Home Automation - Installing an ELK M1 Gold

Author

Installing an ELK M1 Gold

garydidio

2006-11-09, 5:25 pm

All,

I am in the process of installing an Elk M1 Gold system in my house. It
looks awesome, but as it's my first installation. The basic system I am
installing consists of the following:

* M1 Gold with 16 onboard zones
* 16-zone expansion unit
* 2 Keypads, one with a weigand reader
* Thermostat/lighting/serial interface
* Ethernet interface
* Two-Way Listen-In Interface with 3 speaker/microphones
* RCS TR-40 communicating thermostats (qty 3)
* 4WTA-B Smoke detectors (qty 7)
* CO Detector
* Motion detectors (qty 6)
* Perimeter contacts (garage doors, windows, doors)
* Outside and inside temperature sensors

Each of the sensors, detectors, and contacts will have its own zone so I can
have flexibility in controlling the environment.

1. How exactly are the security contacts wired up with the EOL resistors? I
am using contacts that are closed when the door/window is closed. Should the
resistor be in parallel or series with the switch?

2. The smoke detectors I am using are iSeries 4WTA-B with an EOLR-1 relay
attached to each. Each smoke is on a separate zone so I can easily see which
detector has tripped. Is this a good approach? How do I get all detectors
to go off when one goes off?

3. I will be installing a supervised bell/siren in the main living quarters,
as well as a siren in the attic. Do I need anything else?

4. Can you think of anything else I should consider?

Thank you for your assistance!

Gary

news.comcast.net

2006-11-09, 8:25 pm

1. Wire the sensors in series with the EOL resistors. In other words, the
circuit flows from the control panel thorough a resistor (which you place
right next to the sensor if it's a recessed magnetic door sensor or inside
the sensor if it's a motion or glass break detector). The circuit continues
through the resistor, through the sensor and back to the control panel.

2. Yes, that will work fine. Smoke detector asounders are fired byt
changing the polarity of the 12VDC which powers them. In order to make all
the smokes sound at once you need to install a "Reversing Relay" inside the
control panel and feed the power to the smoke detectors through the relay.
Here's an example of the relay (my website):
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com/pr...96_detailed.htm

3. If your home is set back from the road or if it's hard to see house
numbers from a passing patrolo panel, consider installing an ELK strobe on
the outside of the house, perhaps under the eaves.

4. Yes, lots but it would be easier to narrow it down if we chat by phone
first.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

========================>
Bass Home Electronics
Online DIY Alarm & Automation Store
941-866-1100
www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
=========================>

"garydidio" <u28903@uwe> wrote in message news:690c3fcdb851b@uwe...
> All,
>
> I am in the process of installing an Elk M1 Gold system in my house. It
> looks awesome, but as it's my first installation. The basic system I am
> installing consists of the following:
>
> * M1 Gold with 16 onboard zones
> * 16-zone expansion unit
> * 2 Keypads, one with a weigand reader
> * Thermostat/lighting/serial interface
> * Ethernet interface
> * Two-Way Listen-In Interface with 3 speaker/microphones
> * RCS TR-40 communicating thermostats (qty 3)
> * 4WTA-B Smoke detectors (qty 7)
> * CO Detector
> * Motion detectors (qty 6)
> * Perimeter contacts (garage doors, windows, doors)
> * Outside and inside temperature sensors
>
> Each of the sensors, detectors, and contacts will have its own zone so I
> can
> have flexibility in controlling the environment.
>
> 1. How exactly are the security contacts wired up with the EOL resistors?
> I
> am using contacts that are closed when the door/window is closed. Should
> the
> resistor be in parallel or series with the switch?
>
> 2. The smoke detectors I am using are iSeries 4WTA-B with an EOLR-1 relay
> attached to each. Each smoke is on a separate zone so I can easily see
> which
> detector has tripped. Is this a good approach? How do I get all
> detectors
> to go off when one goes off?
>
> 3. I will be installing a supervised bell/siren in the main living
> quarters,
> as well as a siren in the attic. Do I need anything else?
>
> 4. Can you think of anything else I should consider?
>
> Thank you for your assistance!
>
> Gary
>

garydidio via HomeKB.com

2006-11-10, 9:25 am

Robert,

Thank you for the information. Upon further investigation with the
distributor of my Elk system, he advised I do not need to have all fire
detectors sounding when one goes off. I will be installing an echo
speaker/siren in the living space which will not only announce the alarm, but
can tell me exactly which zone has been tripped.

Regarding the EOL resistors, I am still a bit confused. If the resistors are
in series with the contact switch or motion detector, then it should not
matter where along the loop the resistor is placed. There will basically be
three states: closed when the switch is closed, open when the switch is open,
or shorted when the leads are somehow connected together. If someone cuts
the line, this will have the same effect as opening the door. Am I missing
something?

The outside strobe is a great idea, as my house is set in the woods back from
the main road a couple of hundred feet.

Thanks again!

Gary

news.comcast.net wrote:[color=darkred]
>1. Wire the sensors in series with the EOL resistors. In other words, the
>circuit flows from the control panel thorough a resistor (which you place
>right next to the sensor if it's a recessed magnetic door sensor or inside
>the sensor if it's a motion or glass break detector). The circuit continues
>through the resistor, through the sensor and back to the control panel.
>
>2. Yes, that will work fine. Smoke detector asounders are fired byt
>changing the polarity of the 12VDC which powers them. In order to make all
>the smokes sound at once you need to install a "Reversing Relay" inside the
>control panel and feed the power to the smoke detectors through the relay.
>Here's an example of the relay (my website):
>http://www.bassburglaralarms.com/pr...96_detailed.htm
>
>3. If your home is set back from the road or if it's hard to see house
>numbers from a passing patrolo panel, consider installing an ELK strobe on
>the outside of the house, perhaps under the eaves.
>
>4. Yes, lots but it would be easier to narrow it down if we chat by phone
>first.
>
>[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]

--
Message posted via HomeKB.com
http://www.homekb.com/Uwe/Forums.as...e-auto/200611/1

garydidio via HomeKB.com

2006-11-10, 1:25 pm

All,

I thought I would share my home automation, security and whole-house audio
adventure with you. I have owned some property in Upstate NY in the
Adirondacks for quite some time, and am finally getting an opportunity to
build on it. The plans are to initially build a 3-bay garage with one high
bay for my camper and a one bedroom apartment on the second level as a second
home. This phase will be completed in another month. Eventually I will be
building a timberframe home overlooking the lake, but that will not be for a
while.

I wanted to post some pictures, but the system won't let me! :-(

Since this is a second home and I will not be there all the time, I thought
it a good idea to automate the house so I can manage and control it while I
am not there. I also wanted to load it up with the latest gadgets since I
want to enjoy the time I spend in the house when I am not mountaineering.

There are three major systems going into the house:

1. Whole house audio system using SpeakerCraft components
2. Network and telephone distribution system using Leviton
3. Home automation and security using the ELK M1 Gold system

Whole House Audio

I had initially designed a system using Leviton's audio components (I am a
fan of the Leviton line of products), but upon further investigation, decided
to go with SpeakerCraft. With the Speakercraft system, I have divided the
garage/apartment into 8 zones (high-bay garage, two bay garage, bathroom,
bedroom, kitchen, screen porch, deck, and patio). The living room will
contain a 5.1 surround sound system consisting of a 50" plasma TV, in-ceiling
speakers and an in-wall subwoofer to conserve space. I am working with an
audio subcontractor for this part of my adventure.

The system is composed of the following:

* MZC-88 Multi-Zone A/V Amplifier Controller -- This device has 8
independent zones, 2 built-in AM/FM tuners with 10 presets per zone, and a
whole host of other features
* MODE (Music On Demand Experience) Keypad -- Pretty slick device that
enables me to fully control the zone, including complete control of my iPods
and playlists
* Yamaha 5.1 A/V amplifier (which one, I have not decided as yet)
* AIM surround sound speakers
* I-Pod Interfaces
* 50" Panasonic Plasma TV
* Other keypads and speakers

Using this system, each zone in the house will have complete control of a
variety of sources for both audio and video. I have taken care to run CAT-5e
and coaxial cables from my media closet to various locations throughout the
structure so I can not only listen to and view, but each location can also
act as a source. My contractor kids me all the time that with the amount of
wire I have put in the structure, I am going to disrupt the Earth's magnetic
poles!

Network and Telephone Distribution

This system is fairly straightforward and is composed of the following:

* Two CAT-5e cables from my utility closet to each telephone/computer
location (one for telephone and one for computer)
* Leviton 42" SMC structured wiring cabinet
* 24-port telephone/CAT-5e structured wiring panel
* 2 100MPBS Ethernet switches (one for the first floor and one for the
second floor)
* Linksys router/firewall
* Satellite internet (which one, I do not know at this time)

I have also included provisions for integrating this syetm with the whole
house audio system and home automation/security system so my computers can be
integrated into the systems, providing complete control.

Home Automation and Security System

This is the system I am currently working on. It is based on the ELK M1 Gold
with all the whistles and bells, including:

* 32 input zones
* 2 kepads
* Weigand reader for codeless entry using a key FOB
* Thermostat/lighting/serial interface
* Ethernet interface
* Two-way speaker/microphones
* Temperature sensors
* Smoke and CO detectors
* etc.

Using this system, I will be able to completely manage and monitor the house
from my primary location in Massachusetts.

Rather than deal with different types of wire and always thinking of future
expansion, I ran CAT-5e wire to all the detectors, devices, etc. I even
installed some PVC piping from the utility closet to the media closet and
attic for future expansion, including the implementation of outside cameras
that will be linked to the system so I can remotely view what is going on.

So, I don't really have any questions, but would appreciate everyone's
thoughts I what I am doing. Thanks in advance!

Gary

--
Message posted via HomeKB.com
http://www.homekb.com/Uwe/Forums.as...e-auto/200611/1

Robert L Bass

2006-11-10, 5:25 pm

"garydidio via HomeKB.com" <u28903@uwe> wrote in message news:6914ff6dd677d@uwe...
> Robert,
>
> Thank you for the information. Upon further investigation with the
> distributor of my Elk system, he advised I do not need to have all fire
> detectors sounding when one goes off. I will be installing an echo
> speaker/siren in the living space which will not only announce the alarm, but
> can tell me exactly which zone has been tripped.

That will be fine as long as the sound is loud enough to wake a sleeping person in any bedroom. If you don't need the sounders the
smoke detectors will be less expensive. Just be certain that the sound is loud enough for your home.

> Regarding the EOL resistors, I am still a bit confused. If the resistors are
> in series with the contact switch or motion detector, then it should not
> matter where along the loop the resistor is placed.

Electrically, it doesn't make any difference where the resistor is placed. The 3 states remain the same. However, there is a
significant difference in how it functions. The purpose of the resistor, as you know, is to *supervise* the circuit against
shorting or cutting. If the resistor is placed inside the alarm control panel and someone accidentally or deliberately shorts the
wire at the sensor, the panel will not see a change. This is a bad thing. By placing the resistor at the "end of line" (next to or
inside the detector), you are supervidsing all of the wiring between there and the control panel.

> The outside strobe is a great idea, as my house is
> set in the woods back from the main road a couple
> of hundred feet.

If it's that far back, use a more powerful strobe. System Sensor makes a model S1224MCKW that's very bright. It's intended for
outdoor annunciation of a fire alarm. You can scratch off the word "Fire" if you like.
Here's a link (my website) to info on it: http://www.bassburglaralarms.com/pr...70_detailed.htm

> Thanks again!

No problem. Best of luck.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

Robert L Bass

2006-11-10, 5:25 pm

"garydidio via HomeKB.com" <u28903@uwe> wrote in message news:691634961c80f@uwe...
> All,
>
> I thought I would share my home automation, security and whole-house audio
> adventure with you. I have owned some property in Upstate NY in the
> Adirondacks for quite some time, and am finally getting an opportunity to
> build on it. The plans are to initially build a 3-bay garage with one high
> bay for my camper and a one bedroom apartment on the second level as a second
> home. This phase will be completed in another month. Eventually I will be
> building a timberframe home overlooking the lake, but that will not be for a
> while.
>
> I wanted to post some pictures, but the system won't let me! :-(
>
> Since this is a second home and I will not be there all the time, I thought
> it a good idea to automate the house so I can manage and control it while I
> am not there. I also wanted to load it up with the latest gadgets since I
> want to enjoy the time I spend in the house when I am not mountaineering.
>
> There are three major systems going into the house:
>
> 1. Whole house audio system using SpeakerCraft components

SpeakerCraft has a line of architectural (in-wall and in-ceiling) speakers called Proficient Audio. They sound excellent and prices
are quite reasonable. I've sold hundreds of them. I used them in my previous home and will be installing them throughout the new
place as soon as I'm back on my feet.

> 2. Network and telephone distribution system using Leviton

Good stuff.

> 3. Home automation and security using the ELK M1 Gold system

Best in terms of bang/buck ratio.

> Whole House Audio
>
> I had initially designed a system using Leviton's audio components (I am a
> fan of the Leviton line of products), but upon further investigation, decided
> to go with SpeakerCraft. With the Speakercraft system, I have divided the
> garage/apartment into 8 zones (high-bay garage, two bay garage, bathroom,
> bedroom, kitchen, screen porch, deck, and patio). The living room will
> contain a 5.1 surround sound system consisting of a 50" plasma TV, in-ceiling
> speakers and an in-wall subwoofer to conserve space. I am working with an
> audio subcontractor for this part of my adventure.

You may also want to take a look at Xantech's MRC88 (8 sources x 8 zones).

> The system is composed of the following:
>
> * MZC-88 Multi-Zone A/V Amplifier Controller -- This device has 8
> independent zones, 2 built-in AM/FM tuners with 10 presets per zone, and a
> whole host of other features
> * MODE (Music On Demand Experience) Keypad -- Pretty slick device that
> enables me to fully control the zone, including complete control of my iPods
> and playlists
> * Yamaha 5.1 A/V amplifier (which one, I have not decided as yet)

I used the Yamaha RXV-3000 for a couple of years but I wasn't happy with it's performance. I recently picked up a Pioneer Elite HT
receiver. I like the sound and it's more flexible. It has multiple, assignable component and digital video I/O ports which made
configuring all of my components much eqasier.

> * AIM surround sound speakers

Again, give Proficient (SpeakerCraft) a listen.

> * I-Pod Interfaces
> * 50" Panasonic Plasma TV

When we were looking for a plasma unit for our vecation home in Brazil, I looked at a fair number of models. Our TV room there is
small so I selected a 42" model. The Panasonic models were among the best we saw, but serrvice was an issue. Unfortunately, the
only brand that had local service was an off brand. The image is good but not as fine as I'd like. Oh, well.

> * Other keypads and speakers

> Using this system, each zone in the house will have complete control of a
> variety of sources for both audio and video. I have taken care to run CAT-5e
> and coaxial cables from my media closet to various locations throughout the
> structure so I can not only listen to and view, but each location can also
> act as a source. My contractor kids me all the time that with the amount of
> wire I have put in the structure, I am going to disrupt the Earth's magnetic
> poles!

Heh, heh, heh. Sounds like something I've done a few hundred times. :^)

> Network and Telephone Distribution
>
> This system is fairly straightforward and is composed of the following:
>
> * Two CAT-5e cables from my utility closet to each telephone/computer
> location (one for telephone and one for computer)
> * Leviton 42" SMC structured wiring cabinet
> * 24-port telephone/CAT-5e structured wiring panel
> * 2 100MPBS Ethernet switches (one for the first floor and one for the
> second floor)
> * Linksys router/firewall
> * Satellite internet (which one, I do not know at this time)
>
> I have also included provisions for integrating this syetm with the whole
> house audio system and home automation/security system so my computers can be
> integrated into the systems, providing complete control.
>
> Home Automation and Security System
>
> This is the system I am currently working on. It is based on the ELK M1 Gold
> with all the whistles and bells, including:
>
> * 32 input zones
> * 2 kepads
> * Weigand reader for codeless entry using a key FOB
> * Thermostat/lighting/serial interface
> * Ethernet interface
> * Two-way speaker/microphones
> * Temperature sensors
> * Smoke and CO detectors
> * etc.
>
> Using this system, I will be able to completely manage and monitor the house
> from my primary location in Massachusetts.

Whereabouts in Mass are you? I used to live in Belmont about 40 years ago.

> Rather than deal with different types of wire and always thinking of future
> expansion, I ran CAT-5e wire to all the detectors, devices, etc. I even
> installed some PVC piping from the utility closet to the media closet and
> attic for future expansion, including the implementation of outside cameras
> that will be linked to the system so I can remotely view what is going on.
>
> So, I don't really have any questions, but would appreciate everyone's
> thoughts I what I am doing. Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you're pretty much on the right path. If you need help with any of this, feel free to contact me.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-866-1100
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

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