sets of beams that are offset from each other. Your pet must hit two pre-
assigned beams simultaneously in order to violate the detector. Pets under a certain amount of weight (up to 85 pounds) are
not long enough to hit both beams so it does not see them. A human torso is designed much differently as per a weight to length
ratio causing them to violate either a horizontal or vertical pair of beams, depending on their favorite burglarizing posture.
Glass-break detectors-
Glass-break detectors are also known as “Audio Discriminators”. They are a perimeter
device because they catch a burglar attempting to make entry into your home or business as opposed to walking around the interior
and being picked up by a motion detector. They are available in both hardwired and wireless versions. The detector mounts
in a wall or ceiling and listens to an area approximately 35 feet in all directions. They do not hear through walls or around
corners or into a room because the door is open. The more windows you have in a device’s area of protection, the better
the value.
The glass break detector listens for the frequency of breaking glass and splintering wood. In the not so distant past the
only glass breaks available were “Single Technology” devices. These listened for the frequency of breaking glass
and splintering wood only. The problem was that sounds such as lightning cracking, some peoples sneezes, clanking two glasses
together in the sink or a pet bird squawking would replicate this frequency and cause false alarms that only the most cunning
detectives would figure out.
Although the single technology devices are still being used today because they cost alarm companies less
to purchase, a well-informed consumer would insist on the newer “Duel Technology” device. The new devices must
hear a “Thump” and than a frequency hit, in that precise order in order to go into an alarm condition.
WIRELESS ALARM REMOTES
These remotes are also known as “key
fobs” or “4 button key chains”. They are wonderful to have in addition to your keypad as you can turn your
alarm on or off without going to the keypad. You still need a keypad to perform most of the other operations of your system
such as seeing what zone is opened or has been violated after an alarm. The typical programming for a 4 button key chain would
be as follows.
1 System Armed. (On)
2 System Disarmed (Off)
3 System Armed –Stay (Motion detectors bypassed)
4 Police Panic (Siren sounds)
Your buttons on your key fob can be programmed to do other functions. For example grandma can have
one that calls for medical help if she presses her button.
These key chains and pendants are wonderful for many reasons.
You are most importantly attached to you alarm if you are within the specified range from your system, (anywhere from 500
to 1500 feet) based on the quality of the transmitter and receiver. If you get out of your car in your driveway and are approached,
you can call for help and sound your sirens with the press of a button. An employee leaving work can call for help from the
parking lot.
You can also use your Key fob at night to turn your alarm on and keep your keys on your night- stand,
so that you have a panic button at the ready if needed. Your key chain also allows you to arm your main floor motion detector
at night. If you need to go into the protected area for a late night glass of milk or something, just press a button to disarm
and rearm upon your return. (Make sure there are no other occupants that will roam the house before using this feature)
If you have groceries and or children to carry, you can turn your alarm off without going to the keypad. If your garage has
a motion detector in it you can turn your alarm off before opening the overhead door.
If you have a hardwired system you
need a wireless receiver to add any wireless device such as a remote key fob to your system. Once you have a receiver it will
take and process signals from multiple devices, this gives you the flexibility to add equipment later without the expense
of additional receivers.
Window Screens- Window screens are the ultimate
perimeter device. The windows in your home look as if they have normal screens on them, however the actual screen mesh is
an alarm circuit. The frame also has a contact point in it, so the screen can’t be cut or removed without violating
the system if it is armed. The window can be opened for ventilation and protected at the same time. Now that’s a great
perimeter device!
(INSIDE SCOOP!)
Have your screens put on a 24- hour
zone. (always on even if the system is off) You will not be able to bypass your always on zones from your keypad. You will
need to call in with your password when you remove them for cleaning.
Screens are very expensive, (often $125.00 to $200.00 each) for
each opening, but you don’t have to do every window. You can do one on each side of the house or in the master bedroom
only if you like the concept of ventilating the house with fresh air while your system is armed. More importantly think about
putting one in your children’s rooms if you can afford it. The peace of mind you will get from having your most precious
concern protected will be well worth the expense.
Some alarm companies will measure your windows and create a brand new screen. More
often they will mark your existing screens as to which window they came from and bring them with them to be re-built. This
assures a correct fit and saves a step so that you will save time and hopefully money. Screens come in different frame and
mesh shades and colors so be sure to review this with your security consultant when you order them.
Screens take some time to have built.
Alarm companies will often wait for them to be returned to them before scheduling your install. Be advised that the screens
may slow your install start time down by a couple of weeks. If your alarm company is willing to install the rest of your system,
and return at a later date with your screens I would do just that. Could you imagine how hard you would be on yourself if
you were burglarized while you were waiting for your screens to be built and an alarm to be installed?
